Anchorage Daily News

You can't call the three women who performed at Sydney Laurence Theatre on Saturday night a novice act. They have about a century of major league professional work among them. Their resumes include Grammy nominations, backing up stars like Bob Dylan and Bonnie Raitt, penning hits for other singers.

On the other hand, Cindy Bullens, Wendy Waldman and Deborah Holland only recently came together as The Refugees and their first album just came out this year -- so you can accurately describe them as a startup group. Maybe the most experienced startup group ever.

The experience showed in their tightly coordinated vocal harmonies -- the heart of the band's sound -- and the ease with which they comported themselves on stage. They made their compelling blend of voices, accuracy of pitch and clear enunciation of the lyrics seem effortless. But it can't be that easy; while I've struggled to make out half the words sung by women singers recently, I understood nearly every syllable The Refugees sang.

Bullens, the alto in the group, opened the night with "Jellico Highway," from the new album, "Unbound," as were most of the numbers heard Saturday.

All of those songs were written or co-written by someone in the group. The succession of tunes passed from one author to another. Waldman's "Fishing in the Dark," "There's a Spy in the House of Love" from Holland's stint with the '80s band Animal Logic, Bullen's "I Gotta Believe in Something."

Most of the pieces dealt with some aspect of hope, about doubt in a time of change and hankering for a second chance on love. The singular exception, "The Violin Song" by Holland ("Mommy, I don't want to play the violin") was an amusing reflection, possibly autobiographical, on adolescent rebellion.

Between-song banter also amused, with observations on visiting Alaska (it's the first time for two of them), the present shambles of the music industry and -- especially -- getting old. Bullens and Waldman are grandmothers. They joked about fictitious workshops at an "Aging Women in Music" conference.

Waldman, who stuck with lead guitar, seemed to be the best instrumentalist. The other two swapped out guitars and other instruments, but made no attempt to be virtuosic. Bullens' turns on harmonica and Holland's on bass offered a few impressive moments, but their playing of mandolin and accordion were mere background.

That's because this act is all about the singing. The Refugees are at the top of the game in that department. They probably could have pulled off the whole show a cappella, happy proof that a good voice doesn't have to dim along with eyesight or seize up along with joints.

There's nothing fancy in The Refugees' material. No deep metaphors. No experimental chords or cross rhythms. No drums or electronics except for basic amplification. It's apple pie Americana, mixing folk, country, blues and pop/rock, a succession of straightforward formats and clean-cut endings.

When delivered with melody and spunk, it makes for delightful listening, as it did with the song that closed the first half of the show, "Save the Best for Last," maybe Waldman's best-known piece, and the encore, an angelic collaboration titled "All My Angels."

A couple of times, they promised to come up with a song about Alaska if they came back. Even without that, however, the Refugees are well worth hearing twice.

Find Mike Dunham online at adn.com/contact/mdunham or call 257-4332.

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