Lisa O’Neill: Same Cloth or Not

Anyone lucky enough to see Lisa O'Neill over the past year or two will be aware of what a captivating musician she is to watch. Any concerns that the feisty Cavan woman's character would not be captured on record are brazenly allayed on her second album. There's a comforting familiarity to the sad sway of Coward's Corner, the swoonsome Dreaming and the sparse piano-based Apiana. Others, such as Come Sit Sing, twist the traditional acoustic folk template into an intense, full-band climax. O'Neill's idiosyncratic voice, coupled with David Kitt's sympathetic production and a striking turn of phrase – be it lamenting an absent lover (England Has My Man) or transport options (No Train to Cavan) – makes this one of the most outstanding Irish albums this year. facebook.com/lisaoneill music
Download: Coward's Corner, Come Sit Sing, Dreaming