WHAT an acoustic gem this is - all sweetness and just right.

Po' Girl are a Canadian collective, built around the trio of Trish Klein, from the Be Good Tanyas, composer and singer Diona Davies and soulful vocalist Alison Russell.

Add to those three just about anyone and everything they fancied throwing in on the day, including cult folkie Ani DiFranco. The music they produce is timeless roots, played with such warmth and intimacy that the songs seem to crackle in your ear - thoroughly up to date, yet seemingly stolen from the past too.

Highlights include the opener Tell Me A Story, Russell's Poor Girl and the spoken word/beatbox contributions of poet CR Avery on Take The Long Way.

Updated: 08:34 Thursday, November 04, 2004