He's My Brother She's My Sister

He's My Brother, She's My Sister is comprised of--you guessed it--siblings Rachel (vocals, percussion) and Rob Kolar (vocals, guitar), joined by a colorful group of rag-tag vaudevillian musicians and performers. Upright bassist Oliver Newell sported glitter eyeshadow, grandma glasses and a lone feather earring. The soft spoken bassist brought along a worn paperback copy of Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. The petite Lauren Brown is a tap-dancing percussionist. A founding member of the band, she tap dances and drums at the same time (!) making audiences do double takes. Aaron Robinson (slide guitar) wasn't able to make it until later in the evening, but he told me that he missed their last interview too because he was asleep in the back of a van.

We sat down with them before their Wednesday night residency at the swanky Mesa in Costa Mesa. The night turned to conversations of quantum entanglement, the promiscuous mating habits of cats and the band's nude beach habits. Oh yeah, and music too.

"People like the energy and people are intrigued by the instrumentation," Rob Kolar said of the band. "At the very least, they're like, 'What's this sideshow happening on stage?"


He's My Brother, She's My Sister recently returned from several months of national touring, bringing their self-proclaimed sideshow to the likes of Northern California and the South. Playing in places like the High Sierra Music Festival with My Morning Jacket and Dr. Dog or San Francisco seem like a natural fit for the band. However, less obvious places such as Tennessee have been quite receptive to them as well.

Brown recalls her favorite show of the tour: a dive bar in Nashville with a sparse and unlikely crowd, comprised of a few unenthusiastic bikers who began the show with their arms crossed. "Then you finish the show and they end up loving it," she said.

"If you walked into that room and saw their faces, you would think these people are not having a good time," Rob Kolar said. "But the totally were. They were afraid to express it." The audience barely did more than move their shoulders and nod their head to the music. "The audience was totally sedate," Newell said, "but afterwards the bartender, the door guy, the owner came up and said, 'Nobody ever responds like that!"

"We're like, what the fuck? We're in Nashville!" Brown said.

Audiences afraid to dance to live music seemed to be a common thread throughout the tour. Rob Kolar noted that when people danced during their shows, it was such a remarkable thing that people would come up to them afterwards and say, "Wow, nobody dances in this town."

"We'd get that in every town," Rachel Kolar said--so much so that they're considering naming their forthcoming album Nobody Dances in this Town.

"It's a national epidemic!" Newell said. "It's time to bring back dancing to live music." Rachel Kolar said she is faithful that the audiences will come around eventually. "When people get more comfortable, I think they'll dance more and more. Right now we're just introducing ourselves."

"It's like the handshake before the hug," Rob Kolar added, to which Rachel Kolar added, "Or before the you know what!"

Naturally, they enjoy entertaining an audience and seeing that excitement through dancing, but it's not a requirement for them to put on a good show. "I don't like the idea of there being a demand on the audience to do anything be it be quiet or stand," Newell said. "I like the freedom. I know I play better when an audience responds a certain way, but I don't want that to be a precondition to my offering."

That understanding, undemanding philosophy can be found in the dynamics of the band as well. "In other bands I've worked with it's been really hard in that there's complaints and negativity," Rob Kolar, who also plays with Lemon Sun said. "We're really open to other things. Even the small things like where we stay. We've been camping on tours, sleeping on floors."

For example, they were robbed in San Francisco. All of their clothes, valuables, and Newell's laptop were stolen after someone broke the window of their van (though they courteously left their instruments). Rob Kolar said that Newell barely batted an eyelash about losing his possessions through the whole ordeal. "You just feed of off that. If someone's being carefree and positive and excepting it's kind of contagious," he said.

Thumbnail image for He's My Brother She's My Sister
Mary Bell/OC Weekly
Lauren Brown, Tap Dancer Extraordinaire!
?Being in a close quarters day in and day out, through the trials of robbery or the unforgiving humidity of the South, can take its toll on a group of people. Especially siblings. Rob Kolar identified the worst thing about being in a band with a sibling is, "when my sister's on her period." To that, Rachel Kolar quickly retorted that Rob has periods of his own and is one of the first ones to crack under the pressures of touring.

"The good thing and the bad thing is that we're family," Rachel Kolar said. "At the end of the day, for better or worse, we're married. What? Just kidding. No, but we're family so we're not going anywhere." Newell added, "There's an easiness to get on each other's nerves and for conflicts to arise but you're so used to that resolution can come easier."

Between tours, each band member pursues other passions, but recently, those moments of downtime at home are becoming more and more scarce. "Once were more established as a band and have a fan base, we'll have more room to delve into other ideas," Rob said.

Brown and Rachel began a theater group in Los Angeles after studying together at NYU. "When I moved to LA, I noticed there wasn't really a community for experimental theater. Instead of try to look for it, we decided to start our own," Brown said.

Many of the band members are also actors and it shows. "As a band we love the visual and performance aspect. Lauren is very emotive when she performs. She treats it almost like a role," Rob said. "Eventually we'd like to incorporate more of that into what we're doing creatively be it music videos, musical production or even a film. It's something that's always there, even in the clothes we wear on stage."

Newell is the initiator for the Los Angeles chapter of World Naked Bike Ride, which is an international phenomenon that is exactly what it sounds like. He's also worked on the Prop 19 campaign to legalize marijuana in California. Aside from He's My Brother, She's My Sister, he works with other musicians such as Henry Wolfe and actress Jena Malone's improvisational musical endeavor, The Shoe. In between all that he conducts personal research on modern science, alternative energy and literature.

Rob Kolar plays adult league roller hockey on the Flying Elbows.

They collectively enjoy nature and try to incorporate it into their lives on a regular basis be it through camping on the Mississippi or visiting nude beaches. It's been said that Rob Kolar loves to pose at nude beaches, while Newell is the first one with his clothes off.

All together they form a band that is youthful without naivety, filled with heart and free of pretentiousness. "We're not trying to fool anybody. We're not trying to be cool or rock and roll or whatever," Rachel Kolar said. "We're just trying to find that spot of honesty."

