Customer Reviews

Po'girl

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

OK, it gets filed under folk, Americana, porch music, country, whatever, but don't worry about the label. This is lovely, spare, stuff, elegantly played, beautifully sung. It's mellow and gentle, but intelligent and thoughtful. I've given it as a gift to people of widely varying musical taste, and everybody has loved it. No offence to the other reviewer here, but the standout track is Cold Hungry Blues. Alison Russell has a great jazz/blues voice, and she's perfectly complemented by Trish Klein. Buy it- unless your taste is limied to Ramstein and Cradle of Filth.

After only two listenings (Amazon delivered the album to my door only yesterday) I am in love with this album. Imagine Gillian Welch, Rosie Thomas and early bluesy Lucinda Williams with the teeniest bit of Nora Jones thrown into the mix and you're almost there. It's a real Louisiana sound - bluesy, jazzy and soulful. Key track 'City Song.'

When Canadian acoustic band Po' Girl released their debut (early 2004 in Europe) they comprised Allison Russell (the one constant in the band's evolving line-up) and Trish Klein (also of the Be Good Tanyas). Although there are hints of country influences, the album's sound is predominantly acoustic jazz and blues, laid-back, loose and mellow. So although there are acoustic guitars and harmonicas, clarinet, double bass and organ also play leading roles. The songwriting, playing and singing are all of an extremely high quality, and all that stopped me from awarding five stars is the lack of really memorable standout tracks.

I bought this CD when it first came out, after buying the first two BGT CDs. Its a beautiful piece of recorded work. Alli's voice is like a young Bessie Smith, and Trish is very underrated IMO. Her playing and singing are great and all the songwriting is exactly right for the songs (if you know what I mean). Standouts for me are City Song and the brilliant Fender Rhodes break on Backstairs Down, but the ace in the hole is 'Do you know what it means to Miss New Orleans' tacked onto and 4 minutes after the end of Lullabye. Absolutely superb. That gal can sing! The New Orleans feel is wonderful, and all the more poignant, post Katrina.

I've had this album over two years now, bought it in a charity shop. I didn't think much to it at first but it has steadily grown on me to become one of my favourite albums.

Well worth many listens.

After only two listenings (Amazon delivered the album to my door only yesterday) I am in love with this album. Imagine Gillian Welch, Rosie Thomas and early bluesy Lucinda Williams with the teeniest bit of Nora Jones thrown into the mix and you're almost there. It's a real Louisiana sound - bluesy, jazzy and soulful. Key track 'City Song.'