World music doesn't always need a tropical sound. This is proven by YEW, a Belgian five-some from Liège describing themselves as a folk rock/alternative band. Be that as it may, 'White Swan On Black Water' sounds a little more layered than that: on 'May I Have' they let hard rock clash with folk, 'Mobile Beer' has a bluegrass vibe and 'Kingston Dublin' is an enjoyable reggae meets folk experiment. 'The White Swan' and 'Rebirth', two instrumental tracks on the album, could be pulled from a soundtrack of Michael 'The Piano' Newman. At times 'White Swan On Black Water' leans towards the commercialism of Riverdance, but the best moments on the album are reminiscent of the work of The Waterboys or Dropkick Murphys. Rabid violin haters may abstain, but for all others, this is a local band to watch out for!