American sisters Rebecca and Megan Poe, their 'band' named after their great, great, great grandfather Larkin Poe.

Well for one thing, the girls' idea of an ep, is most people's idea of an album - 9 tracks stretching to 33 minutes! Ably abetted by Knoxville based musicians Daniel Kimbro (bass), Chad Melon (drums) and Mike Seal (electric guitar), Spring spans folk, Americana, country and pop.

Larkin Poe is an evolution of The Lovell Sisters a band that also featured sister Jessica - who registered critical acclaim with their albums When Forever Rolls Around (2006) and Time To Grow (2009). And while flirting with pop and the mainstream, Larkin Poe remain true to their folk, country and bluegrass roots. If anything, they're a younger, more spunky version of the Dixie Chicks, listen for example, to the wonderfully bluesy The Principles Of Silver Lining, or the moody Burgulary which add a whole new slant to the alt country genre.

With the Dixie Chicks currently taking a break and the Court Yard Hounds lacking bite without Natalie Maines, Larkin Poe look set to enter from stage left and steal the crown.

***½

Review by Pete Whalley