The Malvinas are Beth Cahill (vocals, guitar and mandolin), Gina Forsyth (vocals, guitar and fiddle) and Lisa Markley (vocals, guitar and banjo), with additional instrumentation from Graham Duncan. The trio harmonize gorgeously and all are excellent players. There is a distinct strength in women’s music and they tap into it brilliantly. Women with wide ranging influences, from the Roches and McGarrigle Sisters to Richard Thompson to Suzanne Vega, and even Rickie Lee Jones, the Malvinas are serious and playful, often in the same song. Crow (“when crow makes a mistake/there is no mercy, no second chance/the vultures will circle and wait”) is Vega inspired and features stunning instrumentation. The title cut was written by the trio’s namesake, Malvina Reynolds, in 1964. It is as poignant today as it was then with these lyrics: “God bless the truth that fights toward the sun.” The Ukrainian Song is their most Roches-inspired tune. One of the most fully realized folk albums of the first half of the year.