The Crossing may well be Tim O'Brien's finest moment to date. Always possessed of a fine voice and an inventive writing style, he is not afraid to expand the boundaries of the folk/bluegrass/old-time music he explores. Add to that the obvious Irish/Celtic elements introduced here and you have an album that genuinely has a foot in both traditions, while at times transcending both.

The list of guests involved is long and impressive, with such notable co-vocalists and harmony singers as Del McCoury, Jeff White, Kathy Mattea and Maura O'Connell, as well as a superb guest appearance from Paul Brady on the traditional 'Down In The Willow Garden' that is surely a must for any of his fans.

Instrumentally, after O'Brien's own contribution on guitar, bouzouki, fiddle and mandola, we also get such fine Irish players as Dermot Byrne, Frankie Gavin, Seamus Egan and members of Altan blending with Jerry Douglas, Viktor Krauss and Darrell Scott to name but a few. As you can imagine, the standard of playing is never in doubt.

The songs themselves tell their stories with style, depth and feeling and many are outstanding - in particular the duet with Mattea on the traditional 'Wagoners' Lad', the duet with sister Mollie O'Brien on 'Little Lost Children' and the Guy Clark co-write 'John Riley', which tells the tale of Irish soldiers who switch from the American to the Mexican side.

A captivating collection that brings due credit to all involved, The Crossing is well worth the journey.