The Loy Sisters Band
Where We Belong (SpiNSight)
The Loy Sisters, Sarah and Rachel (ages 16 and 18) list among their influences Sarah McLachlan and the Indigo Girls, so it’s no surprise that at times, the two sound like two McLachlans overdubbed on top of each other. Their debut mixes jazzy tracks, pop-rock numbers, South American polyrhythms, and folky instrumentation for a fairly eclectic feel, and the sisters’ voices are so similar and blend so perfectly that they’re almost indistinguishable from each other. Their songwriting deals with some fairly adult themes. Unfortunately, all these factors work against this release. The “adult” songwriting, unobtrusive playing and production, and mature-sounding arrangements put it squarely in adult-alternative territory. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it all winds up being strangely uncompelling. The mixed bag of styles evidenced here points to a pair of young players/songwriters still in search of a style to hang their hats on. There’s a lot of talent in these sisters, which is evident in every track, but it needs a chance to flower.
This article appears in Carol Keeton Rylander.