He’s My Brother She’s My Sister: Nobody Dances in This Town

Park the Van

The sibling quintet vindicates the buzz kicked up by 2010’s self-titled EP with Nobody Dances in This Town. The group hops styles like hobos do freight trains, crisscrossing a rootsy ’60s vibe with the lively nonchalance of Squirrel Nut Zippers caught in a time warp. Rachel Kolar’s smoky skulk and brother Robert’s wheedling vocals match like lifelong grifters completing each other’s con. The album ranges from a lively Buffalo Springfield-style stomp in “Let’s Go” to the languid cosmic country of “Wake Your Heart,” blues-psych jam “Touch the Lightning,” and the spooky murder ballad “Choir of the Dead.” Best of all is garage rave-up “Electric Love” where Robert channels X’s John Doe. There’s a tap-dancing drummer, too, making this a fine beginning that reeks of promise. (4 out of 5 stars)