He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister consists, in fact, of a brother, a sister, a friend, a landlord and a girlfriend. What started out as a casual duo has blossomed into a buzz-garnering, hipster-folk band, self-described as “glam-a-billy.” There are a few familiar faces—Rob Kolar’s other band, Lemon Sun, has been fairly successful, and he’s had the odd movie bit part—such as “American Hippie” in a 2003 Irish movie staring Andrea Corr (of The Corrs), The Boy & Girl from County Clare. The guitarist and the bass player, Aaron Robinson and Oliver Newell respectively, have also been around the music scene for a while. Rachel and Lauren, however, come from a more theater-rooted background. This mesh of performing and musical arts is evident in the band’s aesthetic and performance style. Lauren plays the drums with all four of her limbs—”like an Octopus drumming,” says Rachel.
He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister have only released one EP thus far, but they have a full-length album coming out in the summer and are set to play a free concert at the World Trade Center in July, part of a two-day blues festival headlined by Neko Case and Buddy Guy.