Its all relative I suppose.   When its next year, do we have to decide who made a major contribution because of the chronology of the situation. Some of the albums that influence me every day are seventy years old - and I bet most dudes never get round to hearing them ever.

cd of the year - its a bit anti folk music/pro music industry - isn't it?

if I were bruce Murdoch, I should be more than a bit disappointed. His album should have put him in a position of pre-eminence internationally. the craftmanship of the songs was not something you put together in mere year - try twenty years!(and the rest)

On the English trad front brian peters and john kelly's efforts deserve a mention. I think they would both smile grimly at the idea of being - flavour of the week. Both represent a breadth of vision that you don't walk out of primary school with.

On this side of the pond there are a few worthy efforts - No Fixed abode's long awaited studio album (two years in the making) never impinged on the consciousness of various BBC programmes (but then what does?) - so not enough people have really got to hear it. that in many ways symbolises the general mean spiritedness of the folk world - with all its vested interests and sycophantic in crowd.

still if it makes you puke - it leaves room for more christmas dinner.