Not many people would open a disc with a tin whistle and voice version of
"Yankee Doodle,"
but
Suzzy Roche
pulls it off. A former member of folksinging sister trio,
the Roches
,
Suzzy
invited sister
Maggie
, daughter
Lucy
, and
Loudon Wainwright III
(
's father) to join her on this joyful collection.
Wainwright
and
Jules Shear
add hillbilly harmonies on
"Cold Hard Wind,"
while
also adds banjo. There's a
Roche
-like novelty penned by
Maggie Roche
"G Chord Song,"
"To Alaska With Love"
is an epic love story, the kind that songwriters love to tackle.
"Love Comes to Town"
is an ode to open hearts while the other side is told in the wistful
"No Such Thing as Love."
Tasteful as ever,
David Mansfield
takes on dobro and pedal steel chores while
Curtis Stigers
sits in on trumpet for the cocktail jazzy
"Out of the Blue."
Producers
Stewart Lerman
have just the right touch with her heartfelt and strong folk music; it sings out rather than sits back sounding quaint -- no easy task for a voice as sweet and old-fashioned as
's. ~ Denise Sullivan