Their band, "22 Brides," is more than just two singers strumming folk music - they recently added to their family, taking on guitarist/bassist John Skehen and drummer Ned Stoh. "It's a harder sound now [with John and Ned]," says Ray McKenzie, president of Zero Hour, the Brides' own record company. "They feel they were being shortchanged as singer/songwriter folk singers and sisters. They don't want to be thought of as the Indigo Girls, because they're not."
Indeed, the Brides have improved their sound with the addition of "the 22 Grooms," performing together tonight in Riley Commons. While their first self-titled CD used studio musicians, their next release, "Beaker," will be a little less "mainstream."
The songs on the new album, which they'll no doubt be trying out on their WPI audience, are "more personal" than the painful and intense stories told on the debut album. Carrie is quick to point out that she and her sister aren't "the jolliest of lyricists" to begin with, but the newer tracks, due for release September 19, get their inspiration from the relationships the duo built with their new band members during their time on the road last year.
One song, "City of Brides," was inspired by an impoverished city in India where poor and desperate parents sell their daughters to rich, foreign men. "Good-bye, pretty baby dressed in white / we're going to send you off into the world tonight / thirteen angel's years for a man who pays / stop that cryin' now it's your wedding night / in the city of brides..." Despite the difficult subject matter, listeners find themselves singing along.
The track on "22 Brides" that stands out most, however, is "King for the Day," the story of a serial killer told in his own words, including the last ones his female victims hear before they die: "Oh, my pretty young thing, / I'll take you someplace you've never been / a lonely woods where I call the shots / 'cause I'm king for the day..." "We didn't write it to glorify a killer," says Carrie of the creepy lyrics, "but to tell a story. It's a rather horrifying journey." Again, listeners can't help but sing along, most not even aware of what they're singing, but the haunting melody draws them in.
After a successful self-titled album, some groups find it difficult to name their sophomore release, but the Brides had no problem. "Beaker" is named after Skehen's cat, but the titles also refers to "science experiments you mix stuff up in, and one thing we really like about the record is that we did a lot of different stuff, harder stuff for us," according to bassist, keyboardist, and vocalist Libby. "We didn't use harmonies the same way throughout every track; and [more importantly] - we had fun. The themes are serious, but we don't take ourselves seriously."
Because of their new, harder sound, "22 Brides" won't be a run-of-the-mill-sarcastic-folk-singers-do-it-better-type-show. In fact, the biggest difference will undoubtedly be the volume of the show - they don't have too many soft-yet-bitter love songs in their repertoire. Then again, the Brides aren't your run-of-the-mill folk duo - and they definitely aren't the Indigo Girls.
"22 Brides" will appear tonight at 8:00 p.m. in Riley Commons. Doors open at 6:00 p.m., with free coffee, tea, and pastries served, as well as games to play and tables on which you can draw. Admission is $1 for WPI students, $3 for Consortium students, $1 off with a mug. Sponsored by the WPI Social Committee. For more information, call 831-5509 or email soccomm@wpi.edu.
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