Vagabond Lullabies

1	Tell Me a Story 3:13
2	Mercy 4:56
3	Movin' On 2:51
4	Take the Long Way 5:32
5	Prairie Girl Gone 6:21
6	Poor Girl 3:10
7	Poor Girl 3:21
8	South of Nowhere 2:50
9	Part Time Poppa 4:05
10	Driving 3:48
11	Corner Talk 3:17
12	I've Got Time 3:19
13	Walk on and Sing 8:02

Barnes & Noble

Welcome to the introspective world of Po' Girl, an all-female trio from Canada who are grounded in the folk tradition but conversant with all sorts of roots and world musics. The group's Vagabond Lullabies includes whispered tales of lost love ("Tell Me a Story"), gospel-flavored cries of personal liberation ("Movin' On"), and poignantly rendered folktales of struggle and persistence against long odds ("Prairie Girl Gone") -- all set to lightly strummed banjos, tenderly picked acoustic guitars, weeping fiddles, and atmospheric, shambling rhythms tapped out by brushes on drums. Trish Klein, of the lamented Be Good Tanyas, is the best known of the three, but her compatriots, Allison Russell and exemplary fiddler Diona Davies, won't be in Klein's shadow for long. The three exhibit a remarkable synergy in their delicate harmonies, plaintive lead vocals, and literate, searching lyrics, shifting the spotlight so each member gets ample opportunity to make her personal statement. With its well-crafted meditations and sly melding of folk, country, blues, and pop sensibilities, Vagabond Lullabies is both a striking album and the onset of what ought to be a most stimulating journey. David McGee

All Music Guide

What separates Po' Girl from so many other folky groups with multiple singers is that no matter how sweet their voices are, what really stands out is the mesmerizing groove. They're fine songwriters, too, but that's not what first hits you. It's the lazy sway of Po' Girl's music, a hypnotic and humid sway that's hard to resist. The album's title, Vagabond Lullabies, is probably a better description but it doesn't touch on the Southern feel of the record, a record that comes from someplace anywhere but Southern: Vancouver, Canada. The porches in Vancouver must be wonderful places to play music, since there is a genuine smile that comes through Po' Girl's music, and despite all the wandering, the tunes always come home in the end. There's a druggy muddiness too, making who does what less obvious and Po' Girl a very cohesive unit. Allison Russell is the breathier one while Trish Klein is the more brassy vocalist, and they complement each other wonderfully. On first listen, the album enchants beginning to end. On second listen, some of the songs separate themselves as great highlights, Russell's rustic rave-up "Movin' On" being the best. Sneaky raps and beatboxing from guest CR Avery give the album an approachable sense of fun, and the revolving instrumentation keeps things interesting. Add a well-structured running order for the tracks and you've got an intimate, smooth, and dreamy album to waste away a sunny afternoon. David Jeffries