When you start an album with "Back in the Saddle Again" and end it with "Happy Trails," you are pretty much fenced in, so to speak. But despite arguing the point with the undeniably classic cowboy song "Don't Fence Me In," (yes, that's Cowpoke Cole Porter to you), that seems to be Cowboy Envy's intention. Throughout the offering, songbirds Berne' Poliakoff, DeDe Vogt, and Kathleen Hatfield put their lovely three-part harmonies to work on both traditional and original compositions, proving that not just fellas harnessed the Wild West, although a number of the tunes do come from The Sons of the Pioneers. Through "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" they take "One More Ride" to their "Home on the Range," stopping at the "Cowboy Jubilee" just for kicks. The gals handle the main musical chores, but they flesh out the old-time toe tappers with guest musicians, including Edward Hunter and Mark Van Allen on fiddle and pedal steel guitars, respectively. Sounding as though they just stepped out of the original Grand Ole Opry (or perhaps Frontierland), Cowboy Envy provides good clean fun for the whole family. Dale Evans would be mighty proud. ~ Kelly McCartney
