"Where the previous two albums from Leicestershire based A Hawk And A Hacksaw were dark and dusty delights that happily referenced such disparate genres as the Spaghetti Western, Captain Beefheart and Raymond Scott, their new LP 'The Way The Wind Blows' is a far lighter affair that shifts it focus squarely onto folk traditions. Sharing two members with Beirut (Jeremy Barnes and Heather Trost), A Hawk And A Hacksaw explore a similar aural topography - with the opening 'In The River' full of lazy horns, wheezing melodies and waltzing accordion, all of which conspire to create a wonderfully rolling Bavarian folk atmosphere. Partly recorded in a remote Romanian village with members of Fanfare Ciocarlia (recent winners of Best European Artist at the Radio 3 World Music Awards), 'The Way The Wind Blows' really does sound timeless; conjuring up images of dusky mountains and bustling villages. Choosing a dramatic stomp that has a distinctly Turkish flavour, the title track is a rich and rimy affair that juxtaposes an ominous accordion line with some piquant strings which prevent the piece becoming dour or overcast. From here, 'Song For Joseph' introduces militaristic drums to a pathos drenched vocal that will keep pulling you in despite its poignant undertow, 'God Bless The Ottoman Empire' is a jaunty slice of indie-folk that wouldn't sit out of place on college radio, whilst 'GaDJe Sirba' cross-breeds Eastern Europe with Duke Ellington style horns. It works far better in the ear than it does on paper... Closing with the couplet of 'Salt Water' and 'There Is A River In Gailsteo' (the former a brooding piano and string epic, the latter a tender shimmering lament), The Hawk And The Hacksaw have made an album that sticks to its musical ethics doggedly whilst losing not a jot of listenability."

01.In The River
02.Way The Wind Blows
03.Song For Joseph
04.Fernando's Giampari
05.God Bless The Ottoman Empire
06.Waltz For Strings And Tuba
07.Oporto
08.Gadje Sirba
09.Sparrow
10.Salt Water
11.There Is A River In Galisteo

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Yat-Kha come from Tuva, out on the borders of Siberia and western Mongolia. They dress like throw-backs to the hippy psychedelic era, and create some of the most extraordinary noises on the planet. Albert Kuvezin is an exponent of the local style of throat-singing, which allows the performer to hold more than one note at once while producing surely the deepest growls on record. He is also a guitarist who likes to switch between gentle acoustic passages and frantic electric solos, and he leads a band that also includes such traditional Tuvan stringed instruments as the Igil. The resulting songs are gloriously exhilarating, being at their best treating Tuva's gutsy traditional songs to the trademark blend of wild rhythm and growls. These range from exuberant growled rockers like Come Along to slow growled ballads, all with lyrics in English and sounding as if he is desperate to join the western pop mainstream.

01. Come Along / A.Kuvezin
02. Amby Baryp / trad.arr.A.Kuvezin-K.Mongush
03. Langchyy Boom / trad.arr. YAT-KHA
04. Carry Me Through / A.Kuvezin
05. Dorug Daiym / trad.arr. YAT-KHA
06. Coming Buddha / A.Kuvezin
07. Eki Attar / trad.arr. YAT-KHA
08. The Steppe, The City, The Sea / A.Kuvezin
09. Uzhur-La Bar / A.Kuvezin
10. Khandagaity / trad.arr. YAT-KHA
11. Voyager / A.Kuvezin
12. Teve-Khaia / trad.arr.A.Kuvezin
13. Tuva.Rock / A.Kuvezin
14. Amby Baryp (remix) / trad.arr.A.Kuvezin-K.Mongush

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