Nettwerk (label)
25 October 2010 (released)
17 October 2010
Alison Russell, Awna Teixeira, Benny Sidelinger and Lightning August make up Po’ Girl and their music is completely enchanting: great harmonies, melodies to die for and some simple but ever so effective playing. They have been through changes as a band, even working with Hip-Hopper CR Avery at one time but where they are at now is brilliant and there isn’t a duff track on this album.
They are all described as multi-instrumentalists and their talents are in evidence all through this but you never get the feeling that they are too clever for their own good – they joy and delight they have in their talents are shot all through the album.
Opening with ‘Kathy’ they tell the story of a young girl who has lost her music and the combination of banjo, subtle horns and simple drums builds and becomes a massive band performance as the harmonies come in – almost a description of what this band is about in one number.
‘Montana’ brings in a clarinet and a jazzy feel while ‘When We Are In Love’ shows off some stunning slide guitar and country licks and ‘Pink Shoes’ is a lovely parlour-ballad with simple acoustic guitar and clarinet. They can do it all and the ease with which they move between genres is a delight.
My favourite number is ‘Western Skies’ which seems to encapsulate the prairie with a soft, lazy vocal, banjo clucking like a chicken and a wailing harmonica all with a gentle steel-bodied guitar line and simple drums.
The most surprising number on the album has to be ‘Maudite Guerre’ – accordion, banjo and rapid paced singing in French with a Kletzmer feel as the clarinet comes in for a solo – lovely but not what you are expecting.
The multi-instrumentalist tag is well earned – I spotted accordion, dobro, clarinet, banjo, glockenspiel, harmonica and a full set of horns but always in appropriate measure and not just to show off - this is a very talented set of musicians and all the better for knowing what to leave out.
Zach Goheen has done a brilliant job as producer and this is one of the best Americana/roots albums I have heard this year. They will be touring the UK in 2011 and this is one act I will be seeing wherever they play.
