Ruth Keggin - Sheear

Ruth is a Gaelic artist from the Isle of Man who uses her gentle vocals and a great ensemble of musicians and instruments to help bring a refreshing mix of new songs from a Manx background to listeners.

The music of this album is very much a celebration of the history of the Isle of Man and their musical heritage. Many of the songs such as Keayrt Dooyrt My Ghraih Veen Rhym are very soft and gentle allowing the Gaelic words to flow over you.

The tunes also really help paint a picture in the mind, particularly on Oikan Ayns Bethlehem and Carval Chreneash.

Ruth’s music is very endearing and she certainly sets herself up as a fantastic ambassador of Manx music. She has a great grasp of the language and puts it across to the listener in such a way that it becomes mesmerising, comfortable and familiar rather than alienating.

There is a friendly, welcoming quality to the whole album - even the album art and the warming style of the booklet really give out a sense of friendship with Ruth, almost as though she is singing just for you. It’s a nice added touch that goes a long way towards helping a listener really connect with the music.

Tracks like Roish my row flaunys er ny chroo help to vary the pace and direction of the album, always crucial when listeners are unlikely to understand the lyrics.

The album is very well arranged with a thoughtful mixture of tracks that complement each other perfectly. A perfect warm weather album for relaxing in the garden.