The Parkington Sisters, Heather Maloney, 21 Oct. 2011
 by T Max / The Noise  ·  2 December 2011

Heather Maloney starts off addressing her audience very gently (after all we are in a church), saying her first song, “Fifty Lines” (also the opener on her latest CD, Time & Pocket Change) is dedicated to the muse that aids her creative process. Continuing the still, gentle approach, her precise fingerpicking is understated and the house sound is so unobtrusive I feel like I’m listening to an acoustic performance sans PA (thanks to Tim Rowell at the board). The unpretentiously attractive Ms. Maloney has developed a voice that is so accurate in detail, she can capture fast melodic passages the way pitch-correcting audio processors do (mechanically). The audience is directed to start her song “Grace” by singing the opening verse of “Amazing Grace” in four-part harmony — and we do. Picking up a four-string tenor guitar (named Baby), Heather tells us that time and pocket change are two things that we have more of since we’ve quit our day jobs, and then rolls into the title track of her CD. She covers a Beatles song that I’ve yet to hear anyone cover — “Her Majesty’s a Pretty Nice Girl” — and adds a playful second verse full of random syllables. She is slowly mesmerizing the audience. There are more of her playful improv melodies in “Turn Yourself Around” and then all too soon this Audrey Hepburn-styled young woman is starting her final song. She once again directs the audience (including Betty Bones on wooden bones) to lively engage in a rock beat to which she sings along.

Between sets I get to talk with the smart and engaging Heather Maloney and we’re joined by Betty Bones, who is quite the character. Betty explains that pigs’ ribs are the perfect bones for her musical instrument of choice, though hers are custom cut from oak to better fit her hand.

After the break, the stage fills with four decorative gals known as the Parkington Sisters from Wellfleet, Massachusetts. Lately they’ve been touring with the Dropkick Murphys, which I can imagine is a great culmination of male and female energy. The sisters possess four strong voices, three violins, floor tom and percussion, an acoustic guitar, and a grand piano. They start and I’m thrown back to the days of loving the Roaches (another all-sister band). Rose, on far right in a blue dotted dress and thick soft boots, does a lot of the lead singing while playing guitar or piano. She looks kinda like an indy rocker. On the other end of the stage, Ariel, with long brown hair, tall black boots, and red dress is the most serious of them and displays her classical virtuosity on the violin. Center left is Sarah with a wonderful performance smile, long wavy dark hair, a white lacy top and black riding pants. She could improve the looks and sound (violin) of any country band. Then there’s Nora — the ever-entertaining wacky rocker-type. Her long bleached-blonde hair with bangs is decorated by a red flower she places over her ear. She wears black lace on arms and legs, and a ’90s black zipper dress. She’s the one who bangs the tom while shaking things — she can also pick up a violin when three parts are needed. Together they perform like a unit and in between songs their family closeness becomes evident. They poke fun at each other, finish each other’s sentences, and love telling stories — creating a loose feeling that balances well with the musical tightness and accuracy of their lovely harmonies, whether in voice or violins. They can play traditional, classical, rock, folk, and even have an impressive tango number. During their set they separately invite up two other women to accompany them. There’s the cute eight-year-old, Megan, from Newton who fits right in with the way she shakes those green maracas. And on the other end of the age scale is Betty Bones once again — this time playing her C harmonica! The Parkington Sisters end their long enjoyable set with “Sail Home” written by their late uncle then are demanded an encore, so they comply with June Carter Cash’s “Ring of Fire.” Watch for the Noise‘s special Cape Cod issue next summer that will feature these gals! · (T Max)

Don’t miss KSB’s video of the band and special guest Betty “Bones” Gordon.