The Waifs - Up All Night (2003) Lossless

Building a fervent grass-roots following in both North America and their native Australia via tireless touring and an engagingly original sound built from elements of country, blues and pop, the Waif are one of the fastest-rising young stars in contemporary folk scene. UP ALL NIGHT the follow-up to their acclaimed 2002 album SINK OR SWIN, finds the trio of sisters Donna and Vickie Simpson and guitarist Jushua Cunningham at their most rootsy yet that weds elemental themes of loss and loneliness to burnished soulful music with the rough edges intact.

The Waifs may hail from Australia, but their canny blend of acoustic blues, country, and folk wouldn’t sound out of place in the sort of hip Texas roadhouse that has Townes Van Zandt and Bob Dylan on the jukebox. The trio consists of sisters Vicki and Donna Simpson, who both play guitar and harmonize beautifully, and multi-instrumentalist Joshua Cunningham. All three are fine songwriters, and although they each have distinctly different styles, their compositions fit together like a musical mosaic. Cunningham’s moving, hopeful "Lighthouse" can be heard as a response to Donna’s bittersweet song of homesickness, "London Still," which in turn echoes in Vicki’s road ballad, "Three Down." The Waifs may play the same Dobros, mandolins, and guitars that any American folk or alt-country band play, but their Australian accents and outlook give them a refreshing take on the style. --Michael Simmons