*** Kate and Anna McGarrigle

LOVE OVER AND OVER

(Hannibal/Rykodisc)

Sure, the McGarrigles have earned bigger royalties from Linda Ronstadt's precious covers of their bittersweet tunes (like "I Cried for You" here, which Linda called "I've Had Enough"). But the low-key delivery this Irish/French-Canadian duo give their own tunes, along with the entwined harmonies, comes across as more sincere. Recorded over three years, this reissued 1983 disc is inevitably less cohesive than 1996's stunning Matapedia. The CD's quirky techno-pop opening is a bit strange, yet as an eccentricity it works better than the rock attempt of "Move Over Moon." Of course, the McGarrigles are best when they stick to 19th-century parlor music, accordion-backed French-Canadian chansons, and folk and pop. Still, after only seven McGarrigle albums in 20 years, it's good to have this one back in print.

-- Bruce Sylvester