She may have been named BBC Folk Singer of the Year, but 2014 clearly wasn’t easy for Bella Hardy, judging from this bravely personal musical diary of travelling, working, and questioning: “Should I hide a broken heart?” Never since Paul Simon’s Homeward Bound has the life of a touring folk singer sounded quite so angst-ridden. Hardy’s last album, Battleplan, was a collision of traditional songs and folk-influenced new compositions, but this adventurous new work mixes intimate, drifting ballads and pop choruses, and is backed by an intriguing mix of her own fiddle, banjo, brass and percussion. The best tracks, First Light of the Morning and Oh! My God! I Miss You, are slow, atmospheric, and sung with easy confidence. Also included are her poignant contribution to the first world war project Songs for the Voiceless, and a country-edged duet with Canadian Cara Luft, Time Wanders On, another thoughtful travelogue.
