Kíla - Gamblers' Ballet

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Spirit-raising

The adulation heaped on Bruce Springsteen's 'Seeger Sessions' and live shows last year showed just how much people want to be pushed outside of their usual listening space and how thankful they'll be for it.

In which case trad crossoverists Kíla deserve a victory parade down O'Connell Street for what they've come up with on 'Gamblers' Ballet' and, having left the centre of the known universe, the opportunity to play these songs from one end of the earth to the other.

A record where you feel you're getting your musical passport stamped in a different location on every song, it finds the septet losing nothing as they bring the energy and freewheeling quality of their live shows to the studio - and sounding like someone just remembered to hit record during one hell of a get together.

Had this come out in a monsoon-free June, it would've been the ultimate barbecue album. Instead it'll still be as fresh 12 months from now and you'll still be finding new things to savour in the grooves. It would be some band who release something more spirit-raising than this before then.

Harry Guerin

Tracklisting: Leath Ina Dhiaidh A hOcht - Electric Landlady - Cardinal Knowledge - Dúsigí - Seo Mo Leaba - Fir Bolg - Boy Racer - Her Royal Waggeldy Toes - Cabhraigí Léi