CD REVIEWS
By Michael Swanger scenescribe@mchsi.com
The Chapin Sisters
“Two”
Lake Bottom Records
Lily and Abigail Chapin, the singing, songwriting sisters who perform under the name The Chapin Sisters, prove that soaring family harmonies and hauntingly beautiful melodies (with help from their half-sister Jessica Craven, Wes Craven’s daughter) are hard to beat on their second album, “Two.” The album’s opening track, “Sweet Light,” is reminiscent of a mythological siren, evoking the kind of sinister tenderness that makes you sit up and listen. That dichotomy of light and dark is what makes this album so interesting as the sisters transition from pure ballads (“Paradise,” “Palm Tree”) to lurid rock (“Rose in Winter”) with ease. Then again, one could argue that such musicality comes easy for this sister tandem, whose father is the award-winning songwriter Tom Chapin and whose uncle is Harry Chapin (“Cats in the Cradle”). CV
(The Chapin Sisters perform with NeEma on Monday, Nov. 8 at 7:30 p.m. at Java Joes. $10.)
Strong Like Bear
“Seeking Ghosts EP”
Sleep On the Floor
Ames-based Strong Like Bear opens its debut recording, “Seeking Ghosts EP,” with its tightest, most contemporary song, “Trust in Me,” which would suggest to listeners that there is more to follow on the EP’s remaining six tracks. But that simply is not the case as the quartet of Jordan Mull, Bryon Dudley, Greg Bruna and Rachel Dudley quickly shifts into classic rock mode on songs like “Down in Arcadia,” “Shut Up” and “The Shark,” which rely on acoustic driven, loose rhythms, laid back vocals and quirky lyrics. Even the closing dance remix of “Wheelspin” is drenched in hippie experimentation that might appeal more to neo-Deadheads than fans of indie-rock. Whether that is a good thing depends on your taste, but I prefer the vocal and instrumental performances of the first track. CV
(For a list of Strong Like Bear tour dates, visit www.sleeponthefloor.com.)
