There’s an infectious joy in Jessie Murphy In The Woods' new album, Eight Belles, that sweeps the listener in its wake. By turns ethereal, mystical, spiritual and haunting, the New York City based trio plays with a sense of wonder and discovery that makes them one of 2009’s singular new acts to watch. If their music sounds like a fairy tale, it’s fitting, for it's in its own glorious place and time. The band features Jessie Murphy on vocals and guitar, Marcia Webb on vocals, Wurlitzer, flute and pan pipes, and Amy Corso on horn, flute, percussion and organ. The three women met in 2008 while they were getting their Masters in Music Education. Jessie, a critically acclaimed singer-songwriter emerging from New York City’s Anti-folk scene, with extensive recording and international touring experience, was at the outset of recording an album with producer Roger Greenawalt (Rufus Wainwright, Antony Hegarty, Albert Hammond Jr., Ben Kweller, and The Pierces), when they both heard a need for some unorthodox instrumentation. Jessie reached out to classmates Marcia and Amy and even at the first rehearsal it was clear that there was a magical dynamic between the three of them. Jessie states proudly, “We just had that thing right away; a combination of the right vibe and the right sound. We all knew very quickly that we were a band.” Audience response has been strong, for it's impossible not to recognize the standout quality of the band’s baroque indie folk. The ladies just returned from a U.K. tour where they were featured on Cambridge University radio, as well as several other stations and university press in both York and Brighton interviewed the band for upcoming features. On Eight Belles, you hear the sounds and magic of a band coming together. In 2009, the promise of a band beginning to bloom ecstatically beckons. It should make for a wondrous journey. <a href="https://www.last.fm/music/Jessie+Murphy+in+the+Woods">Read more on Last.fm</a>. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.