The Roches: Maggie Roche (vocals, guitar, synthesizer); Terre Roche, Suzzy Roche (vocals, guitar).
Additional personnel: Robert Fripp (guitar); Tony Levin (bass); Jim Maelen (triangle, shaker); Larry Fast (programming).
Recorded at the Hit Factory, New York, New York between September & November 1978.
This is a stunning debut, and the standard by which all of the Roches' subsequent releases have been measured. The three Roche sisters have voices that meld in ways that only those of a family can. THE ROCHES is built upon a frame of sparest accompaniment (usually just an acoustic guitar), and is in ways quite symphonic. Producer Robert Fripp (of King Crimson) wisely chose to render the Roches' sonic world in pristine clarity, keeping the spotlight focused squarely on the singing during the course of this album's 10 songs.
The opening two tracks give a clear picture of the breadth of the Roches' approach. The first song is "We," a song filled with such mundane information about the Roche sisters that it's funny in the best possible way. The track is followed by one of their most gorgeous and mysterious numbers, "Hammond Song." Fripp even ventures forth on this one with snaking, sustained guitar lines that beautifully conjure up a mix of meteorological effect. "The Married Men," by Maggie Roche, was later covered by Phoebe Snow.
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