The Hello Strangers

Editors’ Notes

The Hello Strangers (siblings Brechyn Chace and Larissa Chace Smith) straddle the line between country and folk with uncommon grace and a feisty attitude. On their self-titled debut album, the rural Pennsylvania-bred duo recall Emmylou Harris crossed with The Roches, both in terms of the quality of their (mostly) self-written material and the clean-edged charm of their vocal harmonies. Bluesy country numbers (“Chances”), honky-tonk tunes (“Ruined”), ominous story-songs (“Conococheague”), sassy semi-acoustic rockers (“Oh He’ll Drown”), and twanged-up pop classics (“Que Sera, Sera”) make the sisters’ first long-player a beguiling and artistically substantial affair.