Larkin Poe’s blues-country stands out, in a genre where it’s hard to stand out. Sisters Megan and Rebecca Lovell have the backwoods authenticity that’s necessary in their style of music, on the evocative Venom & Faith.
There are many moments of strong blues, from the home stomp “Blue Ridge Mountains” to the twang down the “Mississippi”. There are also covers, something that is established in country, in Bessie Jones’ revival opener “Sometime” and Skip James’ workingwoman’s “Hard Time Killing Floor Blues”. There are also darker moments, like the backdrop to “Honey Honey” and hardscrabble “Fly Like an Eagle”, even if the stompers are the best.
Authentic enough to be enjoyed by both new country and alt-country fans alike, Venom & Faith sees Larkin Poe delivering.
