I hate using cliches, but this one seems appropriate. The trio Red Molly is like a bottle of fine wine. You know it is good from the day you first see the bottle, but as it matures the subtle textures and nuances come out that please the palate even more. With their second full-length CD, “Love and Other Tragedies“, Red Molly offers a sampling of music that should put this group at forefront of the contemporary folk music scene.

It was only four years ago when the trio got together in the fields of the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. A simple campsite jam session at the 2004 fest developed into the formation of Red Molly. Choosing their name from the character in Richard Thompson’s classic song ” ’52 Vincent Black Lightning”, Red Molly created a 4 song EP in 2005. They soon found themselves opening for artists such as Aztec Two-Step, Catie Curtis, Jonathan Edwards and John Hammond. In 2006 they entered Falcon Ridge Folk Festival Emerging Artist Showcase and ended up with the most audience member votes out of all the performers in the prestigious event, and it earned them a main stage performance at the 2007 festival.

Their first full length CD was a live effort titled “Never Been to Vegas” and it was primarily recorded in front of a live audience at Bennett studios in Englewood, NJ. (Some portions were also recorded live at other Red Molly concerts, including their appearance at the Hurdy Gurdy Folk Music Club at our old home in Paramus.) The CD captured the excitement of a Red Molly concert, and the CD entered the top 30 on the Radio & Records Americana chart – not an easy feat for an independently released CD!

Red Molly’s new recording “Love and Other Tragedies” showcases not only the talents of these three accomplished artists, but also the wealth of music that is being created in the contemporary Folk/Americana genre. The trio flexes their muscle in this new studio recording, yet remain pure to the “down-home” quality that has become a hallmark of Red Molly. The CD was recorded and mixed in a series of sessions at producer Ben Wisch’s New York studio this past January. A number of talented guest artists appear on the CD – including Fred Gillen Jr., Jake Armerding, Mike Weatherling, Duke Levine, Steve Kirkman, and Anthony Da Costa. Listening to the CD, you can feel the camaraderie and the love for the music shared by all the artists.

I often marvel at how a trio of New York based musicians can produce a sound that takes a listener to a front porch picking party deep in the heart of rural America. Give the hound dog a scratch behind the ears, grab a bottle of pop or an adult beverage from the rusty old refrigerator sitting in the corner, dust off a seat on that old couch that found a home on the porch and enjoy a leisurely trip to the heart of American roots music.

Laurie MacAllister, Abbie Gardner and Carolann Solebello are accomplished songwriters and each has released masterful CD’s that feature their work. The new collaborative CD shares treasures from each artist with some of my favorites being Carolann’s “Summertime”, Abbie’s “Honey on My Grave” (which was previously recorded as the title track for Abbie’s recent solo CD), and Laurie’s “This Farm Needs a Man”. Abbie’s song “The Mind of A Soldier” is another standout song, a touching look at a difficulties faced by those left behind – physically and emotionally.

Each artist captures the essence of lives and feelings of the subjects of their songs. The album title, “Love and Other Tragedies”, gives you an idea of scope of the CD – but don’t be fooled. This is not a collection of “poor pitiful me”, crying-in-your beer songs – these are strong songs and performances that honor hope, truth and a celebration of perseverance and all the joys that life offers.

While Red Molly could fill several CD’s of self-penned songs, it is to their credit that they dip into the American songbag to choose songs. Eight of the thirteen songs on their new CD were written by others or are traditional songs, yet Red Molly give each their own personal stamp. Back in the 80’s and 90’s, I worried that the folk community had become too self-indulgent – many artists sacrificed quality for quantity and I can show you stacks of CD’s from that era that come across as psychological therapy sessions set to music. Luckily, there has been a trend in recent years of artists sharing the work of their peers AND, most importantly, to re-discover the treasures of American folk music. Folk music had become the “F” word, and it is refreshing to see artists going back and recording traditional music.

On the trad front, Red Molly gives a memorable performance of “Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning” on their new CD. The group does justice to the old chestnut “Wayfaring Stranger”, a song that has been recorded by many different artists but the Red Molly treatment is worth repeated listening.

Also standing out on the CD is Red Molly’s recording of Amy Speace’s anthem-like ode to relationship woes – “Make Me Lonely Again”. I’ve loved Amy’s own recording of the song – her sultry voice bringing out the sense of turmoil over love gone wrong, but Red Molly brings out the heartache without becoming maudlin.

A real treat is “Sentimental Gentleman From Georgia”, a song from the late Tin-Pan Alley lyricist Mitchell Parish (who gave us “Stardust”, “Volare” and “Sophisticated Lady” among other classics). The trio has fun with this one and their treatment reminds the listener of the great vocal trios of the big band era.

The CD kicks off with Abbie leading the group on Gillian Welch’s “Wichita” – a perfect mood setter for the rest of the songs. The recording is bookended with a wonderful tight harmony treatment of Susan Werner’s “May I Suggest” – a perfect closer that sums up the spirit of the CD – and the magic of Red Molly.

Red Molly has roots that drive deep into the soil of American traditional music and their branches are reaching out to new horizons that will carry the tradition on. I hope that if this planet survives for another couple hundred years, musicologists in the future will look at Red Molly as one of the best examples of folk music of this era.

This coming summer, Red Molly will be performing at a number of important festivals and venues – including a return to their spiritual home at Falcon Ridge plus a main stage performance at the Philadelphia Folk Festival. They will also stop at Appel Farms Arts & Music Festival, Summerfest in New Bedford, the AFBA Bluegrass Festival, Bethlehem’s Musikfest, and others. If you are lucky enough to be in the NJ area you can see them this Friday (April 18) at the Brennan Coffeehouse in Jersey City.

No matter where you see them, be sure to pick up a copy of “Love and Other Tragedies“. You can also order a copy through Red Molly’s website at www.redmolly.com .