Finding Our Way (Riverbeat Music, 2003)

Hailing originally from northern Michigan, identical twin sisters Amy andJulie Mickey make their recording debut with this set of 11 tunes, several co-written by one or both of them, displaying not only some writing talent, but also a good understanding and feel for the long history of sibling harmony and duets in American music.

Although the arrangements carry hints of bluegrass and Celtic, their vocals - solo and duet - are more out of the classic "folkie" tradition, and the tendency in this label-happy radio format environment would be to tag them as "Americana"rather than "Country."

Still, the fact is that the vocals are the strength of the album, and even though they're not doing the sort of harmonic swoops and whirls that the Louvins used to do, they're not exactly whispering little waifs, either. They've got some vocal power, and they know how to use it, as they show on tunes like "Smoke And Mirrors," "My Train" and "Dry Eyes." As is more and more the case these days, it's hard to slap a label on The Mickeys, but it's not hard at all to like them, either.