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The Gentle Good is the moniker of Cardiff-based musician and songwriter Gareth Bonello. Known for his enchanting melodies, intricate guitar style and beautiful acoustic arrangements, Gareth is one of the foremost songwriters working in Wales today.


The Gentle Good has released several highly acclaimed records, notably Ruins/Adfeilion, which won the Welsh Music prize in 2017 and Y Bardd Anfarwol (The Immortal Bard) which won the Welsh Language Album of the Year award in 2014.

A captivating soloist, Gareth has performed all over the world, from the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington DC to the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing. In recent years he has become a highly regarded musical collaborator, having worked extensively with artists from China and India. He is a founder member of the Khasi-Cymru Collective with artists from the Khasi communities indigenous to Northeast India. Their debut album Sai-thaiñ ki Sur (the Weaving of Voices) examined the cultural impact and colonial legacy of a Welsh mission in Northeast India and received widespread critical acclaim upon its release in 2021.

The Gentle Good’s latest release is a stripped-back exploration of traditional Welsh folk song performed on acoustic guitar, cello and vocal. Titled Galargan (Welsh for ‘Lament’) the album took form during the dark days of the pandemic, allowing Gareth’s talents as a solo singer and guitarist to take centre stage. Released in September 2023, Galargan has received rave reviews, including a rare 5 stars from The Guardian where it was listed in the top 5 folk albums of 2023.

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Galargan Reviews

“Mesmerising”

The Guardian

“It’s just so amazing”

Folk Wales

“Pretty much perfect”

God is in the TV

 “Beautifully accomplished and irresistibly engaging”

Folk Radio UK

“…a warm wash of aural sunlight…a fresh lungful of pure mountain air”

fRoots 

“…as delicate as a watercolour yet with the energy of a master calligrapher’s work”

Folk Radio UK

“a beautiful piece of work, serene, thoughtful and engaging.”

Bright Young Folk

“…a truly singular recording”

Drowned in Sound

“…pure and beautiful, soaring and verdant”

Americana UK

“Mae’r record fel petai’n gam uwchben unrhyw record Gymraeg arall, a’r Bardd Anfarwol fydd y llinyn mesur i mi o hyn ymlaen”

Golwg 360

“an international masterpiece”

St Pauls Lifestyle

“stunningly beautiful”

Pennyblack Music