Deer In the Night

Eclectic, whimsical, and slightly perverse, Po’ Girl further refines its quirky brand of jazz-tinged folk on Deer in the Night. The Canadian duo—now consisting of singers/songwriters Allison Russell and Awna Texeira—doesn’t mind messing with listeners' expectations by subverting familiar lyric scenarios and tossing in unexpected chords and instrumental colors. A fascination with the darker corners of the past gives the album a distinct feel, evident in the sinister carnival atmosphere of “Gandy Dancer” and the disquieting character portraiture of “Isobel.” Po’ Girl loves to spring small but telling surprises, like the clarinet that punctuates the honky-tonk atmosphere of “Dig Me a Hole.” The title track offers a meditation on roadkill and suburban ennui set to a lullaby-like tune. The angular pop architecture of “Grace” finds balance in the sultry swamp blues of “Bloom.” Russell and Texeira underscore the curiously clashing emotions in their songs with piquant harmonies that never settle for mere sweetness. The duo’s aching cover of Julie Miller’s “All My Tears” complements its originals, adding a note of gospel resonance to this wry, nervously charming set.