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MUSIC

Sisters 3

By Doug Wallen

Add Comment | Comments: 0 | Posted Sep. 10, 2008

photo by michael persico

Few band names are as literal as Sisters 3. On the other hand, the Sadler Sisters is a little too country, and the Sapphires--the name under which AnnaChristie, Cassandra, and Beatrice Sadler debuted as young children--is a little too girl-group-y. Sisters 3, then, takes care of the family tree and also fits the trio's heart-on-sleeve coffeehouse folk.

That said, the Sadlers are dreamier than you might guess on their polished debut Star Spangled, produced and released by Canadian knob-twister Glen Marshall (of Feist and Apostle of Hustle fame). Thus, potentially straightforward tunes like "Giggling Gremlins" and the homage "Patsy Cline" meander and bloom with a gauzy blend of keys, strings, harmonies and handclaps. It's the sonic equivalent of comfort food, making you feel warm, sated and sleepy after listening.

Sisters 3
Fri., Sept. 12, 9:30pm.
$10.
With Extraordinaires + Hezekiah Jones. Johnny Brenda's,
1201 N. Frankford Ave.
215.739.9684.
www.johnnybrendas.com

The band is led by AnnaChristie, who sings lead with a smoky lilt and plays guitar. (She self-released a solo album, Elixir for the Human Heart, a few years back.) Her sisters sing too, with Cassandra playing keys and Beatrice handling percussion. Mike Bardzik, a fixture of West Chester's punk label Creep Records, chips in on drums at times. And much credit must be given to Marshall, who fleshes out a threadbare sound until it feels almost as busy as one of the Broken Social Scene offshoots he's produced.

Sisters 3's visibility has been increasing for a while now, from appearances at Mountain Stage and the Philadelphia Folk Festival to contributions on albums by fellow locals Hoots & Hellmouth and Sharon Little. (A song from the latter was featured on the A&E show The Cleaner, highlighting the siblings' delicate harmonies.) Now that Star Spangled--which came out in Canada in March--has finally arrived Stateside, Sisters 3 will soon be even harder to escape.