Hello Love

iTunes Review

With Hello Love, the Vancouver, B.C., trio The Be Good Tanyas continue the inspired folk explorations that made their first two albums so irresistible. These women instinctively understand the power of subtlety, drawing surprising intensity from a lightly strummed guitar, a gently bowed fiddle, or a banjo plucked with delicate fingers. The singing is similarly low-key, yet forceful, as the Tanyas produce some seriously stunning harmonies — Frazey Ford mumbles mournfully and clips her words, Samantha Parton coos warmly, and Trish Klein travels the higher registers. And once again they mix some choice covers with their superb originals. There’s a sizzling take on Neil Young’s “For the Turnstiles,” and they merge their voices most tenderly on Mississippi John Hurt’s “Nobody Cares for Me.” They’ve also added some raw slide guitar in several places along with a judicious use of electric guitar that serve to make the acoustic instruments bite even harder. This is pure feel music with the ability to get deep under your skin. And regardless of how far they may drop the tempo, their music always manages to swing.