I purchased the new Kris Drever CD – Blackwater last week and unable to stop playing it.

Produced by John McCusker it features backing vocals from Eddi Reader & Kate Rusby. and the usual crew you'd expect to find John McCusker (tenor guitar, fiddle, whistle), Roddy Woomble (harmony vocals), Roy Dodds (drums), Ewen Vernal (double bass), Ian Carr (guitar), Donald Shaw (piano, harmonium, wurlitzer), Andy Cutting (diatonic accordion) and Frank Reader (harmony vocals).

I first heard Kris singing "Farewell to Fuineray" at Kate Rusby concert some while back and thought how good he was. I am tending still to skip one track "Fause Fause" which is quite a dark and I am finding it difficult to get into but it does not detract from the other 11 excellent tracks. It is very difficult to pick a highlight from them. The opening track "Steel & Stone" has beautiful backing vocals from Eddi Reader. I love "Beads & Feathers" A great guitar instrumental "Honk Toot" with fantastic interplay between Kris & Ian Carr. Harvest Gypsies written by Boo Hewerdine getting better each time I listen to it. Lovely treatment on "Green Grow the Laurel" and the best version ever of "Navigator" Top notch backing vocals from Kate. Why "Farewell to Fuineray" is a hidden track is a bit of a mystery to me.
Kris's voice is wonderful and has an incredible knack of drawing you into the songs.
This must be a possible contender for album (CD) of the year.
And all from a first outing.
Anyone else heard it yet?