Hello Love

by

The Be Good Tanyas

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The Be Good Tanyas are a triple threat, combining breathtaking harmonies, well crafted songwriting, and superb acoustic musicianship. My favorite thing about this band is the underproduction of their albums. There is very little overdubbing or polishing of the sound: you can hear them breathing into the mike, the sound of rain the background, etc.; this lends an intimacy to the songs that is both heartbreaking and gorgeous. Lyrically, the strongest song is "Song for R.", about loving others despite their flaws or addictions. Another high point is their cover of the Sean Hayes' tune, "A Thousand Tiny Pieces". The harmonies on this song and on the song "Human Thing" should stop traffic. In my opinion, the only weakness of the album is their affinity for traditional songs that one finds in dusty Smithsonian archives. When they perform traditional songs, they sound too confined and uninspired. Their rendition of "Out of the Wilderness" makes them sound like a chain gang auditioning for a cameo in "O Brother, Where Art Thou?". They are talented lyricists, as evidenced by some great songs on the album (Human Thing, Ootischenia, Hello Love, Song for R.). The hidden track of Prince's "When Doves Cry" is the only real disappointment on the album. I was looking forward to some amazing vocal pyrotechnics from all three members on this song, and I cannot understand why Frazey Ford performs this as a solo when the other two members are phenomenally talented at harmony vocals. Overall, this is a really lovely album that I have listened to nonstop lately, and each time I find something new to enjoy.