Record Review: She's Your Sister

I've been toying with the idea of doing this: listening to a record about which I've heard no hype or anything else, and reviewing it. Last night, Hue provided a perfect opportunity. The band is She's Your Sister and the record is a recent EP called We're From Chicago. The band is indeed from Chicago, but I believe they currently reside in L.A. They're making a name for themselves among the unsigned band circuit. From their website, they seem like nice people.

They're exactly what I expected them to sound like: a bar band, that's probably great live and a favorite among locals. However, they suffer from the same limitations as most local bands. On this EP, I'm hearing the same chord progressions and loud/quiet dynamics we've been hearing since the early nineties. The singer doesn't do much to distinguish himself either. His voice is clean and earnest, and well, that's about it. They play tightly and energetically, and I admit some songs are catchy, which makes them a great band to see live while holding a pint glass and hanging with friends. Unfortunately, the recorded medium reveals the weaknesses in song-writing and innovation. There are some positives. The guitarist is occasionally more melodic than most, and sometimes the drummer will do an interesting fill or stop that will inspire me to bust out the devil horns. I'll have to grade them with a C-.

I don't want to end this review sounding like a hater, especially for such a small band, so please go listen to their music yourself. They are some decent similar-sounding bands who are understandably bigger. The Arctic Monkeys pull off a lot of the same old-fashioned rock tricks, but they do so with much more attitude and personality. Check out "Fake Tales Of San Francisco." Also Bloc Party attempt the same sort of melodic guitar lines and earnest singing with much more success. I've said it before, their rhythm section is a force to behold. Let me take you back to album opener "Like Eating Grass."

So, how did I do? What's your review of my review? Anyone have other record suggestions?