A collaboration between Martha Wainwright and her half-sister Lucy Wainwright Roche has been a long time coming. Their family tree is home to Kate and Anna McGarrigle and the Roches, two sister acts themselves. The family ties don’t stop there. The swaying track Screaming Issue pairs up aunt Terre Roche and father Loudon Wainwright III and concerns a then-infant Lucy. Lullabies Lucy and Martha’s mothers used to sing to them feature here, but it’s hardly a record for children.
It’s dark and infrequently joyful, yet Songs In The Dark’s earthy, backwoods spirit is stark and effective, conjuring windswept pioneer landscapes and tough winters. A few tunes are forgettable (Baby Rocking Medley, Hobo’s Lullaby), but for the most part the album is full of gorgeous harmonies and refreshingly sparse instrumentation. The two women’s weary vocals are magic on Runs In The Family and the sleepy bonfire tune Prairie Lullaby. A powerful, pining take on Andean folk tune El Cóndor Pasa stands above the rest, doomy and defiant.
Top track: El Condor Pasa
The Wainwright Sisters play the Rivoli on Monday (November 30).