Since their 2001 inception in a Winnipeg guitar shop,
the Wailin' Jennys
have been quietly and consistently crafting some of North America's best modern roots music.
Nicky Mehta
,
Ruth Moody
, and
Heather Masse
, the latter of whom took over for
Annabelle Chvostek
in 2007, sing like siblings and play like seasoned veterans, resulting in a seamless, understated sound that feels both perennial and distinctly Canadian. Lonesome and surprisingly comforting, the group's fourth studio album,
Bright Morning Stars
, offers up 13 meditations on love, life, and loss that fit right in with the trio's penchant for melding traditional folk songs and sea shanties with contemporary themes. It's a quiet but powerful collection of snowbound balladry that may be too subtle and unassuming for 21st century attention spans, which is a large part of its charm. Comparisons to
Alison Krauss
and
Gillian Welch
are apt, but the
Jennys
' ability to harmonize like the family acts of old sets them apart from many of their contemporaries. Part
Watersons
and part
Fleetwood Mac
, songs like the pop-driven
"Swing Low Sail High,"
the jazzy
"Mona Louise,"
the timeless sounding
"Bird Song,"
and the sparse, largely a cappella title cut, feel grounded and effortless, despite their competing genres. ~ James Christopher Monger