Lisa Maria and Amy Lou Keeler who make up the Canadian duo, Mama's Broke are back with their second album, 'Narrow Line'.
It is immediately clear upon first listen that ‘Narrow Line’ and Mama’s Broke have a sound that is unique and based not only in the tradition of Americana, but Celtic folk and wider eclectic sources. The songs on the album feature haunting acapella harmonies underlined by melancholy melodies played with intimacy.
‘How it Ends’ has a classic Americana vibe to it, while ‘Just Pick One’ with it’s haunting harmonies has a delicious dark noir feel reminiscent of Simon and Garfunkel. The harmonies on ‘Oh Sun / Pale Night / Forgetting Reel’ that precede the fiddle reels underpinned by banjo make it an early highlight, that showcases the varied influences within the creativity of the band.
Title track ‘Narrow Line’ is a song about personal struggle, migration and climate change. Once again music and harmonies between the duo are symbiotic. The ethereal Celtic folk based ‘October’s Lament’ speaks volumes about male violence towards women, whereas the instrumental, ‘Pick The Raisins From The Paska’ paints a more upbeat picture in the mind of pre-industrial Eastern European way of life.
Mama’s Broke have released an exceptional record that fuses traditional music from many sources. Celtic, Americana and Eastern European music blends seamlessly with striking lyrics and spine tingling harmonies to make ‘Narrow Line’ an album that will feature on many end of year best of lists.