Love Over and Over

by Mark DemingAs beautiful as Kate & Anna McGarrigle's first two albums were, they were something less than radio friendly -- a bit too openly emotional, a little short on glitter -- and their third, Pronto Monto, was an only partially successful attempt by producer David Nichtern to give their work a bit more pop polish. After leaving Warner Bros., the McGarrigles retreated into regionalism with the Québecois-friendly French Record before showing they could make a much more pleasing pop record on their own with Love Over and Over. Without forcing the issue, Love Over and Over, which Kate and Anna produced themselves, is approachable, hooky, and often quite witty, especially on the astrologically minded "Move Over Moon," the modern-day blues of "The Work Song," and the title cut, which features a tasty guitar solo from Mark Knopfler. But while Love Over and Over is a sweeter pill than what the McGarrigles sometimes offer, they're still in touch with their darker sensibilities, most notably on the bittersweet childhood reminiscences "Star Cab Company" and "On My Way to Town," and their French-language revision of Bob Seger's "You'll Accompany Me" is wildly idiosyncratic, palpably passionate, and pretty darn rockin'. And, as always, Kate & Anna McGarrigle sing like angels who've seen enough of life on our plane to understand it very well. A great album, and not a bad place to start digging into their body of work.