Good Lovelies - Burn the Plan

  by Malcolm Carter

published: 5 / 7 / 2015

---

Review

That the Canadian trio which records under the Good Lovelies name can sing is undeniable. The Juno Award winners have proven over their previous three studio albums (which included a brilliant Christmas collection) that they, along with many other female bands, have no problem in keeping the folk music tradition alive with their heavenly harmonies and passion and understanding of that genre. Obviously standing still and refusing to take on board new ideas and sounds is something that is foreign to Caroline Brooks, Kerri Ough and Susan Passmore, the three musicians who make up the Good Lovelies. The thirteen songs that comprise ‘Burn the Plan’ are all Good Lovelies originals, a handful with contributions from Les Cooper who plays guitars, banjo and mandolin on the album and who also co-produced the album with the Good Lovelies. At times the band move so far away from their folk roots that it’s only those harmonies that remind you of the genre from which the Lovelies took their major inspiration. Much has been made of the introduction of electronics to some of these songs which obviously lifts them out of the more traditional folk sound some might expect from the band, but this is really just a small part of this shift in sound. It’s really all in the songwriting and vocal prowess of these three musicians. While most of the attraction here is in the way this set of voices blend so well together, and really this is the sound of angels singing, what impresses even more is the songwriting. If this album had been released back in the 1970s when the 7” vinyl single actually meant something (and it could have been, so timeless is this sound), then the Good Lovelies could have pulled every track off this album at selected intervals and released them as stand-alone singles (as many major artists did back then) and each and every one would have charted. Simply, there is not a dull or even average song on ‘Burn the Plan’. They are all radio friendly yet diverse enough to keep the listener's attention while still retaining their own originality. The subtle introduction of new sounds works well but just as importantly there are songs that pay homage to the music of the 50s and 60s (‘Broken Hearted’ starts like a Unit Four Plus Two hit and other songs have an undeniable debt to the sound of so many of the popular female duo/trios of that era; one listen to ‘Into the Dark’ is proof of that) which, seamlessly combined with fine little modern musical touches here and there make for a pleasant, although not without surprises, 48 minute musical journey. While every song is exceptional, there are still tracks that will make you shiver with their beauty, even after a number of plays. ‘Four O’Clock’ is one such song. The sparse backing leaves all the focus on those voices, and if the Lovelies don’t make the hardest of hearts break as they sing “and I can’t sleep at night, without you by my side” then there’s little hope for you. ‘Last Night’ is along similar lines, another heartbreaking ballad made all the more poignant by those heartfelt vocals. Those two songs really define all that is great about the Good Lovelies. The closing ‘Watching TV’ is one of the songs where the experimental, electronic sounds are introduced which, although adding texture and going some way to keeping their music fresh and interesting, still can’t detract from the fact that it’s those vocals that make these already strong songs into great performances. As already noted, there’s not a dull moment here. The Fleetwood Mac/Corrs pop of ‘Waiting for You’ is demanding to be a radio hit, ‘Open Windows’ is another slice of country/pop that, in a perfect world, would already be a staple of daytime radio. ‘When the City Settles’ once again shows that the trio can write and perform songs that, while still radio-friendly, have more depth to them than almost anything that is currently played. The haunting quality in the Lovelies vocals on this song really does need to be heard. It can’t be stressed just how good this album is. Even after a number of listens when you think you are familiar with the songs, there is something you missed on earlier plays that makes you fall in love with the songs all over again. ‘Burn the Plan’ is not a great folk album. It’s far more than that. It uses elements of folk, country, pop and soul and even a subtle hint of electronica which together with some of the most exquisite singing ever makes the album one of the best of the year of any genre. The music is so good we almost forgot to mention the brilliant artwork and layout by Jud Haynes, which compliments the music perfectly.

Track Listing:-

1 In the Morning
2 Waiting for You
3 Broken Hearted
4 Open Windows
5 Last Night
6 When the City Settles
7 Don't Hold Back
8 Old Fashioned Love
9 Four O'clock
10 Into the Dark
11 Slow Road
12 The Doe
13 Watching Tv

Band Links:-

http://www.goodlovelies.com/
https://www.facebook.com/goodlovelies
https://twitter.com/goodlovelies

Label Links:-

http://sixshooterrecords.com/
https://www.facebook.com/SixShooterRec
https://twitter.com/SixShooterR
https://www.youtube.com/user/sixshoote
http://www.rdio.com/people/SixShooterR
https://instagram.com/sixshooterrecord