CD REVIEW: The Burns Sisters Band - "Close to Home"

I was poking through the Acoustic section of Planet Music one day some months ago, looking for something delicious, when I picked up "Close to Home" by the Burns Sisters band. The jacket read, "...they don't sing notes anymore, they sing chords. Gorgeous graceful triads that pour out of them..."

I looked at their picture, three pretty girls,, with cozy, sensitive faces -- named Annie, Marie and Jeannie-- and I thought, this looks good! They are numbers seven, eight and nine of a family of twelve children. Nuts to you, oh family planning. Listen to what would have been lost to music if their parents had been worrying about numbers! They hail from Ithaca N.Y., not far from where I was hatched. I have been high above Cayuga's waters, and it's a pretty place, easily a place that could inspire the writing and performing of great folk music.

The album spans between a decidedly country sound, ("New Kind of Old Fashioned Girl"), and a traditional, folk sound on the cut "I am a Patriot", in the Phil Ochs - Woody Guthrie vein. ("I ain't no democrat, I sure ain't no republican, I only know one party -- And it is freedom.") This song is very heartfelt and sung with great passion.

My personal favorites are "Into the Wild," "Runaway Train," "Without Love," and "Freedom Reigns." The first two have passion, and the second two have sensitivity.

"Into the Wild" is simply gorgeous harmony. One can sense the freedom they've acquired singing together over the years. The studio recording is beautiful, but when they perform this live, I bet they really cut loose. "Runaway Train" really accelerates too. I have to watch the speed limit while driving when I sing along with them on this one.

"Without Love" is a lushly sung, sad statement about infidelity.

"I won't live my life without love,
while you cry for the one you dream of
I'm willing to sacrifice
How much is enough?
Waiting for your touch,
one more day,
without love."

"Without Love", "Follow", "You Have Arrived" and "Into the Wild" were written by Annie Burns, (and her husband, Rich De Paolo) and are four of the prettiest songs I ever heard. The words are honest and hopeful, the melodies are just lovely. I dare you to find four prettier songs.

"Freedom Reigns", written by Aro Veno, is one of the few cuts they do written by someone else.

"I love the sounds that live in nature
All through the night and into the day
every creature has something to say.

The waters running
insects humming
stars shooting
owls hooting

The wind blowing
Trees swaying
This is the language that really is saying
something."

This song is sung quietly like a prayer.

The feeling that returns to me again and again while listening to their music is that I wish I could sing like that, I wish I could play like that, I wish I could write like that, (I wish I looked like that.)

Their back up band is quite proficient, playing electric guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin, violin, and drums and percussion.

I feel blessed to have randomly chosen this CD out of the bin and to have found such a winner. I would gladly attend a live performance, and plan to buy their other recordings.