NINE AND FIFTY SWANS

Those who have the fortune to study the poetry of W.B. Yeats may feel they recognise the title of Tirill Mohn's recently reissued second solo album, which originally came out in 2011. It is taken from the poem "The Wild Swans at Coole", and this whole album has been inspired by the work of Yeats, so lyrically this is a very English sounding piece of work. It may have taken her eight years to follow up the debut, but the result is an album which contains a great deal of strength and beauty within it. As well as providing vocals, acoustic guitar, Mellotron, violin & percussion she also brought in various guests, and a special mention must be made of Dagfinn Hoboek whose vocals on "The Cap & Bells" works perfectly with Tirill, while bassists Nils Einar Vinjor and Herman Schultz (double bass) combine to create a perfect curtain for the rest of the band to play against.

This doesn't feel as fragile as the debut, with more of a folk feel as it moves away from the more overtly progressive style, and one would never realise this was a Norwegian album as it feels as if it is an overlooked English masterpiece from nearly fifty years ago. Sublime, with superb breathy, fragile and delicate yet powerful vocals, this is definitely worth discovering.