The Johnson Twins are lead by identical twins Patrick and Sam Johnson. The brothers both attended Perpich Center for Arts Education and share vocal duties. Pat plays violin, while Sam handles bass and accordion. They are frequently joined on stage by Sara Horishnyk on drums and Joe Reeves on banjo and keys.
After seeing Pat perform in Josh Von Mink's back-up band at a DEMO show in early '09, I booked the nascent act, without having heard them, to play an Acadia gig I was putting together a few months later. I was delightfully blown away by the duo's interweaving vocal harmonies, somewhat unconventional instrumentation, and gripping, contemplative lyrics.
So it was an absolute pleasure to hear / see the The Johnson Twins again (with a full backing band) at the last Driftless Showcase at Acadia on May 21st. The group has made a minor splash in the local music community, winning a battle of the bands at the Hat Trick Lounge and regularly performing at hot spots like the Kitty Cat Klub and the 501 / 331 clubs. And now just recently, they've just released their debut recording: Mississippi Monster.
At eight tracks and 30 minutes in length, the recording successfully translates the heavy emotional power of the band's live show. The opening track Incendiary Times provides a balanced introduction to their style. I like to describe their sound as the bastard child of Iron & Wine and Simon & Garfunkel, but the earnestness in their lyrics and the somber, yet driving mix of fiddle and bass give the act a style that is uniquely theirs.
Predictably, the stand out tracks in their live show are the ones that grab your attention on Mississippi Monster. If Insane has Pat crooning a quirky, scat-inspired melody in between the line "If insane I'd like to make this disclaimer about the state of my mind." My favorite track, Babe, features a bad-ass angular bass line repeating underneath scores of stomach-swirling fiddle screaching. And the melancholy Hard Luck Town builds to a captivating ending where the music cuts out and the twins continue to sing the chorus in perfect, spot-on harmony.
Singing is sometimes described as "baring one's soul" and the (biologic) compatibility of the Johnson Twins voices (and vision?) makes this particular axiom especially ring true. Be a witness and check out the video below of If Insane, performed at the Kitty Cat in Sept '09.
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