The McGarrigle Hour

Kate and Anna McGarrigle have enjoyed a good deal of critical praise for their singing and songwriting over the years, though they have not been especially prolific in terms of releasing albums. In '98, however, they did a concert album titled The McGarrigle Hour, featuring their various kids, husbands/ex-husbands, and long-time collaborators. This is the video record of that performance, supplemented by four songs Anna and Kate performed at a 1981 concert in Montreal. The music runs from French folk tunes to Cole Porter to Appalachian music to folk/rock. Loudon Wainwright--Kate's ex--opens the video with a terrific version of “Schooldays.” Other choice moments include Chaim Tannenbaum's rendition of “Dig My Grave,” Anna singing “Cool River” and Emmylou Harris doing Jesse Winchester's “Skip Rope Song.” Martha Wainwright fails to wow us with Cole Porter's “Allez-Vous-En,” but her cousin Lily Lanken contributes a great version of “Alice Blue Gown.” As concert videos go, this one's pretty typical, but fans of the McGarrigles will find it quite enjoyable. [DVD extras: 4 bonus tracks.]Aud: P. (P. Van Vleck)