Britain’s HiFi News picked Eleanor McEvoy's previous release, Yola, as their top choice of the year. Ultimately it became one of Music Direct’s all-time best-sellers both on SACD and on vinyl. We’ve just played her newest hybrid surround SACD and can say that this is even more impressive both sonically and musically.

As HiFI+ magazine wrote, ''Early Hours is a triumph that succeeds as art as impressively as its predecessor while notching up the technology another level by adding multi-channel to the SACD mix. McEvoy's latest is SACD done right. Whether on the CD level, delving into stereo or full-blown multi-channel SACD, each format has been approached intelligently, using the right tools for each job. This is great music, beautifully recorded and deserves your attention.  From a hi-fi buff point of tview, this is a mandatory show-off disc.''

The album opens with her clear voice carefully framed singing, “You’ll hear better songs that this with no trace of clumsiness…” through her radical re-arrangement of Chuck Berry’s “Memphis” and a set of diverse originals and closing with the traditional Irish song, “Anach Cuain.” The instrumentation is still based on her acoustic guitar but co-producer Brian O’Connor fills out the sound with piano, Fender Rhodes, and Wurlitzer and Hammond organs. Add a touch of fiddle, trumpet, and assorted percussion for another gorgeous disc. 'Early Hours' is all the more sumptuous for the high-quality analogue recording at London's Metropolis Studio. (We’ll note that she thanks Nordost and HiFi News in the credits.) Seemingly simple, but full of depth, Eleanor McEvoy’s latest is the finest contemporary female singer-songwriter release this year.

1. You'll Hear Better Songs (Than This)
2. Memphis Tennessee
3. The D.J.
4. I'll Be Willing
5. Driving Home From Butler's
6. Ave Maria
7. Make Mine A Small One
8. Slipping Away
9. Sail Me High
10. Days Roll By
11. Where Did My Life Go?
12. At The End Of The Day
13. Anach Cuain (Eanach Dhuin)