First Look: Seeker Lover Keeper – s/t

photo via Facebook

Seeker Lover Keeper’s self-titled debut may be the year’s best argument for sharing. Sally Seltmann (ex-New Buffalo), Holly Throsby and Sarah Blasko have teamed up for an Aussie Trio, trading in Emmylou, Dolly and Linda’s twangy harmonies for a wide-ranging, life-affirming collaborative collection. As expected, the three rotate lead singing duties, but with the added wrinkle of handling each other’s songs; hearing each stretch from one comfort zone into two others is a joy, as when Seltmann rises to the hungry rock challenge of “Every Time,” or when Throsby adds breathy wisdom to the Seltmann penned “Even Though I’m a Woman.” The collaborative spirit leads the group through a handful of neighboring avenues: the weightless Postal Service pop of “Light all My Lights” and “Rely on Me,” the somber piano trot of “Even Though I’m a Woman,” the finger-picked folk of “We Will Know What It Is.”

It’s a stirring recipe, one that works even better in practice than on paper. Whether, like me, you’re a Seltmann diehard or just a longtime connoisseur of Australia’s finest female singer-songwriters, Seeker Lover Keeper is the kind of richly rewarding effort that should teach future supergroups what can happen when you play well with others.

Seeker Lover Keeper – Every Time by fromgotowhoa.com

(Seeker Lover Keeper is out now in Oz. No word yet on a U.S. release date.)

Previously: Stream Seeker Lover Keeper’s debut album