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things down a bit comes "Party That Never Ends" and we are on safe but no less brilliant territory. A smooth acoustic guitar and vocal track augmented by haunting backing vocals from Joanna Shiel and a slow build in dynamics from accompanying Cello and eventually violin. It's a song that shows that there is no need to break new territory when you can revisit traditional formats and breath new life into them, the result a wonderfully calming and laid back tapestry wonderfully and economically woven.

The opening beats of "Sleepwalk" immediately scream "Hard to Handle" the Otis Redding classic made famous again by the Black Crowes, but just when the signature bassline should come in, we are offered up a different though no less memorable one. Driven from the rhythm section this song replaces vocals for Linda Games spiralling violin which duets with Jon Woods guitar which alternates between punch lead breaks and understated less is more picking. There's even room for those trademark backing vocals and the whole blends into a beautiful mix of consummate musicianship and thoughtful melody. Folk music shouldn't be this clever should it? As the dulcet tones fade away we are back into the driven folk style again with "Katy Make Sure", front man Steve Holland shares vocal duties here and the glorious wandering violin leads are tied nicely to the backbeats by Steve Harrison's tight bass emphasis which as ever holds roots everything to the spot. And all that from a man who describes himself as "A died-in-the-wool, beer-swilling, bearded folky." Twin vocals are a feature again on "Dizzy Again" a busy little number full of verve and pace and a nice middle eight that breaks down the dynamic of the song so that it can build again and drive to its logical conclusion in fine style. There are some fine drum fills from Tom Andrews a drummer that seems to be able to turn a song around at the drop of his ever-present hat.

A change is in the air again with "Wishing Tree", from a slow guitar build a wonderfully original composition grows. For all the abilities in the band, they know how to hold back and just play the basic groove, adding only when the song requires it and having the skill and experience to know when to build the song. A song rooted very much on the bassline, for all its simple nature it is also a song, like most found on this CD that throws up an infectious dance beat, but none of that in your face clinical electro-dross here, this is a beat that screams of dancing

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