Guthrie is quite a name to live up to.
Sarah Lee Guthrie is the daughter of Arlo and granddaughter of Woody but seems unfazed and relaxed about having such famous forefathers.
With husband Johnny Irion she has made a follow up to their debut album, Exploration, from 2005 which is a happy blend of sweet soul and twee folk.
Apparently, Guthrie and Irion had more than fifty songs to choose from but have whittled these down to just twelve.
These all affirm the values of love and friendship, the best of which are Never Too Far From My Heart, Speed Of Light and Target On Your Heart ; the latter a cautionary tale to be on the look out for nasty predatory males.
The album was recorded in Dreamland Studios near Woodstock, New York and co-produced by Vetiver's Andy Cabic and Thom Monahan (who has worked with Vetiver and Devendra Banhart). As you would expect with this team at the mixing desk, the songs exude a mellow, pastoral charm.
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Guest vocalists also include Mark Olsen and Gary Louris of The Jayhawks and many tracks could easily pass for Jayhawks songs, especially Hurry Up And Wait.
The his and hers vocals are democratically shared and the delicate harmonies are, it has to be said, rather lovely.
On the down side, the overdose of sweetness and light can't help but get a little cloying at times. In Seven Sisters, for instance, there are some fanciful lyrics about catching and holding falling stars and clouds.
But, all told, this is a nice collection of songs bathed in a glowing reverence for the hedonistic spirit of the 60s and early 70s. Only the hardest of hearts will remain un-melted.
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