Birdy, Lissie, Adele, Sharron Van Etten, Lucie Silvas, Lucinda Williams and The Corrs

It was exactly a year ago that I posted my last music review. That is apart from Birdy's outstanding Fire Within on the 7th October 2015.

So that is where I start. Going back to Birdy's self titled debut album from 2011, a series of covers including the well received Justin Vernon's Skinny Love. Nowhere near as good as Fire Within and mainly distinctly average. Except for the penultimate track Without a Word, her own composition that promised something special that we got with her next album. And then even better The National's Terrible Love. Worth the money for that alone.

Lissie's latest album My Wild West is every bit as good as her previous recordings. Tracks 4, 5 and 6 are superb: Hero, Sun Keeps Risin' and Don't You Give Up On Me. And then the stand out last track Ojai. Lots performed at her concert at the O2 Forum.

There's not much to say that hasn't already been said about Adele's blockbuster 25. Only that for me it just doesn't quite  have the quality of songs from her first two albums. But who am I to criticise.

An EP from Sharon van Etten in 2015 showcased the excellent title track from I Don't Want To Let You Down. Backed up by the equally good I Always Fall Apart and a live version of Tell Me. I don't like everything she does, but when it's good it's great.

We have had to wait an awfully long time for Letters to Ghosts, the  new album from Lucie Silvas, Her last brilliant The Same Side was way back in 2006. Was it worth the wait? Unfortunately not really. Roots is typical Lucie but the rest have taken a different poppy route away from her great soul songs. Disappointing.

A two disc offering from Lucinda Williams The Ghosts of Highway 20 sees the singer on top form. It's hard to pick out individual tracks but Place In My Heart typically combines a great soft vocal with just two soft guitars. Doors of Heaven took me right back to Car Wheels and almost rocked, but not quite. On to the second CD and the title track is one to play on repeat. Next up Bitter Memory is real rock and roll Lucinda style. Altogether a very satisfying recording.

Another band that has not released new material for ten years, The Corrs new album White Light  sounds like the old Corrs stuff, just not as good. The songs are fairly bland middle of the road composed by numbers. The up tempo that might better to dance to but as yet I haven't found any standout songs. Pleasant enough, though, maybe it needs a few more listens.