Album Review: The Wailin' Jennys - Firecracker

This album is definitely a firecracker. It’s not surprising that I like it, considering it’s got so many elements that I am shamelessly a sucker for: strong female vocals, three part harmonies, a folksy/country/bluegrass feel and Canadian content.

From The Andrews Sisters to The Dixie Chicks, three female vocalists has proven to be a winning combination. And for good reason. Today, in Canada, the girl folk band brigade is headed up by The Wailin’ Jennys, The Be Good Tanyas and up-and-comers The Good Lovelies (nominated for the 2009 Canadian Folk Music Award for new/emerging artist of the year – check them out). But lets not go ahead and throw them all into the same basket, mmkay?

The Wailin’ Jennys was founded in Winnipeg by Nicky Mehta and Ruth Moody. Over the years three women have taken their place the third Jenny, and Firecracker sees Annabelle Chvostek in this role. What makes the Wailin' Jennys unique is the balanced strength of the three musicians. Song writing credits are split between the women, and the lead vocals are as well, correspondingly. Each singer has the vocal chops to hold the lead position, and together they blend into a harmonious whole where no one voice overpowers the others.

The album overall is musically rich and deep. It is well produced, has a full sound, and spans a breadth of genres. Nicky, Ruth and Annabelle (all multi-instrumentalists themselves) are backed up by an extended cast of talented musicians playing a variety of both acoustic and electric instruments. The layering of sound is done effectively throughout the album and serves to highlight the real star of the show: the powerful vocals.

The Devil’s Paintbrush Road (Chvostek) is a strong leading track, with an upbeat bluegrass feel and lyrics that are both sweet and haunting. Glory Bound, Things That You Know and Prairie Town, all by Ruth Moody, won me over with their lyrically sparse and musically stunning choruses. Starlight (Mehta) picks the album up right in the middle, building to rich layers of sound and driving percussion. Nowhere on the record are the vocals of the singers more exposed than on Long Time Traveller, a Wailin’ Jennys arrangement of the traditional song, done a cappella. The sound produced by the three voices in harmony is so balanced and full that you will likely forget that there are no other instruments. The title track, Firecracker (Chvostek), ends the album not such much with a bang but with a soft, mandolin led tune that evokes nursery rhyme and fairy tale imagery. But don’t confuse softness for weakness: like the album as a whole, the track conceals its secret powers under a veneer of sweet harmony. The Wailin’ Jennys are a lit fuse and you won’t know what hit you.

Check out the Wailin' Jennys:
Official Site
MySpace
CBC Radio 3
YouTube: Long Time Traveller live at Pickathon Roots Music Festival 2006