A year later, the success of their project is now available for all to hear. On the final weekend of August 2008 the Canadian alt-folk band, The Wailin’ Jennys, arrived in town with a lot of recording gear in tow and a goal of laying down a live recording that would capture the magic of their performances. That they chose the Opera House, with its warm acoustics and haunting history, establishes the venue in the upper echelon of listening rooms in the country and completes a circle of life that was started here in 2003 with a regular program of live music. There is nothing starkly original about these girls but there are no false notes and the singing is just sublime.Regular performers on Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor, and in venues around the world, the Jennys had a lot of choices of where to record. Glorious three-part harmonies lift an acapella reading of “Summertime” and the Leadbelly spiritual “Bring Me Lil Water Silvy,” while a slow and gentle version of Gillian Welch’s “One More Dollar” hits the spot. The covers here are well chosen, with David Olney’s grim “Deeper Well” buttressed by terse solos from guest violinist Jeremy Penner. Multi-instrumentalist Moody contributes the gospel-inflected “Glory Bound” and shines on banjo, accordion and bodhran. Mehta is the most distinctive presence here and her aching balanced “Arlington” and “Begin” are highlights of the well-received studio albums 40 days (2004) and Firecracker (2006).
Masse, who describes herself as the band’s token American, also wrote the road ballad “Driving,” one of the album’s sweetest moments. This impeccable live set, recorded at the improbably named Mauch Chunk Opera House in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, is very much enhanced by new member Heather Masse, a Maine native whose alto adds warmth and depth to the trio’s sound. Ruth moody and Nicky Mehta write strong melodies and their soprano voices are clean and pure. Along with Sarah Harmer, the Wailin’ Jennys sit at the mellow, tasteful end of the Canadian folk-roots scene.
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