Kansas-born, but a resident of London, England, former
Vic Twenty
member
Angela Penhaligon
launched her solo alter ego
Piney Gir
with her debut album,
Peakahokahoo
, an electro-pop effort. In contrast, her second disc,
Hold Yer Horses
, employs acoustic instruments and aims at a country sound. That sound ranges across several country styles, including rockabilly, countrypolitan, and even old-timey, as
Penhaligon
and her supporting musicians gleefully roll along with their banjos and accordions, and the leader, with her pleasant, twangy voice, ruminates about romance, provides travelogues ("Boston," "Big Apple Stomp"), and engages in feminist aspirations (declaring her hope to be president when she grows up in "Girl"). She yelps and yodels and echoes
Doris Day
(covering "Que Sera Sera"), and at the end joins with a chorus on the only lyrics to "Be Careful": "Be careful to who you offer your heart/Or I'll have to put it down in a song."
may not have much of a chance to wow them in Nashville, but in the U.K., where there is an affection for the traditional sounds of American country, its songs no doubt will go down well in pubs and theaters. ~ William Ruhlmann