"I just want to be cool. I don't know about you guys," Rob Kolar said. "Why do you think it took me three hours to choose the top hat I wear on stage?






He's My Brother, She's My Sister performs every Wednesday in August at Mesa, 725 Baker St., Costa Mesa, (714) 557-6700. 10 p.m. 21+

Follow OC Weekly's music blog, Heard Mentality, on Twitter @ocweeklymusic and like us on Facebook!

- OC WEEKLY

There’s a bit of debauchery in the air. Smashing good times, a couple of eye winks, and who knows what direction the evening will go toward. Leave to a band like He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister to make debauchery look so…delightful and refreshing.

The LA-based notoriously dubbed “forward-thinking folkies” are known for their flamboyant, exuberant live performances – colorful, semi-burlesque productions that feel like a theatrical embrace of old-school folk and rustic charm that leaves audiences enchanted. The band has described its sound as circus rock, or glam-a-billy, or Vaudeville pop. All of it is quite fitting for this avante-garde outfit. And let us not leave out the tap-dancing drummer. - KUT Austin Texas

Led by brother and sister Rob and Rachel Kolar, the lineup also includes tap dancer Lauren Brown and cellist Satya Bhabha. Together, they create what they describe as a mix of folk, glam and western swing. Their live performances are full of dancing, humor, and nostalgia. Their reputation is growing as they spread their great vibes across the country.

Check out two songs from the band's EP on this edition of "World Cafe: Next." - NPR

He's My Bother, She's My Sister is comprised of--you guessed it--siblings Rachel (vocals, percussion) and Rob Kolar (vocals, guitar), joined by a colorful group of rag-tag vaudevillian musicians and performers. Upright bassist Oliver Newell sported glitter eyeshadow, grandma glasses and a lone feather earring. The soft spoken bassist brought along a worn paperback copy of Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. The petite Lauren Brown is a tap-dancing percussionist. A founding member of the band, she tap dances and drums at the same time (!) making audiences do double takes. Aaron Robinson (slide guitar) wasn't able to make it until later in the evening, but he told me that he missed their last interview too because he was asleep in the back of a van.

We sat down with them before their Wednesday night residency at the swanky Mesa in Costa Mesa. The night turned to conversations of quantum entanglement, the promiscuous mating habits of cats and the band's nude beach habits. Oh yeah, and music too.

"People like the energy and people are intrigued by the instrumentation," Rob Kolar said of the band. "At the very least, they're like, 'What's this sideshow happening on stage?"


He's My Brother, She's My Sister recently returned from several months of national touring, bringing their self-proclaimed sideshow to the likes of Northern California and the South. Playing in places like the High Sierra Music Festival with My Morning Jacket and Dr. Dog or San Francisco seem like a natural fit for the band. However, less obvious places such as Tennessee have been quite receptive to them as well.

Brown recalls her favorite show of the tour: a dive bar in Nashville with a sparse and unlikely crowd, comprised of a few unenthusiastic bikers who began the show with their arms crossed. "Then you finish the show and they end up loving it," she said.

"If you walked into that room and saw their faces, you would think these people are not having a good time," Rob Kolar said. "But the totally were. They were afraid to express it." The audience barely did more than move their shoulders and nod their head to the music. "The audience was totally sedate," Newell said, "but afterwards the bartender, the door guy, the owner came up and said, 'Nobody ever responds like that!"

"We're like, what the fuck? We're in Nashville!" Brown said.

Audiences afraid to dance to live music seemed to be a common thread throughout the tour. Rob Kolar noted that when people danced during their shows, it was such a remarkable thing that people would come up to them afterwards and say, "Wow, nobody dances in this town."

"We'd get that in every town," Rachel Kolar said--so much so that they're considering naming their forthcoming album Nobody Dances in this Town.

"It's a national epidemic!" Newell said. "It's time to bring back dancing to live music." Rachel Kolar said she is faithful that the audiences will come around eventually. "When people get more comfortable, I think they'll dance more and more. Right now we're just introducing ourselves."

"It's like the handshake before the hug," Rob Kolar added, to which Rachel Kolar added, "Or before the you know what!"

Naturally, they enjoy entertaining an audience and seeing that excitement through dancing, but it's not a requirement for them to put on a good show. "I don't like the idea of there being a demand on the audience to do anything be it be quiet or stand," Newell said. "I like the freedom. I know I play better when an audience responds a certain way, but I don't want that to be a precondition to my offering."

That understanding, undemanding philosophy can be found in the dynamics of the band as well. "In other bands I've worked with it's been really hard in that there's complaints and negativity," Rob Kolar, who also plays with Lemon Sun said. "We're really open to other things. Even the small things like where we stay. We've been camping on tours, sleeping on floors."

For example, they were robbed in San Francisco. All of their clothes, valuables, and Newell's laptop were stolen after someone broke the window of their van (though they courteously left their instruments). Rob Kolar said that Newell barely batted an eyelash about losing his possessions through the whole ordeal. "You just feed of off that. If someone's being carefree and positive and excepting it's kind of contagious," he said.

Thumbnail image for He's My Brother She's My Sister
Mary Bell/OC Weekly
Lauren Brown, Tap Dancer Extraordinaire!
?Being in a close quarters day in and day out, through the trials of robbery or the unforgiving humidity of the South, can take its toll on a group of people. Especially siblings. Rob Kolar identified the worst thing about being in a band with a sibling is, "when my sister's on her period." To that, Rachel Kolar quickly retorted that Rob has periods of his own and is one of the first ones to crack under the pressures of touring.

"The good thing and the bad thing is that we're family," Rachel Kolar said. "At the end of the day, for better or worse, we're married. What? Just kidding. No, but we're family so we're not going anywhere." Newell added, "There's an easiness to get on each other's nerves and for conflicts to arise but you're so used to that resolution can come easier."

Between tours, each band member pursues other passions, but recently, those moments of downtime at home are becoming more and more scarce. "Once were more established as a band and have a fan base, we'll have more room to delve into other ideas," Rob said.

