Sweetwater
Each of these Tres Chicas were members of justly lauded bands in the 1980s and 1990s: Lynn Blakey withOh OK,Let's Active, and most recentlyGlory Fountain;Caitlin CarywithWhiskeytown; and Tonya Lamm withHazeldine. Formed after a chance encounter in Raleigh, North Carolina, the trio has a wealth of self-penned songs on which to showcase their gorgeous harmony vocals. This debut release outshines other such talent-packed ensembles, embracing everything from gospel harmonies to front-porch singalongs. Instead of coming off as a revolving centerstage, the three are so fully present on every song that each of their individual compositions bears the stamp of the whole group. Their guitars and violin are joined by occasional keyboards and a spare rhythm section (including producer Chris Stamey on bass). Covers ofLoretta Lynn("Deep As Your Pocket") andGeorge Jones("Take the Devil Out of Me") show a glimpse of their roots, but their original material stands near-equal to that of their forebears.--David Greenberger