JUNE Tabor, one of the best singers to come out of the British folk revival, has always liked to include at least one ballad on her albums.

She says: "In the ballad you have story-telling at its stark, urgent best, always unfolding itself in the mind's eye as a sequence of unforgettable images."

From this passion, an entire album of ballads has evolved, featuring long-time Tabor accompanists Huw Warren (piano) and Mark Emerson (violin, viola) , plus recent recruit Tim Harries (double bass) and guest appearances by two giants of British folk music - Northumbrian pipes virtuoso Kathryn Tickell and master guitarist Martin Simpson. Tracks include Lord Maxwell's Last Goodnight, Sir Patrick Spens and The Border Widow's Lament.

Updated: 08:45 Thursday, September 25, 2003