Brown and Rachel began a theater group in Los Angeles after studying together at NYU. "When I moved to LA, I noticed there wasn't really a community for experimental theater. Instead of try to look for it, we decided to start our own," Brown said.

Many of the band members are also actors and it shows. "As a band we love the visual and performance aspect. Lauren is very emotive when she performs. She treats it almost like a role," Rob said. "Eventually we'd like to incorporate more of that into what we're doing creatively be it music videos, musical production or even a film. It's something that's always there, even in the clothes we wear on stage."

Newell is the initiator for the Los Angeles chapter of World Naked Bike Ride, which is an international phenomenon that is exactly what it sounds like. He's also worked on the Prop 19 campaign to legalize marijuana in California. Aside from He's My Brother, She's My Sister, he works with other musicians such as Henry Wolfe and actress Jena Malone's improvisational musical endeavor, The Shoe. In between all that he conducts personal research on modern science, alternative energy and literature.

Rob Kolar plays adult league roller hockey on the Flying Elbows.

They collectively enjoy nature and try to incorporate it into their lives on a regular basis be it through camping on the Mississippi or visiting nude beaches. It's been said that Rob Kolar loves to pose at nude beaches, while Newell is the first one with his clothes off.

All together they form a band that is youthful without naivety, filled with heart and free of pretentiousness. "We're not trying to fool anybody. We're not trying to be cool or rock and roll or whatever," Rachel Kolar said. "We're just trying to find that spot of honesty."

"I just want to be cool. I don't know about you guys," Rob Kolar said. "Why do you think it took me three hours to choose the top hat I wear on stage?






He's My Brother, She's My Sister performs every Wednesday in August at Mesa, 725 Baker St., Costa Mesa, (714) 557-6700. 10 p.m. 21+

Follow OC Weekly's music blog, Heard Mentality, on Twitter @ocweeklymusic and like us on Facebook!

- OC WEEKLY

Hump day can be an interminable stretch of hours with an accompanying draught of fun as you begin your descent toward the weekend. But if you had spent this past hump day at The Basement, you would have picked up enough momentum to arrive safely and psyched at Saturday morning without even noticing the two days in between.
"How'm I Gonna Get Back Home Tonight" - He's My Brother She's My Sister
Bounding onto the small stage with enormous smiles and Aussie accents, Sons of Summer started off the evening's festivities. Serenading a near-capacity crowd – there was barely even standing room – they sang of home and life on the road with the energy of youngsters and the nostalgia of old souls.

Tightly knit harmonies met bouncy rhythms at the juncture of poignant writing and creative embellishments. The immensely movable music turned a muggy night even hotter, with bodies crammed almost on top of each other and dancing around. Beneath the beat, gritty, Jakob Dylan-esque vocals mingled with the more dulcet tones of the backups for a full-spectrum lyrical folk fest.

Sons of Summer, who are currently recording their first album, discard the faux pop character of most summer music while holding fiercely to its fun and excitement. It is definitely music for blaring with the top down.

As the band walked off stage, the cheering crowd refused to sit, demanding the rare small venue encore, to the surprise of both the sound guy and the band. They quickly worked out a plan, though, and replayed a song from earlier in their set. Apparently, they had had a problem with one of the guitars and were grateful for the chance to rectify the problem, leaving their best out on the floor.

By the time bluesy crooner Trista Mabry took the stage, the crowd had cleared out a bit. But Mabry, undaunted, began her set simply, with just a guitar and a conga drum. Her voice lives somewhere between sweet and soulful, visiting both ends of the spectrum occasionally, and her guitar work is nuanced and interesting.

Despite her studded stilettos and vocal abilities, though, Mabry's stage show proved lackluster for the most part. Powerful in parts, she was able to draw a few people in from the patio for a song or two. But the overall show was short on expression – a sad situation for a quite talented singer.

The energy came flooding back, along with the crowd, for LA group He's My Brother, She's My Sister – as the sound guy put it, “It's a long name, but you'll want to remember it.” With soul-lifting swing and swagger, HMBSMS threw a raging dance party that was balm to a body only halfway through the workweek.

This kooky band from the Cali coast has a knack for finding the strangest way to do something and then making it work. The beat, driven by Lauren Brown, comes from tap dancing, a consistently brilliant piece of nuttiness that adds both intricacy and uniqueness. Brown's feet never stop moving, and her face keeps up the pace, displaying the entire gamut of human emotion in short order. Watching her play and dance is delightful.

The originality of a band that has a tap dancer as a percussionist will necessarily be pervasive, and HMBSMS let it infiltrate every aspect of their show, from top hats to neon fingernails to barefoot vocalists and slide guitars. They look and sound like a throwback folk group from the future – modern energy and music wrapped in the nostalgia of an era not yet arrived. With a Vaudeville stage show and an avant-garde sound, they are the best of both worlds.

Rob and Rachel Kolar guide the show, playing games of vocal tag and melding their voices together in the harmonies only siblings can pull off. Resonant and confident, they lead their merry band of misfits on a musical romp with a surfeit of panache and plenty of tambourine.

Pop but not plastic, folksy but not out of date, He's My Brother, She's My Sister are artisan bread from a new kind of grain, baked in the California sun and distributed to feed the masses hungry for a taste of something fresh and new, wholesome and satisfying. Eat up – you'll burn off the calories dancing. - Brite Revolution

He's My Brother, She's My Sister closed out the night, bringing every person to their feet trying to keep up with tap dancer Lauren Brown's percussion. Rob and Rachel Kolar's voices mingle like glamour in the desert. Steeped in the 1920's and the 2000's, this band makes party music for coyotes drunk on champagne. - LA WEEKLY

Sultry vocals, twanging folk guitar, booming bass drum, plucked cello, and the pitter patter of tap shoes. What does it all add up to? The vaudeville folk of He's My Brother, She's My Sister. The gang recently played a packed show at the Bootleg Theater for the release of their self titled EP and as the send off for their US tour. Appearances from friends Featherbeard, Amanda Jo Williams, Adanowsky, and Las Cafeteras rounded out the night with stellar performances from all.

