The Chapin Sisters | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Origin | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Genres | Folk, psychedelic, pop |
Years active | 2004–present |
Labels | Lake Bottom, Loantaka, Plain |
Members | Abigail Chapin Lily Chapin |
Past members | Jessica Craven |
Website | thechapinsisters |
The Chapin Sisters are an American folk rock and harmony duo from Brooklyn, New York. The band consists of sisters Abigail and Lily Chapin, and formerly their half-sister Jessica Craven. Their sound blurs the lines between old-time Appalachian music, classic country-rock and pop. [1]
Abigail and Lily were born in Brooklyn, New York, and grew up in the Hudson Valley. They sang professionally from an early age, first on their dad Tom Chapin's children's records, [2] which led to jobs on other children's records, including the Olsen Twins' "Brother for Sale" and "I Am the Cute One". [1] They also sang onstage in benefit and tribute concerts honoring their uncle, [2] the late singer and activist Harry Chapin, along with other members of their family, including cousin Jen Chapin and their half-sister Jessica Craven.
By 2004 Abigail, Lily, and Jessica had relocated to Los Angeles (Lily Chapin was working on a film directed by Barbara Kopple [3] ). They began their band at the urging of their half-brother Jonathan Craven who arranged for them to record at the home studio of Michael Fitzpatrick (of the band Fitz and the Tantrums). Before they had ever played a show together or considered themselves a band, their slow, acoustic version of Britney Spears's song "Toxic" gained attention and radio play around the country. [4] [5] Following this unexpected success, The Chapin Sisters began to play concerts in Los Angeles, and the sisters also started writing music together—songs that would eventually become their first full-length album. [6]
Spurred by the sudden interest in their singing abilities, they put together a collection of songs and, on March 18, 2008, they released their debut full-length album Lake Bottom LP on the Plain Recordings label. Initially the album was only released as a vinyl record but a compact disc version soon followed.
Many of the music reviews by critics were positive. According to popmatters.com, [7] "they haunt the interstices of folk, pop, and blues, and play seductive games with the knife-edge of heartache. Their soft harmonies and dark sidelong lyrics fit perfectly into a new folk aesthetic that is more twisted than freaky," and "their music blends the harmonies of traditional sister-acts with a modern lyrical sensibility." FLAVORPILL of San Francisco wrote "The one virtue the Chapin Sisters shares with classic sister acts of old becomes apparent when they sing together: that shiver of spotless, familial unity that makes every syllable woundingly poignant."
In early 2010 Jessica took a "leave of absence" and left the band to spend time with her newborn baby, and Lily and Abigail, now a duo, set out on tour with the folk pop duo She & Him (consisting of M. Ward and actress Zooey Deschanel) singing back-up vocals and opening many of the shows as well.
In April 2010 The Chapin Sisters released a five-song EP called "Oh Hear the Wind Blow," which was recorded live in the studio with Dan Horne as engineer and bass player, and Aaron Sperske on drums.
On September 14, 2010, Abigail and Lily released their second full-length album "Two" on their own label, Lake Bottom Records. The album was produced by the sisters, along with Louie Stephens of Rooney and Jesse Lee of Gang Gang Dance. [8]
On April 23, 2013, A Date With the Everly Brothers was released as a full-length album tribute to The Everly Brothers. It was funded via a successful Kickstarter campaign that ended up raising over 150% of the band's goal. [9]
In October 2015, the band announced on their website and via Kickstarter that they would release their full-length album titled Today's Not Yesterday, composed of original songs. [10] The 12-song album was recorded in Los Angeles at Jonathan Wilson's Five-Star studio with the help of producers Dan Horne and Jesse Lee.
Year | Album | Label | Peak chart positions |
---|---|---|---|
Heatseekers | |||
2004 | The Chapin Sisters Sing the Chapin Brothers | Sundance Music | — |
2005 | The Chapin Sisters EP | Lake Bottom Records | — |
2007 | The Chapin Sisters/The Winter Flowers: Split LP | Manimal Vinyl | — |
2008 | Lake Bottom LP | Plain Recordings/Lake Bottom Records | — |
2010 | Two | Lake Bottom Records | — |
Oh, Hear the Wind Blow | Lake Bottom Records | — | |
2013 | A Date with the Everly Brothers | Lake Bottom Records | 14 |
2015 | Today's Not Yesterday | Lake Bottom Records | — |
2018 | Ferry Boat EP | Loantaka Records | — |
Year | Song | Album | With Artist |
---|---|---|---|
2014 | "Unchained Melody" | Classics | She & Him |
2018 | "The Dolphins" | Single [11] | Cass McCombs |
The Everly Brothers were an American rock duo, known for steel-string acoustic guitar playing and close harmony singing. Consisting of Isaac Donald "Don" Everly and Phillip "Phil" Everly, the duo combined elements of rock and roll, country, and pop, becoming pioneers of country rock.
Harold Forster Chapin was an American singer-songwriter, philanthropist, and hunger activist best known for his folk rock and pop rock songs. He achieved worldwide success in the 1970s. Chapin, a Grammy Award-winning artist and Grammy Hall of Fame inductee, has sold over 16 million records worldwide.
