And what does whether or not she is part of the folk scene in Edinburgh or anyplace else have to do with anything? Do people really still judge a piece of music by any criteria other than how it sounds and how it makes them feel? I couldn't give a flying fuck whether it's folk and why should anyone else?

TonyA does - he was saying the reason we should listen to her is because she's folk.

Which was nonsense because (a) nobody needs that as a motivation, as you say, and (b) she never was and says so herself.

To expand on the point about her local connections, or lack thereof: virtually all of Karine Polwart's songwriting output is melodically just as far removed from any Scottish tradition as Bunyan's. But Polwart's songs get sung around the Edinburgh scene and Bunyan's don't. The reason is that Polwart has put a lot of effort into connecting with local folk/trad musicians, both pro and amateur - she does local gigs, runs singing and songwriting workshops, turns up at all sorts of events as a participant, helps make events happen for other people and generally makes herself both helpful and welcome. She's part of the community, and that makes her music part of the community's music as well.