Kitewing

Kitewing's self-titled debut album release sees five of Norwich's finest folk musicians combining to create what may be the nearest thing that Norfolk has to a super-group. Adding to the magic of Christina Alden and Alex Patterson are the proven talents of Georgia Shackleton, Nic Zuppardi and Aaren Bennett from The Shackleton Trio). The result is a formidable fusion of vocal, instrumental and songwriting talent.

After appearances at Folk East and Deepdale Festival last Summer, and a storming headliner at Norwich Arts Centre as part of a February tour, Kitewing is now soaring high, and this album release, with its mixture of songs and tunes, self-written and traditional material, and featuring some virtuosic playing, is a ten-track delight guaranteed to have your toes tapping and your soul sated.

The first of five featured instrumental tracks sees Georgia Shackleton's 'Island' leading into the traditional tune 'Pull Down Your Vest', and with lively violins augmented with mandolin and guitars. There is an Appalachian rhythm and feel to both Nic Zuppardi's 'Holy Mackerel' and the fiddle-framed 'Five Thousand Miles'. The sea and the migration of birds seem to be a common inspiration for much of this album. Even the lively Irish reel 'A Tune For The Girls' cannot stop itself from morphing into Shackleton's own 'Tune For The Gulls'.

It is almost impossible to pick a favourite track from this album but, if pushed, it would be 'Handsome Molly', a traditional song of Celtic origin, but given a brand new freshness through Alden and Patterson's re-arrangement, allowing the guitars, violins and mandolin to wring out every last ounce of angst from this song of love and broken promise, whilst the sing-along chorus churns the emotions yet further.