Search - Evangeline :: French Quarter Moon

Excellent New Orleans female country quartet

Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 10/18/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One of many talented groups to sink back into the obscurity from whence they came, Evangeline recorded two albums in the early nineties, of which this was the second. There have been albums released in the new millennium under the name Evangeline, but they a different group - a country rock outfit from Seattle.



The group that recorded this album comprised Sharon Leger (bass, washboard), Rhonda Bolin Lohmeyer (electric guitar, acoustic guitar), Beth McKee (keyboards, accordion) and Kathleen Steiffel (acoustic guitar). All four ladies also sing - and they harmonize well. Additional musicians were brought in to play drums, percussion, organ, mandolin, violin and more guitars. I must also point out that they dedicate this album to people who sing in their cars, but I can offer no explanation for this unusual dedication.



The songs are mainly ballads, many of them written or co-written by members of the group. The only song I remember hearing elsewhere is the up-tempo opening song, She's a wild one, which was recorded by Faith Hill for her excellent debut album (remember when she was a country singer?) although on that album the title was Wild one.



Kelly Willis co-wrote Let's go spend your money honey, in which the ladies sing about all the things they need the money for. Perhaps if this album had sold well enough to give the riches they craved, they might have included a cover of Satin sheets (a song about how money is no substitute for love) on their third album, but there was no third album.



This is an excellent album of nineties country music at its best, with the occasional hint of their New Orleans roots."