This came out in 2003 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
Patty Larkin may be many things, but one thing she’s not is a dabbler.
The Boston folksinger is a musical jill-of-all-trades who plays guitar, piano, slide, harp and accordion — and more to the point, plays them all quite well indeed on her 10th album Red = Luck. Of course, it’s not what instruments Larkin plays that counts, it’s what she plays on them. And Larkin doesn’t disappoint on this point either. Though firmly rooted in the singer-songwriter tradition, these 14 richly textured neo-folk tunes are blessed with stylistic variety and ear-caressing production that raises them above the average. Somewhat like Bonnie Raitt, Larkin is an earthy, natural performer who is able to add pop hooks and catchy choruses to her songs without diluting their intimacy and soulfulness. With all that going for her, luck is the last thing she needs.
