Review | He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister – Nobody Dances in This Town

[T]he name He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister represents Kolar siblings Robert and Rachel, but the sound and energy of the Los Angeles band is actually created by five unique individuals from all over the performance landscape.

Singer and guitarist Rob Kolar is an award-winning songwriter and actor; his sister, percussionist/singer Rachel Kolar, runs a theater company in L.A. along with drummer/tap-dancer Lauren Brown; upright bass player Oliver Newton is a composer and performance artist; and guitarist Aaron Robinson has toured with amazing bands, including Akron Family and Sea Wolf. The particular reason I point this out to the reader is so they have a solid idea of how much talent and experience resides in just one band.

Now on to the debut, full-length album titled Nobody Dances in This Town, out Tuesday, October 9^th on Park the Van records. From the swinging, rockabilly, opening track “Tales That I Tell,” to the bluesy closer “Can’t See The Stars,” the songs skip across a musical landscape of 70’s glam and glitz, to 60’s twist and shout pop, without missing a single beat. And that is not to say the band is only comfortable in the sound of the past. The great track “Same Old Ground” is very much a modern take on alternative country and fits perfectly into the time machine of sound HMBSMS has perfected. The theatrical “Clackin Heels,” highlights Brown’s tap-dancing skills, while the laid-back, trippy “Touch The Lightning” is a guitar player’s dream of fuzz and reverb. Nobody Dances in This Town is the perfect party album, or driving album, or laying on the grass looking at the clouds album. Add it to your collection now.

He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister are well known for their live, very theatrical shows, and greater Boston area residents will have a chance to check them out at Middle East Upstairs on Tuesday, October 23^rd. Get your tickets and see the entire tour schedule here.