7/10

Robin James Hurt has always felt like a wanderer between worlds as part folk troubadour, part rock storyteller, and on 'A Song, A Story Told', he finally invites us into his own living room. This album, recorded on vintage four and eight-track cassette machines, shuns studio polish for warmth, texture, and intimacy, creating a space that feels immediate and alive.

At the core of the album is Hurt’s collaboration with Dublin poet Tony Floyd Kenna, whose lyrical fire ignites Hurt’s folky instrumentals. Their first meeting produced 'Take Me Home', a meditation on emigration, longing, and the pull of roots. From there, the duo expanded into a tapestry of emotional storytelling, exploring grief, joy, hope, and memory. Each track feels like a mini-narrative as the lead single 'Hey Mary (Play a Song For Me)' pulses with celebratory energy, a homage to Máire Úna Ní Beaghlaoich and the transformative pulse of Dublin street music. In contrast, the closing title-track serves as a tender lullaby, intimate and grounding, while 'Room Full of Music' delivers grooves that swing effortlessly between folk charm and rock edge.

Hurt’s own guitar work adds analogue warmth that envelopes every track. There’s grit in the strings, honesty in the rhythms, and a sense that every note was earned. This is an album that respects our attention, rewarding repeated listens with small discoveries; such as a flourish of fingerpicking here, a whispered harmony there, textures that feel simultaneously lived-in and cinematic.

A Song, A Story Told' is a conversation between past and present, between two artistic voices, and between performer and listener. Robin James Hurt has crafted a collection that celebrates Irish musical heritage while making it entirely his own, offering something heartfelt, joyful, and unforgettable in the process.