Toad the Wet Sprocket is an American alternative rock band formed in Santa Barbara, California, in 1986. The band at the time consisted of vocalist/guitarist Glen Phillips, guitarist Todd Nichols, bassist Dean Dinning, and drummer Randy Guss, who stopped touring in 2017 and left the band in 2020. Guss was replaced by drummer Josh Daubin, who had been supporting them as their drummer on recent tours. They had chart success in the 1990s with singles that included "Walk on the Ocean", "All I Want", "Something's Always Wrong", "Fall Down", and "Good Intentions".
The Nields is a folk-rock band that started in 1991. As a five-piece band, they toured much of the United States, performing with artists such as Dar Williams, Moxy Früvous, 10,000 Maniacs, Ani DiFranco and Catie Curtis and appeared at many folk festivals. Two members, Katryna and Nerissa Nields, continue to tour as a folk duo. Full band performances still occur from time to time.
Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer were an American folk duo who released three albums from 1998 to 2001, as well as additional material released after Dave Carter's death. The duo consisted of Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer,.
The Avett Brothers are an American folk rock band from Concord, North Carolina. The band is made up of two brothers, Scott Avett and Seth Avett along with Bob Crawford and Joe Kwon. Mike Marsh (drums), Tania Elizabeth (fiddle) and Bonnie Avett-Rini (piano) are touring members of the band.
Abigail Washburn is an American clawhammer banjo player and singer. She performs and records as a soloist, as well as with the old-time bands Uncle Earl and Sparrow Quartet, experimental group The Wu Force, and as a duo with her husband Béla Fleck.
Kristin Andreassen is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, dancer, old time musician and educator. Currently based in Nashville, Tennessee, she started her music career as a professional clogger with Footworks Percussive Dance Ensemble and in the early 2000s joined the folk bands Uncle Earl and Sometymes Why as a vocalist, dancer, songwriter, guitarist. She is known for using body percussion and dance in live performances.
Through the Wilderness is a tribute album with contributions from a variety of artists dedicated to American singer Madonna. It was released on November 27, 2007, by Los Angeles-based Manimal Vinyl Records. According to label head Paul Beahan, the idea for the album was conceived by him in a dream. He enlisted multiple artists to work on the project, including Giant Drag, Lavender Diamond, Winter Flowers and Chapin Sisters. Although he's not a fan of Madonna, Beahan wanted to see how her songs would sound when covered by different musicians.
Tasseomancy is a Canadian experimental band from Toronto formed by twin sisters Sari and Romy Lightman.
Samantha Crain is a Choctaw Nation songwriter, musician, producer, and singer from Shawnee, Oklahoma, signed with Ramseur Records and Real Kind Records and Full Time Hobby Records (UK/Europe).
The Story is an English psychedelic folk duo comprising the former Forest member Martin Welham and his son Tom Welham. They write and record melodic songs that range from psychedelic pop to stream-of-consciousness folk and play an array of predominantly acoustic instruments as a backdrop to their blend of vocal harmonies.
Little Red Wolf are a Madison, Wisconsin-based band with styles ranging from alt-country to folk-rock and traditional pop. The four-piece is known for being multi-instrumentalist with female-led vocals and harmonies. Little Red Wolf members with primary instruments: Emily Mills (drums), Kelly Maxwell (guitar), Meghan Rose, Laura Detert. Other instrumentation includes accordion, bass ukulele, mandolin, clarinet, keytar, and glockenspiel.
Jenny & Tyler are a husband-wife folk-pop band originally from Newark, Delaware, and currently based in Nashville, Tennessee. The group consists of singer-songwriters Jenny Somers and Tyler Somers. Their style is a fusion of folk, pop, funk, rock, soul, and bluegrass that has been called "soul-grass". The duo has independently released three full-length albums and two EPs, and regularly tour the United States.
A Sound of Thunder is an American heavy metal band from the Washington D.C. metro area, United States. This four piece band is known for its varying styles of musical composition, powerful female vocals, and energetic live shows.
The Doubleclicks are a nerd-folk musical duo based in Portland, Oregon and Los Angeles, California, consisting of siblings Laser Webber and Aubrey Turner. They first became known for performing nerd-friendly comedy music, including songs about Dungeons & Dragons, dinosaurs, and other geeky themes. While their later songs retain those elements, there has been a stronger focus on feminist and other social issues, and more personal themes.
Lily & Madeleine are an American folk pop duo from Indianapolis, Indiana, consisting of the sisters Lily and Madeleine Jurkiewicz. They have released four full-length studio albums, Lily & Madeleine (2013) and Fumes (2014) on Asthmatic Kitty, Keep It Together (2016) and Canterbury Girls (2019) on New West Records.
The Accidentals are an American band, formed in Traverse City, Michigan in 2012 by singer-songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Sav Buist and Katie Larson. The group has featured an eclectic blend of indie folk, pop, bluegrass, rock, classical, and other genres. They have released six full-length albums, three EPs, and two live albums.
Songs in the Dark is the debut album by the Wainwright Sisters, a singer-songwriter duo featuring the Canadian-American Martha Wainwright and her American half-sister Lucy Wainwright Roche. The album, released on November 13, 2015, includes lullabies that their mothers Kate McGarrigle and Suzzy Roche sang to them as children, plus songs by Woody Guthrie, Jimmie Rogers, and their father Loudon Wainwright III.
Moonlight Social is an American pop rock music duo composed of singer-songwriters Jeremy Burchard and Jennica Scott. Their music has been described as a combination of alternative rock, pop, pop punk, folk, and adult contemporary.