If you've never been exposed to He's My Brother, She's My Sister, I think it's a fair warning so say their mojo have the power to heal the afflicted. "Tales That I Tell" has vocalist Rachel Kolar paint the laments of a lover done wrong in all of her dusty western glory, while Lauren Brown taps out the beat. Rachel's brother, guitarist Rob Kolar picks up the vocal duties on "How'm I Gunna Get Back Home" with cellist Satya Bhabha filling in the breaks. "Lazy Daze" fits somewhere nicely in the crack between 60's folk and 70's psychedelics while "Moonage Daydream" continues the down tempo theme with a hint of David Bowie's "Space Oddity". Haunting falsetto and acoustic guitar ring through regret on "The House That Isn't Mine". "Coattails" picks the pace up again with a little ditty about those people who just can't seem to achieve anything for themselves. "Wilted Rose" closes up shop with a simple, lo-fi chorus about a worthless girl's quest for love. - DELI MAGAZINE

So last night I went to Warehouse Live in Houston and saw Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeroes. Needless to say, they lived up to the hype and put on a great show. I hadn’t been to a show in quite some time and I definitely missed the atmosphere.

But, to my surprise, the opening band He’s My Brother She’s My Sister rocked my socks off. I normally don’t expect too much from most opening bands, but HMBSMS was a welcome surprise. Check them out! All I know is that this tap-dancing folksy-blues vaudeville band definitely knows how to put on a show.
- Discover The Turn Blog

For that matter, their opening act, He's My Brother She's My Sister, who are barely toddling yet in terms of their lifespan as a band with their debut EP only two weeks on the street, didn't disappoint either. True, you get instant kudos for having a cute tap dancer as a key member. Because who the hell uses a tap dancer? Lauren Brown makes up a rhythm section unlike any you're likely to find in another band, stopming and tapping away on top of a miked wooden box while guitarist-banjo player Rob Kolar and cello player Satya Bhabha paint picturesque musical backdrops straight from an old-timey Western while Kolar and his sister Rachels' distinct two-part vocals give the already spectacular songwriting they display on songs like "How'm I Going to Get Home Tonight" an even more refined sense of time and place.

Listening to their alleyway-inspired vaudeville-Western swing infusions is something like finding a rare antique in a gas station, then realizing it's been tinkered with to make it useful to modern life. From the very open, they won the crowd, and when they went into upbeat ditties like "Clackin Heels," they had them dancing along. Orpheo McCord of Ed Sharpe and the Zeros joined them onstage to do a surprising rendition of Ace of Base's "All That She Wants," which I can honestly say is the first time I've ever danced to it. Then they invited another Magnetic Zero, Nora Kirkpatrick, to lend her accordion to another couple of songs before finally closing with a sing-along to "Tales That I Tell."
- The New Times

The air about the room was full of positive energy right from the start. Opening the show was the brother-sister band creatively called He’s my Brother, She’s My Sister. Robert and Rachel Kolar gave a home-grown performance. Drumbeats came from their tap dancer, Lauren Brown, who performed on a soapbox of sorts, and really made songs such as “Coattails” and “Tales That I Tell,” come to life by imitating a chugging train. This all just added to the vibe already created of a travelling beatnik band. - ZME Music

By the end of the Las Cafeteras set, the room was packed for the anticipated performance of He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister… Brother and Sister, Robert (of Lemon Sun) & Rachel Kolar with Lauren Brown & guest drummer Orpheo McCord (of Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros) and cellist Satya Bhabha celebrated the release of the band’s new self-titled EP, and last homebase show before leaving on tour with Edward Sharpe. Their set had a great flow from begining to end, keeping everyone in the audience dancing and singing. He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister reminded me of The Mama And The Papas. What I really like about this band is Brown tap dancing, using her feet as an instrument. Hopefully a new phenomenon is starting. The crowd went wild for their amazing cover of Ace of Base’s “All That She Wants.” - LA RECORD

The band [Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros] played their show at The Ritz in Ybor City along with fellow folk band He's My Brother, She's My Sister. Both bands displayed passion and energy along with astonishing crowd interaction.
He's My Brother, She's My Sister is an unsigned folk band from Los Angeles that boasts four members: Satya Bhabha, Rachel Kolar, Robert Kolar and Lauren Brown. The band took the stage around 9 p.m. instigating a great crowd response with listeners clapping along to songs and banging on their own tambourines. - The Oracle

Los Angeles’ He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister is no ordinary folk band. They have such a great eclectic sound, that ranges from psychedelic to jazz to country to swing. Evidenced in track Tales that I tell, He’s My Brother She’s my Sister is one great sounding band. They are currently touring with Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros and for good reason. They’ve got a similar feel, and they seriously are putting out some fantastic music.

Their recently released EP, He’s My Brother She’s My Sister EP, is 7 songs that are all totally solid. The sound varies, as previously mentioned, but its something in between 60's hippy pop and western swing (does that make any sense?) The band themselves appears like they’ve stepped out of a time machine from the British mod days, and into the great american west, full of sepia tones and free love, like mod hippies, with revolvers stuck in a spaghetti western.

I could not recommend this EP more, you’ve got to hear this, you should be convinced after listening to the two posted tracks.
- Music Savage

Pics - see link below - QRO Magazine

Judging by acts like Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros and He's My Brother She's My Sister, L.A.'s music scene seems to be experiencing something of a metamorphosis, courtesy of these forward-thinking folkies forging new ground and making inroads into new auditory adventures. These bands are splicing unexpected influences, experimenting with sound, and remembering something others seem to forget: The whole point is having fun with it.

If you missed HMBSMS's show with Sharpe and the Zeros last night, where the crew turned Culture Room on its ear, you could always read about it here. But, while I are grateful for the hit, it really doesn't do it just. But you're in luck. While Alex Ebert and company are back on the road, their opening act, He's My Brother She's My Sister are sticking around for a free gig tonight at Transit, where fans will get treated to a much expanded set.

