If one word describes Red Molly’s music, that word is joyous. From their soaring, signature harmonies to the rich, varied tones of their individual voices, Red Molly is simply a joy to listen to. Their brilliantly wrought a capella tunes are love letters to the art of the vocal blend, and their innovative instrumentation is perfectly suited for foot stomping bluegrass-tinged barnburners and perfectly crafted heart-full ballads alike.

Though each of them shines alone, the true majesty of Red Molly comes with the effortless blend of their voices. Together Red Molly’s vocals swell and swoon in a way that raises goosebumps.

Laurie, Abbie, and Molly each have wonderfully distinct voices, both in their actual vocal timbre and in their individual songwriting styles and song choices. Abbie is the balladeer in the sawdust bar, singing in the blue lights, making us cry into our beers. Molly is the mirror, finding the truths of loss and history and the full joy of love and putting it to the perfect tune we somehow feel like we knew all along. Laurie is the storyteller; the songs she sings crack open the heart and run like trains through the landscape of our memories.

One of the most moving things about Red Molly’s music is the honest sense that you’re watching three dear friends sharing songs in their living room, and this feeling goes all the way back to their origins. Red Molly got its start with the simple joy of singing at a campsite, when they first felt the electricity that comes when voices blend together like honey and whiskey. That synergy and harmony carries through to today, on their newest studio effort, aptly titled “The Red Album”.

This latest recording, the group’s second since the departure of founding member Carolann Solebello, is their freshest and edgiest to date. After immersing themselves in songwriting, the Mollies made a conscious decision to record more original songs than on any previous album, making their choice of specific covers all the more significant. With their arsenal of new songs and select favorites at hand (including a very long-awaited cover of the song that is their namesake), the band traveled to Nashville to work with producer Ken Coomer (drummer for Uncle Tupelo and Wilco), and the result is a darkly percussive, wildly cool, and powerfully different collection of songs than you’d expect from a ladylike folk trio. “The Red Album” marks a distinctive shift towards a darker, less traditional vibe, though its reverb-heavy noir-storytelling is still underpinned by the exquisite vocal clarity for which Red Molly is loved. With delicious torch songs streaming effortlessly into gorgeous, impeccably harmonized ballads, “The Red Album” is like an Opry love note by way of East Nashville.