Chris WoodAlbion: An AnthologyReview

Looking at his career as a whole, Albion: An Anthology presents an ideal opportunity to familiarise yourself with the work of Chris Wood.

Known as either the renaissance man of British folk or indeed the greatest singer-songwriter in Britain today, fiddle player, guitarist and vocalist Wood has been writing and playing since the early 80s. Whether you know him as a soloist, for his work with Andy Cutting, the English Acoustic Collective or his band and trio material, Wood has been a commanding presence on the UK scene for the past decade.

The material is frequently emotional – stripped down, shivers-down-spine moments of candid emotion. The power and economy of the title track, a look at the state of the country, juxtaposing parents' aggressive hopes for their children's education in a kids playground while a corpse swings from a nearby tree (''Albion, I'm homesick now, though I live in the town I was born''). But the 21-track collection is far from heavy weather – I Feel A Smile Coming On, a simple, sparse jig, is a pleasure and the traditional The Colour Of Amber, which develops into the trad. arr. stalwart I Wish I Wish, shows how warm and emotional his work can be.

With its crashing beats and Indian influence Cold Haily Rainy Night from Simon Emmerson's Imagined Village project shows how folk can be updated while staying true to its roots. The groove does not detract from the power of the duet between Wood and Eliza Carthy.

Albion: An Anthology is an essential purchase if you want to know more. The material here demonstrates quite how vital an artist Wood is, and why he is such a frequent nominee and winner at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.