It'd make life a lot easier if I had something to compare this band to, and there's a video after the jump, to give you a feel. But then, that's part of their charm. A mix of western swing, ragtime, folk and blues with a hint of vaudeville, He's My Brother She's My Sister isn't much like anything else you've ever heard. With toe-tapping, jangling, catchy songs that broach topics tending toward the darker side, brother and sister vocal duo Rob and Rachel Kolar (Rob also plays guitar and banjo), cello player Satya Bhabha and tap dancer Lauren Brown are well on their way to really big things. In addition to their current tour with Ed Sharpe, they've already played Sundance, Manimal Vinyl, The New Los Angeles Folk Festival and the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in Europe. Oh, and don't forget their just released eponymous EP, which is leaps and bounds ahead of material a lot of much bigger, more established acts are putting out.

Crossfade recently got a chance to chat with the very fun, very charming Rob Kolar, Bhabha and Brown, as the three traversed highways into the Sunshine State. After talking to them, I'm imagining misadventures ensued along the way.

New Times: You guys have a really unique sound blending a lot of unexpected elements, like western and blues. How did it all come together?

Lauren: Rob and Rachel started the band, and they were looking for a drummer for a while, and I'd been playing with them for years, and they asked me to play a show with them with my tap shoes. So we found this slab of wood behind a dumpster, and I tapped on it, and it worked pretty well. And then we got Satya Bhabha involved to play cello.

Rob: Yeah, we tried lots of drummers, but it never sounded right. So we just used Lauren's feet.

Satya: I think that Rob and Rachel definitely like The Mamas and The Papas, and a lot of 60s folk influences. But then, with Lauren on tap, that brings a sort of different, bluesy feel to it. And so, the sound moved away from being pure folk and tapped upon these other elements as well.

Rob: This ragtime-y, alleyway kind of air.

Yeah, I don't know of too many bands who employ a full-time tap dancer.

Satya: Thank goodness. That's our slant. If you hear of any others, tell us.

It's particularly unexpected considering you're a band from LA.

Rob: Everytime we answer where we're from, people raise their eyebrows, and then frown. So I try to avoid saying we're from Los Angeles. But I'm actually quite proud to be from Los Angeles. I think it's a pretty cool town. It's come a long ways recently.

Satya: I think there's also like a folk, storytelling community on the East side, which is where a bunch of the band lives. And it really definitely feeds our sound. We often bring friends up to perform with us, and that really informs our sound as well. So even though it's not what you think of as L.A. music, I think it's pretty typical of where the music scene in L.A. is right now, because it's very much that community, sharing, people collaborating with each other on all sorts of thing.

Rob: Yeah.

Lauren: Yeah!

Satya: ...hooray!

Tell us a bit about some of the themes you guys touch on in songs like "I Was Born," "Clackin Heels" and "How'm I Gonna Get Home." It's kind of dark subject matter, given a sunny presentation.

Rob: Yeah, I think you're right on with that. We like to throw in kind of more edgy material, lyrically. And then kind of turn that into a pop song, and make it fun, that people can clap their hands and sing along to. So we like that combination of not taking things too seriously, but at the same time, them having a dark side.

Satya: Yeah, Rachel and Rob sort of write the songs together. And Rachel has always written a lot of lyrics, and is also a playwright. So I think that aspect in a literary nature of our lyrics comes from the fact that there's also that going on there. So the lyrics aren't like an afterthought to the music. It comes very organically, and I think both are very important.

Yeah, you guys are a pretty prolific group.

Satya: We try to keep ourselves busy. There's a lot going on in the band, acting and other music, and business.

Lauren: Wait, we're at a toll.

Rob: No, you don't want to go here. This is for SunPass. You don't want SunPass, you want to get a ticket.

Satya: I bet Chris has a SunPass.

I do.

Satya: I know you do. If I lived here, I'd get a really nice one. So yeah, Rachel and Lauren have a theater company and they recently did a big production in downtown L.A., on a play that Rachel wrote and both of them starred in.

Lauren: And Satya directed.

Satya: That I happened to direct. And Rob's also an actor and also has this band Lemmon Sun that he's been working with for a while, that we actually do a couple of their songs that they've been generous enough to lend them to us. And I'm an actor as well, so we all do a bunch of different stuff.

You're on tour w/ Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, which seems like a great match. How'd that come together, and how's it working out?

Rob: Well, they're from a similar part of Los Angeles, and we kind had some mutual friends and hung out. The guys that did their music videos is a good friend of ours. And we've just kind of been in the same scene.

Satya: We opened for the once in San Diego.

Lauren: Last year.

Satya: Last year. It was a really great show, and I think we left some really well placed hints that we'd love to play with them some more. And thankfully they picked up on them. It's been a real blast.

Rob: Yeah, they weren't allowed to open for themselves on this tour, so they voted who got to open, and I guess we edged out whoever was behind us. Don't know who it was.

How will your show on Wednesday at Transit differ form your show on Tuesday opening for them?

Rob: Well, one will be free, and the other will be far from free. And one show won't be including Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. The show at Transit Lounge we're going to play for along time, every song we have.

Satya: It's going to be fun. You know, it's been really fun opening for them, and it's been amazing being on the road, but also we're excited to have a night where we can relax into our own set. And the crowd's we've played so far have really been fantastic, they really ask for the music as we play, clapping and dancing and singing along. So we're looking forward to more of that.
- Miami New Times

To hell with drummers. Seriously. Who needs them when you could have an enchanting tap dancer in their place? I’m fully aware it’s been done before (Tilly and the Wall), but Lauren Brown of LA folk/swing band He’s My Brother She’s My Sister has perfected the art of tapping out a rhythm unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. It’s not just her feet that draw in your attention, her facial expressions and overall dance technique are nothing short of captivating. And the party don’t stop with her. All the brothers and sisters are equally AMAZING.

I had the great fortune of checking them out this past Saturday at Lamberts, but I was not prepared for the mesmerizing show those kids put on. I first discovered their cellist, Satya Bhabha (ya! That’s right, they have a cello!) at a wedding back in March. He nearly brought everyone to tears with his rendition of “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles. So of course, when I got word that Satya and siblings were stopping in Austin as a grand finale to their tour with Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, I decided it was a show I could not miss.

Lauren Brown taps it out. Photo by Evan Matthews of Hella Filthy.

