Home > Music > CD Review > The Watson Twins, 'Fire Songs'

The Watson Twins, 'Fire Songs'

Southern sisters soft-rock you to somewhere

By Scott Thill

Special to Metromix
June 23, 2008

Critic's Rating:

• Email
• Print View
• Share
  • Digg
  • Del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Furl
  • Google
  • Reddit
  • Mixx
  • Mister Wong
  • Yahoo Buzz
  • Yahoo
• Add To Favorites
• Add to playlist

Backstory: Kentucky country chanteuses turned California indie stars, identical twins Chandra and Leigh Watson scratched the indie rock surface backing up Rilo Kiley frontwoman Jenny Lewis on her solo effort "Rabbit Fur Coat," while simultaneously releasing their 2006 debut EP "Southern Manners." That double-shot set the table for this pitch-perfect full-length, as did a stint opening for Magnolia Electric Co. and signing to venerable label Vanguard.

Why you should care: The Watson Twins’ only flaw is that they are flawless crooners. The trade-off is that they rarely shred their pipes for the sake of emotion. There's more Emmylou Harris here than PJ Harvey, is what we’re saying. And we’re just saying.

Verdict: If you like sweeping, radio-friendly country, pop and rock, "Fire Songs" will fit nicely next to your Dido and Crow (Sheryl, not Counting) collections. "How Am I to Be" is a lovelorn hit that can't miss, and "Lady Love Me" is a gentle ballad that should make your commute home much more bearable. But the Watson Twins can concoct stranger fare. The salsa-fied cool of "Map to Where You Are" is a needed shake-up, and the slow burn of "Fall" catches fire brightly. Similarly, the stoner solo guitar on the psychedelic "Sky Open Up" stands out from more conventional exercises like "Old Ways" and "Dig a Little Deeper." There's a little something for everyone.

X-Factor: The Twins have gone a little Hollywood, and not just because they’re now based in L.A. Their tune "Time of My Life" landed on "Grey's Anatomy," and they scored some original soundtracking for Floria Sigismondi's film "Postmortem Bliss."

You will be prompted to register or log in when posting.

Comment

Please note that by clicking on "Post Comment" you acknowledge that you have read the Terms of Service. Be polite. Inappropriate posts may be removed by the moderator.