The 21st century has been good for Martin Simpson. Ever since his first appearence in the early 1980s, he has been a major force on the folk scene, but since the turn of the century he has produced a string of brilliant albums raising him to new heights. Bramble Briar was a excursion into English music, Righteousness & Humidity took us to America, Kind Letter explored the big ballads, and on this, the fourth one, you get all of those ingredients together on one album.

From the opening "Batchelor's Hall" you know that this is a master at work. Simpson has always been an expert guitar player, always in total control of his playing, and a fine banjoist. He is confident enough not to show off on his instruments. He uses them as tools to get the songs across, but when you get behind the vocals you will find that every single note is played with accuracy. It is this sense of detail in his playing that makes him one of my all time favourite acoustic guitar players. Just listen to the self-composed instrumental "She Slips Away". Very slow slide playing, with every single one played to the full. At the surface it sounds so simple, but when you listen closer you realize how difficult it is. Or the introduction to "The Granmore Hare", which combines fast bubbly passages with slow reflective playing.

His singing has improved with every record, and he has found his own style, a style that matches his playing and the songs. But the real surprise on this record was the emergence of Martin Simpson the songwriter. Two of the best songs on the album, the soft "A Love Letter" and the more up tempo "Never Any Good", are of his own writing. The latter is my favourite track on the album.

Here and there Simpson uses guest musicians and singers. Alistair Anderson is featured on a few tracks with concertina and pipes, Danny Thompson provides bass, Andy Cutting, accordion. There are three guest backing vocalists, Kate Rusby, Jackson Browne and Kellie While. But the real surprise is the inclusion of Barry Phillips on cello. The cello is a perfect match for Simpson's guitar. I would like to hear more of them together.

But even with all these people it is basically a solo album, with Simpson left on his own many times. The instrumentation and the backing singing just provide him with a larger palette to chose his colours from, and he uses it sensibly.

So what else is there to say? A powerful version of "Little Musgrave", Randy Newman's "Louisiana 1927" as a tribute to the people of New Orleans, a nod to Ry Cooder on "Good Morning Mr. Railroad Man", well I could go on forever. Whether you are looking for a good collection of songs or want something to inspire you to practise your guitar playing, look no further. Probably the best album of 2007 so far, and it will take something very special to match it.