Together, Robert, Rachel, Lauren and Satya create one of the best sounds I’ve heard in a long while. With tones rooted in soulful folk and a spirit of greats like The Mama’s & Pappa’s and Dylan, it’s impossible not to get up and dance when they’re on stage.

Photo by Evan Matthews of Hella Filthy

I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking that if two of four instruments in a band are a cello and a tap dancer, they MUST be lacking in resonance. To my surprise, those ornate notes were absolutely essential to their brilliance. Robert rocked the guitar, mic AND a bass drum; Rachel shook that tambourine and has the voice of a nightingale; Lauren danced her bum off and didn’t miss a beat, and Satya the great, constructs pure wind GENIUS! - REPUBLIC OF AUSTIN

He's My Brother, She's My Sister is a band from L.A. reminiscent of the old time acts of the past. I can imagine there were a lot more acts like them back in the day. Tap dancing, singing and bringing all sorts of good vibes to towns far and near. A talented bunch for sure. They are on tour now with Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros who are performing tonight at the Culture Room in Ft Lauderdale and tomorrow they will be performing in Miami at Transit Lounge also for a free show, so I figured now would be the perfect time to post about them and maybe peak the interest of some local Miami music lovers.

They are best seen live to truly appreciate what they do so be sure check out the video of them performing "Clackin' Heels" below. Also below is an mp3 for "Tales That I Tell" the first track from their latest self titled EP that has been cleared for posting. Download that baby and be sure to catch them if they come around your neck of the woods with Edward Sharpe. A great one two punch concert combo for sure! Here is a link to their bandcamp page if you wanna stream/buy the rest of that EP for $6.

P.S. I heard that Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros will be doing a private show tomorrow also here in Miami at Bardot. Which makes sense since He's My Brother will be in town performing at Transit. Kinda nice because Caribou is playing tonight at Grand Central so it gives us Miami people the option of seeing both shows. A win-win for Miami music lovers. Cheers to that and the amazing month of October we're having here for live music! - Off The Radar

He’s My Brother She’s My Sister is a folksy, rock-jam quintet from L.A. The band is made up of brother and sister Rob and Rachel Kolar who share vocal responsibilities; Rob also plays the guitar and sometimes the banjo. Lauren Brown is the “full body percussionist,” and a highly skilled tap dancer.Satya Bhabha is a multi instrumental musician who plays cello, bass and blues fiddle. They are known for their captivating stage presence that has the audience gettin’ down on the dance floor. Currently they are on tour with Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zero’s. - Neon American

Monday, October 11, 2010
He's My Brother, She's My Sister

[Play] He's My Brother She's My Sister - How'm I Gonna Get Back Home
[Play] He's My Brother She's My Sister - Coattails

...tunes like these make my day! He's My Brother, She's My Sister have been on the Film Festival circuit; playing Sundance, Manimal Vinyl, Karlovy Vary International and a few others, and the cellist is one of the ex's in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, odd! Anyways, these jigs feel completely appropriate considering we, A.) Rarely know how we're getting home, B.) Are complete suckers for sexy front women, and C.) Simply bust over alleyway rhythms and drunk dancing!
- Liquid Jesus

Two Sundays ago a folk band from LA celebrated their debut self-titled EP at the Bootleg Theater. Though the band has been together for almost two years and didn’t really pursue it until now, it makes sense why they wanted to wait. He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister wanted to save it all up for the big bang – a diverse and very lovable EP, and a tour with Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. And if you’ve seen the band live then you know why Edward Sharpe chose them as the opening band. HMBSMS create a fun and friendly live show through amping up the crowd to yell, snap fingers and jump, plus each individual member is extremely talented with a natural stage presence. A highlight is definitely the adorable Lauren Brown on percussion, which is her intense tap dancing on a wooden block. Siblings Robert (vocals and guitar) and Rachel Kolar (vocals, tambourine and vibraslap) plus Satya Bhabha on cello and Brown make up the group, and occasional sit-in by Edward Sharpe’s drummer Orpheo McCord . With songs “Tales That I Tell,” “Lazy Daze” and “How’m I Gonna Get Back Home,”HMBSMS has the overall package – great songwriting and an amazing stage presence.

Here is what Robert Kolar, singer and guitarist of HMBSMS, had to say about everything that’s gone down this past month.

Ash: How did opening for Edward Sharpe come about? That’s pretty exciting.

Robert: The Magnetic Zeros voted us on to the tour. They are quite a democratic bunch. I dig that about them. Word on the street is we got six votes. Not too bad.


Ash: How did everyone meet and become HMBSMS?

Robert: I met Rach[Rachel Kolar] in 1983. I held her and she screamed and threw up on me. Lauren in NY in 2001. She and my sis were housemates at NYU. We fell asleep in the same bed the first night we met. Satya showed up one day. He made us giggle. We asked him to come to Utah with us.


Ash: How did the band come up with this type of sound?

Robert: Evolutionarily by accident.


Ash: Who writes the songs in the band or is it a collaborative effort? Any theme when it comes to writing the songs?

Robert: Rach and I tend to write lyrics and melodies for singing. But it is collaborative. We are all involved in in our parts and everyone has creative contributions. There is a great creative balance in this band. I feel lucky about that.


Ash: It seems each member of the band have other projects his/her are working on whether it be film or music. How has it been juggling that and HMBSMS starting to pick up speed?

Robert: It is a juggling act indeed. But it’s worth making sacrifices for this project as the excitement has grown and so have the opportunities.


Ash: October 3 was the official release of the band’s debut EP. Tell us about a few of the songs. What do you want people to take from this record?

Robert: It’s a solid introduction to our sound. A bit of variety with a live feel and energy. I was able to feel more freedom because this band reflects a spontaneous and off the cuff kind of vibe. Two songs we just left the scratch vocal takes (“Coattails” and “The House That Isn’t Mine) and many of the vocals have no edits. We liked the idea of accepting the flaws to maintain a sense of urgency and inspiration. I find, most flaws turn into enjoyments down the line, anyhow.


Ash: What can people expect at a live show?

