Set to a background of country, folk, pop, gospel, and bluegrass, the beguiling songs of Po' Girl combine the grit of 1920s and 1930s blues women with spiritual insights that are far more contemporary. They call it "urban roots," but whatever label you want to place on it, Po' Girl's bittersweet blend of dreamy arrangements, earthy, hypnotic vocals, back-porch harmonies, and insightful lyrics feeds the listener's hunger for the sustenance of bygone textures and the challenge of meaningful questions, both at the same time. Oh, and they make darned beautiful music, too!

The eastern Canadian group features vocalists, multi-instrumentalists, and writers Allison Russell and Awna Teixeira, along with Benny Sidelinger, a "tickler/maker of all stringed things." Tonight they spotlight numbers from their third CD, last year's Home to You (Nettwerk), which All Music Guide praised as "a layered, insightful, and achingly poignant triumph that still works even if you just want to hear pretty music." Make sure you catch them!