Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

It is the dance of the close comfort and the tap of the Progressive that makes the waltz such a beautiful moment to watch, the timing of the movement, the subjection to the lead of one mind being performed in a close knit space; it speaks volumes about the participants, the will and the endeavour in which to see the dance fulfilled.

The Final Waltz though is something else entirely, especially when it is your debut on the floor and in particular when your regular partner is urging you on to search for your own steps in which to whisk the heart away of someone who has found you deliberately enticing.

Ciaran Algar’s The Final Waltz is more than a serenade to the persuasive powers of the fiddle and the mandolin, it is the dominance of such instruments in the face of solo enthusiasm, the weaving of banjo and Bouzouki played by one individual and surrounded by the splendid backing of Toby Shaer, Eden Longson, Giles Deacon and Sam Kelly. It is in this healthy mix of musicianship that Ciaran Alger finds himself out of the semi- shadow, the dusk and firmly in the spotlight and it is a look that suits him.

The Final Waltz, the last hurrah is also the initial foray, the smile of introduction and the handshake firmly gripped, a show of trust and delight into which the young musician takes the reins and the lead and guides the listener for several turns, the dance divinely interpreted by the fiddle and the grace of the Toby Shear’s flute hanging ever in the air like a lantern offering solace and safety in the eventuality of a storm, a tempest that might, but does not, arrive.

With Mr. Algar taking the huge step to provide lyrics for a selection of the songs on the album, the music is given the sharp enhancement that the listener will enjoy and in tracks such a Until We Meet Again, The Luck Penny, the sublime Locks and the album’s title track, The Final Waltz is a dance that might be seen as a soft tread into the unknown but one that is wonderfully surprisingly easy to catch on to. A pleasure of musical industry wrapped up in a beautiful well tailored suit.

Ian D. Hall