Robert: A good ol’ time.


Ash: What is each member’s musical background? Other bands?

Robert: I’ve been writing songs for 15 years or so. Had a punky ska sort of band in high school inspired by Operation Ivy and bands like Telegraph and Slapstick. After high school I did a folky sort of record I recorded in my bedroom called Not Quite Honest. Moved to NY and played in subways for a bit. Also, the L train and sometimes near Times Square. I helped start this band Robbers on High Street. Then moved back to LA and formed this outfit Colour, which later became Lemon Sun. And now I’m doing that band and He’s My Brother She’s My Sister. But HMBSMS covers a couple Lemon Sun tunes.


Ash: So far, what has been the best comment about your music?

Robert: Looking out and seeing the audience singing along.


Ash: What does the band want to accomplish next?


Robert: World peace. - Everyday Noise

He’s My Brother She’s My Sister just released their debut self-titled EP at the beginning of this month. Led by siblings Robert and Rachel Kolar, this L.A. based bunch produced a 6-song hit, aptly self-described as folk/glam rock/western swing. Adorned with the aesthetic of carnies circa 1900, they’ve certainly created a unique identity among indie artists. Remember Carnivale, the one-season-wonder HBO series in the early 00s? He’s My Brother She’s My Sister could’ve have been the costume designers for that show. Their eerie stage presence, century old attire, combined with band member Lauren Brown’s tap dancing upon a small wooden stage (mic’ed, for rhythmic purposes), really makes their shows a performance rather than just a concert. Beyond this, their first release parallels their aesthetic in its unique, fun, and eccentric characteristics. Check out their styles and chops Saturday, October 16th at The Ritz Ybor with Edward Sharp and The Magnetic Zero’s.

The EP opens up with “Tales That I Tell”, and immediately Rachel Kolar’s mesmerizing voice captures your ear, and you can’t help but fall in love with it. She tastefully sings of an unfaithful man but it’s not in a sad sap story, rather a retrospective tale of an empowering sort of indifference. Their talent for story telling becomes apparent in this first track, a skill that is long lost, few and far between. While the beats are straight forward, Brown’s tap adds an irreplaceable groove to this track as well as the rest.

“How’m I Gonna Get Back Home” my personal favorite, follows. It picks up the pace a bit, and Robert Kolar’s equally soothing voice is finally introduced. The lyrics continue to be as descriptive, intimate, and impressive as the first track, this time speaking of inhibitions lost with a few drinks, as well as the regrets that follow in the morning. The interlude goes, “I may regret the things I said/but I won’t let my mind fret/’cause I know everything will be all right” just before they explode back into the chorus. The siblings exchange verses, and perfectly compliment each other’s melodies. The chorus is almost indescribable in it’s beauty. It’s haunting, explosive, and the harmonies are subtle and make your heart sink into your stomach like your first crush.

“Lazy Days” is the quintessential soft song. It’s reminiscent of something you might hear from The Brian Jonestown Massacre, without the pretention. Cellist Satya Bhabha finally makes his presence more apparent, singing his cello into the climax of the song as a choral melody follows. The climax, as some other aspects of their songs, brings to mind the Mammas and the Pappas, which they put down first on their list of influences. “Moonage Daydream” follows a similar theme, and is equally moving but a little less unique. “The House That Isn’t Mine” is a creepy acoustic song with only Robert singing, Bhabha holding down the rhythm with his cello, and the soft voices of the female vocalists chanting behind it all.

The EP comes to a close with the same veracity it had at the start with “Coattails”, an energetic 12 bar blues track. It’s the perfect beer spilling, friend hugging, sing-along-party-song to bring any night to a close. He’s My Brother She’s My Sister embraces standard chord progressions and makes them their own with incredibly unique and fun lyrics and powerful on-point vocals. The Kolar’s are genuine songwriters, and the band’s talent as musicians is impossible to overlook. They’re unsigned for now, but I can’t imagine they will be for long.

Oh yeah, as a bonus there is a little 0:41 “ditty” at the very end of the EP, which you can hear when you get it. Seriously, get it and go see them, or vice versa. - Reax Music

What's so good?

The multi-faceted Los Angeles band He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister is definitely one of the more delightfully original groups I’ve come across in a long time. The band has just wrapped up their first national tour opening for Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes. They’ve also played gigs at Sundance Film Festival and The New Los Angeles Folk Festival, as well as being selected to tour Europe as the official band of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

The burlap-meets-silk vocals are split between siblings Robert and Rachel Kolar. Also part of this unique band is tap dancing percussionist Lauren Brown and cellist Satya Bhabha, whom you might recognize as #1 from the recent film Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.

The music they create is a satisfying concoction of western swing meets folk and blues rock with a dash of glam for some extra flavor. Each song on their self-titled EP tells a funny story, and as I listened along I couldn’t help but be transported to their world of costumes and sepia-colored snapshots, while creating my own mental scenarios to the rhythm of their music.

They definitely have a theatrical quality, so it’s not surprising that they enjoy involving multiple costume changes during live performances. This band has great dynamic and are exciting to watch; you can check out a recent video session they did at a house in Silver Lake known as Annakim’s Wonderland below.

There are seven songs on their EP — well, that’s if you include the last song which is only 41 seconds long. I’m partial to the first three tracks, but found all of them discretely enjoyable. The one song that I can’t stop playing is “How’m I Gonna Get Back Home Tonight.” It’s the perfect tune to dance around your bedroom to while preparing for a night out.

“Lazy Daze” is another favorite; its slow, mellow, and the hook at the end will have you singing along in no time. But be careful because it ends abruptly, and if you’re like me you’ll get caught belting out the last of the chorus on your own after the music stops.

