Madison Violet

Canada’s female duo Madison Violet made their breakthrough two years ago with the excellent No Fool For Trying (their third full album)and return with another sweet collection of stories of love and loss, delivered with their sparkling harmonies.

Sensibly there’s no great departure in style with opener If I Could Love You setting the tone. The delightful line “Your heart is looking another way” summing up the type of tale we are in for. Its gentle stroll sits nicely alongside Home’s more reflective and rootsy feel. The exquisite strings that close the second track are underpinned by delightful lines like “All I can taste is the look on your face”.

This is a far more typically country/Americana album, and several of the tracks sound more traditional; Emily, Goin Away and the title track all lend a more up-tempo feel and help to break up the plaintive material where those harmonies shine so brightly.

A more interesting departure is the grittier Come As You Are; not a cover of the Nirvana song, which would have been a brave move. There is a definite nod to fellow countryman Neil Young though, as a harmonica echoes under Brenley MacEachern and Lisa MacIsaac’s cries of “lately you don’t come without a war”.

This is another excellent collection (with a terrific title by the way) from the award winning duo and another UK and European tour should see them picking up more fans.