MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: THE GOOD LOVELIES - SHAPESHIFTERS

Glorious folk singers and writers The Good Lovelies have expanded their sound this time out with a trip to the East Coast. Nope, they haven't added a fiddler or gone Celtic. Instead they've enlisted producer Daniel Ledwell from Halifax to weave his magic into the material. Known for his studio wizardry in adding layers and juicing up arrangements for the likes of David Myles, The Fortunate Ones and Gabrielle Papillon, Ledwell's an inspired choice for the trio, helping craft a lively and luxurious album.

It's the most pop the group has sounded, with lots of shimmering instruments and harmony vocals, and percussive grooves pushing the tunes along. But the heart of the music remains in the emotional stories told by the trio, always life-affirming, reflecting the positive nature of the performers. Lead single "I See Gold" reminds listeners that they can make it through, no matter what: "We are the heavy lifters, we are the shapeshifters." And just to remind us they can break our hearts with only their voices, the final track, "This Little Heart", starts out a capella, surely one of the finest blends the country has known.