Annie Lou
Album: Grandma's Rules For Drinking
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 11
Website: http://www.annielou.ca

"Grandma's Rules For Drinking" appear to be short and simple, very much like the songs on the album. The prime one would seem to be around imbibing often and right at the start it's well worth suggesting that should also apply to the works of Annie Lou.

As you might garner from both album title and artist name, this is an album of mountain music and that means it's as much about making it an album you can dance to as it is about being absorbed by the tight harmonies. From the off the album catches that twenties, thirties sound of sweet harmonies and twinkling mandolins and banjos, it keeps the songs short and mixes it up all the way through.

The classic bluegrass combination of plucked instrumentation overlaid by the fiddle is at times scintillating, especially when broken away from the vocal, supporting the voices when the singing's there, showing their quality when on their own.

"Grandma's Rules For Drinking" is a highly personable album, permeated with both social advice and humour. There's a couple of good natured knocks at them there city folk, with their lack of ability to follow a tune and dance. "Teach Me To Dance" being the most obvious example on the album.

"Take Your Leg" off mine the track that follows brings up that whole who gets the space in bed, but as this is mountain music, it comes with a twist or two and I'll leave you to surmise who has the bed space at the start of the song and who gets it by the end.

Ultimately this is an album that's about having a good time, going out and having fun, you get the feeling Annie Lou could lead a pretty impressive barn dance, she can definitely lead a good dance band, aided and abetted harmonies that are hunting dog sharp. "Grandma's Rules For Drinking" are definitely worth revisiting and often.

Neil King