SHIRLEY COLLINS

Archangel Hill (Domino)

The return of iconic British folksinger Shirley Collins to recording and performance after some decades sparked widespread joy and introduced the artist to a modern audience. Collins’ new album – Archangel Hill is the third since 2016 – has been a fine offering, too, recorded with sympathetic musicians who avoid preserving the sound in amber. So it is here, where subtle field recordings are woven into bright-eyed arrangements.

One audible difference between the Shirley Collins of 50 to 60 years ago and today on Archangel Hill is her vocals, lower and less precise than in her youth. This, simply, is attributable to her being aged 87, and it’s sensible for the listener to recalibrate their expectations and focus on the emotion and rich history of these songs. Collins, clearly, is comfortable revisiting numbers she’d sung back then (Hares On The Mountain, The Captain With The Whiskers) as well as inserting a 1980 live recording in the album’s midsection.

words NOEL GARDNER