(Twin) Brother’s gonna work it out

By Laura Davis

Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009 | 4:04 p.m.

Don’t be fooled by Twin Brother’s name. One show into its existence, the experimental indie band has already proven it has no doppleganger in the local music scene.

Friday night at the Gypsy Den, the six self-proclaimed “computer nerds” spent close to an hour setting up their elaborate stockpile of equipment, then used it to create complex, psychedelic-pop creations reminiscent of Animal Collective, blended with some of the abrasiveness of Cursive circa The Ugly Organ. With frontman Adam Grill on the mic, the vocals brought to mind Grizzly Bear; when guitarist Sonny Saipale sang, Jim Morrison comparisons seemed more appropriate.

Bassist Niko Saipale credits the smorgasbord of sounds to the various members’ diverse tastes. “That’s what’s unique,” he says. “Everybody’s influenced by different bands. We all bring something new to the table.”

The First Friday crowd appeared to appreciate that freshness, cheering on the infant group as it held its own amongst local heavy hitters like Halloween Town and The Lazystars. Twin Brother’s first song wobbled slightly, but by the end of the set, the band tightened up and sounded more mature than might be expected for a debut performance. Then again, none of the band’s members (guitarist/keyboardist Dillon Shine, keyboardist Dave Zand and drummer Brian Scanland round out the lineup) are totally new to the game, having played in such local acts as America Yeah, Waxwall Afterglow and Caravels—of which Shine is still a member.

If Friday night’s performance is an indicator of Twin Brother’s career to come, expect good things. Niko Saipale predicts a long run for the sextet, which shares more than musical harmony. “We have really strong relationships with each other,” he says. “[The music] is a reflection of that.”