Albums of the week

INDIE

Hedge Schools: Magnificent Birds (HedgeSchools Records)

This third album from Hedge Schools firmly establishes the feel and tone of this low-key, but deservedly highly regarded Irish band. The follow-up to 2015’s At the End of a Winding Day, Magnificent Birds is a lush, deeply felt and intimate affair, with Patrick Barrett’s vocals enveloping the listener like a warm cloud. There’s often a tinge of sadness in his slowly delivered baritone, and ...