Album Review by EDF
The Vancouver (Canada) based trio follows up their critically acclaimed debut album BLUE HORSE with more songs about savouring life’s sweet moments and facing its tougher challenges. Their style of music, which is predominately old time country, blues folk. Bluegrass and gospel, will primarily appeal to those who enjoyed music from the movie O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?
Originally from British Columbia, Trish Klein first met Frazey Ford who was singing a cappella version of a Hendrix song at an open mic show in a local club. The two women went their separate ways and met up again at a later stage with Samantha Parton who toured The States with a spoken word punk poet as well as her country duo side project The Illegitimate Daughters Of Johnny Cash. After the Tanyas released BLUE HORSE, the group toured the UK twice including performances at the Glastonbury and Cambridge festivals.
The girls decided to take more of a hands-on approach for the second album and produced it themselves. Tunes such as JUNKIE SONG highlighting Vancouver’s drug problem or DOGSONG 2 about the death of Samantha Parton’s dog showcase a flair that the Tanya’s write about everyday events around them which an audience can relate to. Even their choice of cover versions, The Animals HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN and Led Zeppelin’s IN MY TIME OF DYING are executed well.
The Tanyas have a simplistic but effective approach to their music that grabs the listener’s attention. This keeps their sound fresh and this album is sure to be as big if not bigger than their debut.
