3 Girls 3 Guitars 3 Chords (Self-released, 2004)

More of a character-based satire than a true country act, the Chalks consist of Mary Brienza (Judeen Chalk), Kathryn Markey (Judelle Chalk), and Leenya Rideout (Belva Chalk). However, the New York-based trio imbues every second of their debut disc with impressive faux Oklahoma sass and authentic roots music savvy.

The Chalks exhibit some first-rate bluegrass harmonies ("Boll Weevil") and employ a sharp acoustic sense ("Wait Weight") on some snappy upbeat numbers ("Hot Rod Diggity Dawg"). Yet it is the bite of the respective character's humor that makes this 10-song outing so appealing. Judeen is the kinky one ("Hog Tied & Hog Wild") who realizes that it isn't Christian to wish one's ex dead, so she prays that he'll be struck with a lingering illness instead ("Prayer in Open G"). Judelle is the whiskey guzzling, pill popping bad girl with a homemade tattoo ("Judelle's Blues"), and Belva? Well, Belva is just a slut who has a habit of turning up missing ("The Ballad of Belva Chalk").

Catty and catchy, cabaret yet country, if the "Sex and the City" cast were a traveling group of witty white trash singers, this is what they'd sound like.