FOLK music comes in increasingly myriad forms, but at its heart remains the troubadour, the storyteller.

Two of its finest exponents have headed from Scotland to North Yorkshire for magical shows in the past fortnight, both in support a new album, both performing their set in a duo format, both cult acts that attract the column inches and fans of undying devotion.

By way of contrast with the notoriously slow-working Bunyan, Yorkston is a prolific songwriter, his latest album, The Cellardyke Recording And Wassailing Society, stretching to 16 songs.

Double bass player Jon Thorne also doubled as Yorkston’s sounding board or “victim” in his humorous interludes, one of which turned into an improvised song that drew on the night’s experiences. Broken Waves (A Blues For Doogie) was the most beautiful sentiment, Erasure’s Give A Little Respect was transformed into a fragile ballad and Tortoise Regrets Hare was the perfect send-off.

After Yorkston in York, it was time to head to the country, to The Band Room, where Yorkston really should play one day. This wood-panelled tin shed wholly suited Vashti Bunyan last Saturday night with its lovely, warming acoustic and intimacy. Vashti is such a perfectionist, her soundcheck ran to an hour; her sotto-voce singing being as delicate as a spider’s web and her guitar-playing equally so, in the company of fellow guitarist Gareth Dickson.

Whereas Yorkston likes to stand, even prowl beneath his peaked cap, Vashti sat, hunched and hushed, never rushed, revealing little vignettes from her life story.

Her set gave equal limelight to 1970’s Just Another Diamond Day, 2005’s Lookaftering and her newly released “final album”, Heartleap, the songs having a mellifluous flow through the years. How the heart leapt indeed, but how the heart saddens that at 69 Vashti has decided to write no more.