Cuddlebug - The Simon Sisters (Lucy and Carly)

Carly and Lucy Simon offer pleasant folk with tight, high harmonies and a pop flavor on an album largely devoted to interpretation of traditional and contemporary folk tunes. It's not far off from what Peter, Paul & Mary were doing at the same time, or what Simon & Garfunkel did on their very first (acoustic) album, though the production is more basic and, of course, the harmonies are exclusively female. There's just one Carly Simon original (and no Lucy Simon originals), the Ian & Sylvia-like up-tempo troubadour gallop "Pale Horse and Rider," on a program including such standards as "Motherless Child," "If I Had a Ribbon Bow," "Turn, Turn, Turn," and a French version of "Blowin' in the Wind" ("Ecoute Dans la Vent"); actor Alan Arkin wrote the title track. There's a good rhythmic verve to much of the material, which makes this more enjoyable and durable than many such obscure folk albums of the early to mid-1960s. You could even detect hints of folk-rock in the occasional added instrumentation; there are light drums on "Pale Horse and Rider" and "Cuddlebug," and even what sounds like an electric guitar on "No One to Talk My Troubles To," as well as a flute on "If I Had a Ribbon Bow." While most Carly Simon fans would be nonplused by this as it's highly dissimilar to her famous singer/songwriter solo work, it's also true that some listeners who don't like Carly Simon's solo albums might well like this LP. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide