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If the only measure of a box player is his contribution to the traditional canon, then Tommie Cunniffe's solo debut will earn him pole position in the traditional music firmament. With 20 tunesof his own making, Cunniffe's compositional confidence is startlingly light to the touch. A pair of errant polkas, Fierce Chancy Polka and Awful Chancy Polka, epitomise the subtlety of his writing, with one leg cocked in the direction of eastern Europe and the other planted firmly in the belly of the north-west.Brian Miller's superb guitar and Brian Morrissey's percussion occasionally merge rather than differentiate the tunes, but Donnacha Moynihan's production is highly sensitive, to the point of transparency throughout. One thing's for sure: Cunniffe's distinctive driving, rhythmic style promises a hellraiser on the live front. www.tommiecunniffe.com  SIOBHÁIN LONG

Download tracks: Unbuttoned, Chancy Polkas