Larkin Poe
Album: Kin
Label: RH Music
Tracks: 12
Website: http://www.larkinpoe.com

Just over a year ago, I was fortunate to catch Larkin Poe in concert at Wigan Parish Church. I was most impressed [see Live reviews section of this magazine for August 2013, if you wish to read more]. Now, a year later LP have released their first full-length album which naturally contains several of the songs that I saw them perform live.
In case you are not familiar with Larkin Poe here are some facts about them.

[1] They are sisters, Rebecca and Megan Lovell from Atlanta, Georgia.
[2]They took the name of the band from their great-great-great-grandfather Larkin Poe, who was a cousin of Edgar Allen Poe.
[3]They were voted "Best Discovery of Glastonbury 2014" by The Observer newspaper.
[4]They have released five EP's since forming in 2010 [which are titled "Spring", "Summer", "Fall", "Winter" and "Thick As Thieves".
[5] They made an EP with Blair Dunlop titled "Killing Time" and appear on his album "Blight and Blossom".

Enough of the facts, what is the album like ? You may well ask.

I found the album quite hard to categorise. In places it sounds like classic blues rock with touches of country and folk, in other places it sounds wholly contemporary and would not be out of place in the current pop charts.

If that sounds contradictory, it doesn't matter, because this album is a delicious mixture of old and new, where rootsy slide guitar meets modern production techniques.

Perhaps it is not surprising that the album has a contemporary feel to it. The album was superbly produced by Chris Seefried [who has worked with Lana Del Ray] and Damien Lewis [whose credits include Rihanna and Rita Ora].

However you want to categorise this record, the main point is that it sounds wonderful. As well as being extremely proficient musicians, Rebecca and Megan have voices to die for and they harmonise like angels, as you might expect from sisters who have played and sung together since they were small children. They are certainly no slouches in the songwriting department either, with all twelve tracks having been written by the sisters [with some assistance from Chris Seefried].

The album gets off to a flying start with "Jailbreak", a prime slab of blues rock with Rebecca's powerful vocals and Megan's searing slide guitar. Heck, this track wouldn't sound out of place on a Bonnie Raitt album. Great stuff.

Whilst Rebecca takes most of the lead vocals, Megan gets her chance to shine on "Stubborn Love", which begins like a groovy soundtrack to a 1960's French movie, before developing into a gloriously romantic piece of harmony-pop.

Rebecca's takes lead vocals on the eerie "Dandelion", which is about the funeral of "that girl in the casket over there" who was "such a diva". Shades of ancestor Edgar Allen there, I think !

This is followed by one of my favourite tracks, the semi-acoustic "Crown of Fire", which features some excellent harmony singing from the sisters.

I have to say that I am not quite so struck on "Elephant", with its repetitive, rhythmic chanting and contemporary r'n'b style vocals. Maybe it's just too "modern" for an old codger like me! Having said that, it is very well produced by Damien Lewis.

Much more to my taste is "Sugar High", a raunchy blues number with stunning vocals by Rebecca. The lyrics employ the well-established blues tradition of double entendre where the rush of energy from a sugary drink is a metaphor for "tripping on love, the sweetest drug".

Another great track is "Banks of Allatoona", a superbly atmospheric song about "stripping down to your soul" and swimming at night. Rebecca's achingly sensual vocals are complemented by ghostly backing vocals and a spine-tingling slide solo from Megan. The production by Chris Seefried is outstanding. Wonderful stuff.

"We Intertwine"is another excellent track, which demonstrates what fine songwriters these sisters are.

The album closes with a gentle piano ballad "Overachiever" which is beautifully sung by Rebecca, which is a fine way to end a truly excellent album. Highly recommended.

Peter Cowley