I like em a lot too. And they score well with my household's official arbiter of musical taste: my daughter.

They sound like treeplanters who can sing (really well, together) more than they sound like, umm, the Dixie Chicks. I had certain formative musical experiences in a treeplanting camp, so this resonates with me. They're not hot instrumentalists, which doesn't bother me. And I like their songwriting and their fresh, enthusiastic and tuneful sound on trad songs.

The only thing that makes me wary is that Frazey Ford (the lead singer who is frequently linked with the words "star quality") sometimes sings in a way that I find kind of contrived. Sort of "modern girl does old-timey with proper sense of irony" feel. Once again, a matter of taste.

I'm hoping they will keep their sound natural and upbeat, and not go the way of Spirit of the West. It's hard to keep that freshness when you've been put into orbit by music biz hype. So I'm wishing them success, but not stratospheric success. Just good times and happy touring and staying friends. I sense that last part is essential to their musical chemistry.   

W-O