Luka Bloom continues to shake up the folk genre with clever chord sequences and arrangements while still retaining folk's core values of story-telling and commentary. Bloom is primarily known in Ireland as a solo guitar and mic man. Here he has gathered together a "who's who" from the RIish folk pantheon. This New Morning sonuds like a band album, and what a band - Glen Hansard, Donal Lunny, Iarla O Lionaird, Eimear Quinn, Steve Cooney, and Conor Byrne. The playing is magnificent throughout. Bloom co-produced this record with his old sparring partner Brian Masterson, and together they have created an album of outstanding beauty, sensitivity, and fun.