Twin Sister

Item: Twin Sister
Author: Josh Spencer

(1999)

Reviewed by Josh Spencer

Discogs Bandcamp Apple Music Spotify YouTube Music

Label Bionic Family Record Co.The Phantom Tollbooth1998

emo funk rock grunge

Finally, it's out! I waited and waited and waited and eventually despaired of ever actually seeing this alterna-funk Star Wars tribute band rise from the ashes of Sometime Sunday. They first appeared as Boba Phett on early copies of 5 Minute Walk/Push the Label's Bronzspondi Mega Compilation, then as Twin Sister on later copies of the same compilation, after legal problems with LucasArts, Inc. Of those two songs, "Never a Jawa" reappears on this album as "Never."

At first listen, I hated Twin Sister. Then I realized it was because I was expecting a new Sometime Sunday album, even though I had heard the decidedly different, bass-heavy "Never a Jawa" already. Once I got over the fact that this was a different band with a different sound, and that Mikee wasn't the vocalist (he's the drummer), it started sounding better and better with each new listen. It's a great mix of garagey alternative funk grunge, with an emphasis on simple 70's funk basslines and wah-pedal leads. Musically, the only comparison in Christian music is Soulfood 76, but this has a much sparser production and a more alternative sound. It's not all funky, though. They break into distortion and jam territory with "We Got Company," an instrumental with Andy Prickett of the late Prayer Chain on guest guitar. The last track, "Forest Celebration," is just a cool tribal drum solo. The vocals might take some time getting used to; they're pretty raw but full of attitude, sometimes reminding me a tiny bit of Rob Gallas from his Black and White World days.

The song titles and lyrics are the greatest things about this album, all taken almost verbatim from the Star Wars movies and sure to bring a smile to the face of any Star Wars fan. In "Scoundrel," the vocalist sings Han Solo's lines to Leia from The Empire Strikes Back: "You like me because I'm a scoundrel. There aren't enough scoundrels in your life." "Ben" is hilarious--"Ben, why didn't you tell me? Ben, why didn't you warn me? Ben, you got a lot of explainin' to do." "You Must Unlearn" also had me rolling on the floor, with Yoda's lines "Do or do not, do or do not, do or do not, there is no try. Away put your weapon, I mean you no harm." And all the songs are copyrighted 1996 "That's No Moon! Music." I loved it!

Technically, this isn't Christian music, since everything's about Star Wars, but you could read a lot of it as spiritual metaphor, if you really took the time. That's not the point of this album, though; it's just a cool, totally unique release that any true Star Wars fan will get a kick out of.

3.5 tocks