Bands driven by female harmonies often bear the burden of their Lillith-esque predecessors too heavily. You know the type – bands where the strongest positive adjective you can think of is “pretty.” Arlington-based 5 piece The Hickories don’t fall prey to that malady. Helmed and founded by lead vocalist Michelle Volpe, the band released their 5-song EP, Lost In Pennsylvania, last fall. I was all set to review their show on the 18th at Iota, but a touch of the bird flu limited me to reviewing this impressive debut instead.

The Hickories aren’t reinventing the wheel on this album; there aren’t musical advances that garner words like ‘genius.’ But there is a nuanced sound that shows a clear base of talent over showiness. The band was formed piecemeal over time – old roommates, Craig’s List finds and more. Michelle Volpe is the cornerstone; she’s the central songwriter, and the band’s foreman. A lifelong singer, she only began playing guitar and writing music in recent years; in forming the band, she surrounded herself with a troupe of talented and experienced musicians that expanded the band’s range.

You can’t sit in proximity to this album for too long without remarking on the clear stand out – the vocal harmonies between Volpe and Meghan Sharpe. The frequent comparisons to sixties bands like he Mamas & The Papas are earned on the sheer precision of those harmonies; these two voices were meant to sing together. It’s best portrayed on the track “1965,” but prevalent throughout the album.