Ange Hardy's music is steeped in ancient tradition, a collection of songs that could only have been forged in the long-ago fires of the British folk tradition.

Except, in this case, the songs were crafted -- according to her liner notes -- at Hardy's kitchen table. You could have fooled me.

She treads familiar paths in her songs, through mystical woods and across troubles seas. There are sisters -- good, bad and neutral -- who are not fond of one another, and a hunter who becomes the prey. There's love and murder and perseverance, and just getting by.

"The music industry can be a difficult place to find comfort," she writes in her notes. "It's full of pitfalls and dangers. The devil never seems too far from the door. This album was about chasing down that devil, and bringing my music back home to where it started."

Besides her gorgeous vocals, Hardy provides harp, guitar and whistle on the album. She's joined by Peter Knight on fiddle and backing vocals, Lukas Drinkwater on bass, guitar and backing vocals, Evan Carson on percussion, Alex Cumming on accordion, Jon Dyer on flute and whistle, and Lee Cuff on cello and backing vocals.