Annalivia - Barrier Falls

Annalivia is a Boston-based acoustic quintet adept at combining neo-traditional Anglo-Celtic folk with its Appalachian-styled American off-spring. Fronted by singers Liz Simmons and Flynn Cohen , the group juxtaposes lamenting ballads with spry uptempo reels with a virtuosic array of string instruments from Cape Breton fiddle to clawhammer banjo to acoustic bass. New sophomore album Barrier Falls (May 18, 5 String) is another shining example of classic folk moving easily into a modern setting as traditional compositions sit comfortably next to original songs.

We first took notice of Annalivia when they covered the classic Richard Thompson track "Walking On A Wire"and reworked the classic Pentangle track "When I Was In My Prime" for their self-titled debut. To these ears it's the ability to span genres and generations that makes the Barrier Falls work in a special way. Taking on the traditional "John Riley", a song that's been covered by the likes of Joan Baez and The Byrds, Annalivia breathes new life into the track with a flurry of plucked strings and sharply defined fiddle backing Simmons' clear, softly sanded vocals. Everything old is indeed new again with Annalivia. Recommended.

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Annalivia - "John Riley" (from the album Barrier Falls)

Annalivia - "When I Was In My Prime" (from the album Annalivia)