Customer Reviews
Brilliant Girls - By: D. Harding, 15 Aug 2006 
My first venture into canadian folk & what a choice it turned out be, I think the girls have an unusual but brilliant sound & with the types of instruments used it is a blend that's well worth listening to. All the tracks are great so if you want a sound that's a bit different for a change, go ahead & treat yourself.
Brilliant Canadian folk-country trio - By: Peter Durward Harris, 27 Jun 2005 The group named themselves after the title of a song by Obo Martin McCrory despite the fact that none of them is actually called Tanya. Still, the verse of the song that is printedin the booklet (about a free-spirited gypsy soul wanting to get away to sing) provides plenty of clues as to why they chose the name.
Frazey Ford (guitar vocals), Samantha Parton - no relation to Dolly (guitar, mandolin, vocals) & Trish Klein (electric guitar, banjo) recorded two albums together, this being the first. Jolie Holland was not a member of the group but appears on several tracks variously singing, playing guitar or playing fiddle. Other guests provide electric violin, double bass & drums as required. Trish is also an artist - her painting of a train provided the cover for the front of the booklet.
Despite the inclusion of a banjo among the instruments, the music here is generally mellow & reflective. On this album, their voices sound fragile so it was probably wise of them to avoid picking up the tempo too much. The songs are a mix of originals (mostly written by Samantha & / or Frazey) & covers of traditional songs. The original songs are the best here, especially Littlest birds, Onlyin the past & Don't you fall. Among the covers, the most famous is the Stephen Foster classic, Oh Susanna, though this song doesn't really suit them. Nevertheless, their cover has a charm of its own. The best of the traditional songs are Rain & snow & The coo-coo bird, both of which suit them ideally.
The Be Good Tanyas, with their fragile voices, take a little getting used to (and some may never get used to them) but they know exactly what they are capable of & make the most of the talent they have. The result is an album of mellow folk-country music that is distinct from the alternatives on offer.
A terrible disappointment - By: pappenheim, 19 Apr 2005 
I love Gillian Welch & thought the 'Be Good Tanyas' would be similar but more upbeat. Turns out they have beautiful voices but together have a very muddy, disappointing sound. Bland renditions of their own very good songs, & worst renditions of traditional songs. These girls are brilliant but, someone is setting them offin the wrong direction. If you are looking for the brilliancein the reviews on Amazon, do not buy this.
What wonderful sounds these girls generate - By: Sally-Anne, 30 Oct 2003 I first heard the Be Goods singing the Littlest Birds on BBC Radio 4in the middle of 2002. Tears were streaming down my face - but notin a miserable way. Why? I don't know! The song just somehow pulled those strings for me. It took me ages to track down the album & now I listen to it when ever I need to be cheered up. The whole album speaks to me. Makes me wonder how emotions work.
Crazy, beautiful. - By: Paul Spiller, 29 Jul 2003 This album is filled with songs of such intense, personal, fragile, beauty that it will break your heart, make you fallin love & restore your faithin just about anything.
