The Wildlife Album

I have to confess to being suspicious of charity albums, which are normally brimful of filler tracks from acts you’ve never heard of. When you’re one of the most respected writers on folk and blues though, and you decide to do something to help the Ulster Wildlife Trust you do have the advantage of being able to open a few more high class doors. Many of the tracks here are written or co-written by Harper and there are a couple George Harrison covers so there’s more of a coherence than you would ordinarily find on an album of this nature. There’s a hazy, almost ‘70s feel to the record. There are some gorgeous moments dotted throughout the 21 tracks, very little that errs on the side of ‘worthy’ and surprisingly perhaps for an album about wildlife – no turkeys.