He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister is an eclectic, somewhat odd musical enigma, however, you can bet your ass I’ll be out at their next local show. So grab your dancing shoes and your favorite dance partner, and get out to see this band when they hit your town. Thank Indie Shuffle later. - Indieshuffle

I happened across this talented and tight little Los Angeles based group called ‘He’s My Brother She’s My Sister’ on a friends Facebook page the other day (thanks Chris!). They seem to be channeling some serious ragtime retro goodness from an era that has long since passed us by. The vocal styling, upright bass and tap percussion gives this band an authentic and ghostly presence that I enjoy very much. Simply brilliant stuff. Definitely one to give a listen to while you sit back and enjoy your cool Sidecar on a hot summer eve. - Cicuitbreaks

For 45 minutes on a Monday night, He's My Brother She's My Sister, an indie quintet out of downtown L.A. - with a debut album coming soon - played a concise, confident set of ghost town-folk and blues with a vaudeville aesthetic.

Stylish brother and sister vocalist combo Robert (guitar) and Rachel Kolar led the festivities and Rachel's scratchy vocals truly shined. Flight of the Conchords' Jemaine Clement was in the audience of approximately 200 at the Bootleg Theater, which is basically a giant shed made out of plywood and cement in an otherwise dark City of Angels neighborhood.

Highlights included the haunting and swinging "Tales That I Tell," the band's closest thing to a hit, "I Was Born" - where the entire group, including drummer Felipe Ceballos, came center stage to join Robert and his banjo for a rootsy, familial sing-along - and "What Goes On," a rousing Velvet Underground cover. There was no self-indulgence and yet, they seemed to be completely indulging themselves.

The set might have been tight but attitudes were loose. They donned Eyes Wide Shut orgy masks, just because they felt like it. No encore was planned, but when the audience demanded one, Robert turned to his bandmates and said, "We can't disappoint them. Fuck that. Even if it sounds like shit."

See them before your friends do.

02.15.10 :: Bootleg Theater :: Los Angeles, CA
Clackin' Heels, Coattails, Straight Shooter, Choir, I Was Born, Tales That I Tell, What Goes On (Velvet Underground cover), Lazy Daze, House That Isn't Mine
E: How Am I Gonna Get Home - Jambase

Last week L.A. based He's My Brother She's My Sister opened up for the talented Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeroes at the Belly Up. Edward knew what he was doing when he picked this band to set the upbeat psychedelic folk tune for the night. He's My Brother She's my Sister is one great sounding, good looking pseudo family. The band looks like they stepped out of an old west sepia photo minus the rifles. The sisters of the band are donned in the finest vintage frocks. Singer Rachel Kolar belts out jazzy melodies and perfects the glamorous hippie look. Tap dancer extraodinaire Lauren Brown makes wearing a flapper dress look effortless. The brothers of the band are no less stylish, complete with big hair, suspenders, straw hats, a banjo and that "I'm a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll" vibe. Their music was pop/folky full of energy with an added twang that got the crowd moving. He's My Brother She's My Sister is full of talent and there is no doubt we will be hearing much more from them in the future.

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes didn't disappoint anyone in the sold out crowd. The tie dye wearing, crazy hair totin', folk song singin' and continuous dancing left me feeling like I want to leave everything behind and go on tour in the white school bus with them. The feeling of hippie hopefulness was overwhelming as lead singers Edward (Alex Ebert formerly of Ima Robot) and sweet sounding Jade Castrinos sang their hearts out while the other 8 band members each did their part to make every song a folky masterpiece. Edward and his gang even got everyone to sit down on the not so sanitary floor of the Belly Up (pic below) for the last song "Brother", a perfect kumbaya ending to the wonderful music celebration that night! - Urbanist

Thank Sundance and a happy coincidence for bringing Los Angeles-based band He's My Brother She's My Sister to central Europe's hippest film festival.

The foursome -- formed a couple of years ago when brother and sister Robert and Rachel Kolar decided to start performing together, adding roommate and tap dancer Lauren Brown and, more recently, British-born actor Satya Bhabha along the way -- wowed audiences at the Karlovy Vary film festival with their folksy mix of blues and jazz.

The appearance came six months after fest executive director Krystof Mucha saw them play at Sundance -- the band had driven nonstop for 12 hours from L.A. through snow and ice storms for the gig -- and he immediately invited them to play the confab.

Combining cello, guitar and a tap-dancing Lauren in lieu of a drummer, the band blends the styles of the 1930s, '70s and East L.A.'s hipster zeitgeist.

Playing nine gigs in the space of a week -- many of them at the festival's VIP central, the Grand Hotel Pupp -- they swiftly made their mark.

Robert, who also plays with Lemon Sun and has a role in Monte Hellman's "Road to Nowhere" (scripted by Variety executive editor Steven Gaydos), explains that he had split up with a girlfriend "who had always been an arch-rival of my sister" and when he invited Rachel to write some lyrics for a song about it, "Wilted Rose" -- with, according to Rachel some "humorously nasty lyrics" -- was the result.

The collaboration worked. When Rachel's friend and partner in a theater company Lauren was asked to fill in for a drummer, the distinctive sound of the band was born.

Satya, who moved to L.A. last year to pursue an acting career, brought his cello to the mix just in time for Sundance.

The cinematic link does not end there -- Robert and Rachel are grandchildren of late actor Robert Shaw.

And proving there's more to a film festival than just celluloid, Karlovy Vary topper Jiri Bartoska could be seen dancing the nights away to music from this filial group.

Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com.


Read more: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118021868.html?categoryid=16&cs=1#ixzz0yWRPRyh3
Visit Variety.com to become a Variety subscriber. - Variety Magazine

He’s My Brother She’s My Sister is like a time warp to the golden present, wrapping nostalgia around the here and now with throwback flair and good taste. They make debauchery and estrangement so glamorous. The songs are as catchy as a radio pop jam, but throw off the trappings of plastic pop and wrap you in fur, folk, and the last drops of moonlight. The band introduced a cellist at Bootleg Theater, and pretty much stole the show from residency hosts Red Arrow Messenger (who had a good Beck cover and gave out cookies). The people danced. Between Lauren Brown’s tap and Rachel Kolar’s jazzy drawl, we’ve got a strong feminine element that’s been there, done that, and knows how to bat an eyelash. Standing up at his drums, Pipe Ceballos flings his head around like a caveman calling forth women from all corners of the earth, as Rob Kolar keeps the guitar sound warm and feisty. - LA RECORD