Larkin Poe - Summer

Rebecca and Megan Lovell are young, singing siblings who have already graced the stage of the Opry and attended fests such as Bonnaroo. Raised on fairytales, both women, aged 19 and 20, have bottomless imaginations that allow them to create song and song. The duo was named after their great-great-great-grandfather. As very young ladies they studied classical piano and violin. Later on, they toured as the Lovell Sisters, along with their sister Jessica from 2005-2010. Their music even found its way to singer-songwriter Elvis Costello. Currently their line-up consists of Daniel Kimbro (bass), Chad Melton (drums) and Mike Seal (electric guitar). Their most recent, creative effort was to produce “four seasonally themed mini-albums.” ‘Spring’ was already produced in July, 2010 and ‘Summer’ was next up. I think you can guess the other two titles. ‘Summer’ is packed with promise. ‘Praying for the Bell’ moans with the sweetness of Megan’s Lapsteel and explodes with halting recollections, bright harmonies and catchy phrases, “six feet down with my ear to the ground; praying for the bell to ring.” ‘Sea Song’ is a nursery rhyme juxtaposed with a ska-type rhythm. ‘Wrestling a Stranger’ is complex. The soul of the song gets a bit lost in this busy arrangement, yet the chunky lyrics keep you grounded; “We wash our hands of the sinners and the damned.” ‘Natalie’ regains punch as the sibs swoon angelic harmonies alongside sobering twangy guitar. ‘Enough for You’ is passionate, but then, out of the blue, comes ‘By the Pier.’ Images of sea gulls and harbour lights sweeten this slice-of-life stream of cinematic consciousness. It is a phantom piece, surrounded by nothing remotely like it, but quite remarkable with its Randy Newman style piano twists and a melody that could have been written by Jacques Brel. ‘In My Time of Dying’ was originally performed by Blind Willie Johnsen. It is at once cryptic and joyous and allows the girls free-range. “I don’t want nobody to mourn, well, well, well, so I can die easy” is torn-up, drenched and layered with nuance. What follows is an uncanny blend of brash vocals and wise-ass instrumentals. This song and the final two are recorded live and it’s difficult to determine whether the sudden burst of solid singing is compounded by the crowd or vice versa. ‘Principle of Silver Lining’ contains the tightest of harmonies and another deluge of emotion accompanied by thunderous riffs. The finalsong, ‘Teardrop’ is pure mountain splendour; a flatbed of visceral energy and bittersweet emotion. Kudos to the amazing musicianship shown on ‘Summer’ by this talented quintet. With ‘Spring’ and ‘Summer’ a “wrap,” Larkin Poe prove they are dressed for any occasion.

Track Listing:-

1 Praying For The Bell
2 Sea Song
3 Wrestling A Stranger
4 Natalie
5 Enough For You
6 By The Pier
7 In My Time Of Dying
8 Principle Of Silver Lining
9 Teardrop