HAVING recently teamed up with Jimmy Aldridge and Sid Goldsmith to create Awake Arise, an album of winter songs, all-female trio Lady Maisery benefit from that new gender balance at this performance.

It adds extra voices to the mix as they faithfully and sequentially reproduce all of the songs on their latest recording, along with spoken-word interludes that include a recitation of a Christmas recipe and a poetical description of the properties of evergreen plants.

It's a gentle evening of contemplative and quiet music, notwithstanding the odd Wassail or Sheffield carol and, in truth, it proves more inspirational than the album itself.

The undoubted highlight, both live and on record, is Hazel Askew’s rendering of The Snow it Melts the Soonest, a finer interpretation of the old song even than that of Anne Briggs, who brought it to modern attention, or of Dick Gaughan, whose version has reigned supreme until now.

In fact,  all of the best interludes seem to involve Askew. Her poignantly delivered lead on the Victorian music hall number London Lights captures the bleak misery of homelessness and her rendition of Hope Is Before Us, featuring lyrics drawn from the writings of William Morris, proves to be the most uplifting moment of the night.

With a fresh dynamic provided by Aldridge’s banjo and Goldmsith’s guitar, not to mention their chirpy stage presences, this is Lady Maisery in a different and refreshing vein, though normal all-female service will doubtless be resumed on their forthcoming 10th anniversary tour.

Awake Arise is released on Proper Music. Lady Maisery tour from February 17, details: ladymaisery.com