Notes
The Berlin based experimental duo Sister Chain & Brother John formed in July 2005 when Sister Chain (a.k.a. Eleanor Cantor of Skin Blues and Spinster Sister) and Brother John Higgins (former frontman of London band Val's Basement and fly by night producer) met in a mysterious bookshop. Looking like Victorian gentlefolk, wielding a distorted guitar and a tambourine, they relate stories of the wicked set and the lovelorn, of teenage daydreams and erotic nightmares, creating what can best be described as Parlour Punk or latter day chamber music. Their debut album Darkness to Warm Your Heart is a perfect example of their paired down, minimalist approach. The album contains 10 (very!) original songs arranged for one electric guitar or bass and voice. This intentionally naked production gives the powerful narratives and musical motifs space to unfold and challenges our preconceptions of What is Enough. The album was recorded on four - and sometimes just two - track cassette at the bands home studio - The Dwarfhaus - in Berlin. Praise for 'Darkness to Warm your Heart': Sister Chain & Brother John have delivered an album I can safely say is not like anything else I have heard this year. Or last year in fact... and for that reason alone I like it. Their songs are 21st century parlor tales, self contained fables that conjure up images of checked shirts, diners and dark dark hearts. This is Wild At Heart without the happy ending. Sister Chain sings in a unique style over Brother John's simple rhythmic bass lines and guitar hooks. Joanna Newsom is an obvious, but also lazy comparison. An air of melancholy runs through most of this, their debut album but dig a little bit deeper and there is a dry wit and comic absurdity completely missing from the majority of most of the music that passes my way. I think if I am honest, you will either hate this, or more hopefully you will love and cherish it. Nowadays, everyone wants to be in a band, or make music, or say their piece. It takes someone like Sister Chain & Brother John to come along and remind us - if you don't have anything new to say, in a way it's not been said before - don't bother. Subversive, interesting and unique. What more could you want? (Elecronic Beats - Berlin/ London) Auf ihrem Album 'Darkness to warm your Heart' haben sie den kleinen Raum eines Duos souverän mit seinen Beschränkungen angenommen und das weit ausgespielt (Taz - Germany)
