Maidens IV were an Ohio-based sister act I saw (and enjoyed) periodically at Irish music festivals in the Mid-Atlantic region, and over the years I acquired (but never reviewed) a few of their CDs. I decided to fix that, especially now that I've learned that Maidens IV is no longer active ... although the band lives on, in part, in a new family-oriented project.

The band launched in 2003 as Maidens II and featured sisters Havilah and Heather Justice on violin and vocals. They reformed a year or so later as Maidens III with the addition of sister Abigail's viola to the lineup, and again as Maidens IV when guitarist Tabitha joined the family troupe.

Their career lasted just shy of a decade before they ended their run; however, that's not the end of their story. Sisters Havilah and Tabitha (now surnamed Keim and Rall, respectively) couldn't shake the music bug and reformed as a duo, Celtic Sisters, in which Havilah plays violin, Tabitha plays guitar, and both sing. Since then, they've added their mother (simply credited as "Mom Justice") on cajon drum and younger sister Sarah Justice on keyboard and vocals.

I haven't heard what happened to Heather and Abigail, or why none of the other Justice siblings (of whom there were several more) got involved.

Anyway, let's look at the albums. Maidens III released Charm & Fire in 2005, and it's a good introduction to their baroque and madrigal approach to Celtic music. Obviously talented, they lack some of their future polish at this stage, and the operatic presentation of some songs might put off some listeners. Selections range from "Drowsy Maggie" and "Star of the County Down" to "I Attempt from Love's Sickness" and "If Music Be the Food of Love" and, veering away from Celtic and English traditions, the gypsy fiddle tune "The Basso" and the bluegrass song "Rocky Top," first recorded in 1968 by the Osborne Brothers.

The level of polish, including layered vocal harmonies and artful instrumental arrangements, had stepped up a few notches by the release of their second album, Four Aflame, in 2006. The band by then had all four members in the mix, and their musical selections were stronger -- as was the band's execution. Tracks include "Lark in the Morning," "Jolly Rover," "Sleepy Maggie," Bill Monroe's "Jerusalem Ridge," "Waholning Rails" (a variation on "Orange Blossom Special") and the title track, a lively Maidens IV original penned by Havilah.

Their third album, Emerald Fire, was another step forward. Rather than relying mostly on traditional music and covers, the sisters took inspiration from their Celtic roots and wrote a host of new material. For the most part, it's pretty good stuff. Look for tracks such as "Midnight Stone," "Rocks of Bawn," "Celebrate," "Call of Spring," "Whistling Gypsy" and "Four in the Heartland."

Overall, the Maidens perform well, with good instrumental chops and creative arrangements that set their traditional numbers apart from other versions. Their voices are strong, too, especially when they're harmonizing, although I'm still not terribly enthusiastic about the operatic style they sometimes use on their songs.

I'm also not a huge fan of the religious emphasis of their albums. On repeated listenings, I tend to skip over the preachier tracks; fortunately, those selections are in the minority.

In any case, I'm glad I took the time to revisit the Maidens in their former incarnations. I believe they released only one more album before dissolving the band, and I haven't heard of any recordings yet from their new life as Celtic Sisters. I wish them success.