Rachel Harrington & The Knock Outs

Back stage at a Patsy Cline tribute concert in Seattle, Rachel Harrington came up with the idea for this album after chatting to a bunch of other female artists. So the all female band Rachel Harrington and the Knock Outs (see what they did there!) were formed. Not to say that this project is all girl power, there are some guest male appearances from the likes of steel player Tommy Hannum and guitarist Tim Carroll.

The band was formed on the back of a shared love for honkytonk and classic country, so given that was the inspiration, there is no surprise in finding the energetic and often tongue in cheek songs here. It is certainly quite a shift from the gentler and more plaintive material of 2010’s well received Celilo Falls.

Here the likes of Makin’ Our House a Honkytonk and He’s My Man positively celebrate the country life, with references to beer and bars, with the latter’s Motown-style romp proving particularly impressive. That initial burst is followed by the slower Love Him Or Leave Him To Me, while I’ll Show You Mine is far more reminiscent of Harrington’s previous material, with a gorgeously gentle violin underscoring a duet (yes the men even get to sing) of sweet beauty.

Elsewhere there are cracking lines like “the costs proved to be titanic, coz everything we buy now has to be organic” on the hilarious Hippie In My House and the normal chuckle inducing titles like Nothing To Do But You, which only this kind of music can get away with. There’s a women’s lib swagger to Wedding Ring Vacation, which you can imagine the girls of Sex And the City dancing around to.

It is simply impossible to listen to these ten tracks and not smile but there is also a songwriting craft that ought to be admired as well, especially on the excellent Get You Some. Harrington’s girly get together ends up being a lot more fun than expected. Go country girl power!