TWIN is focused around Dave Fort (Absent Sound) and he’s really prepared to give you the best and worst news as if you’ve never heard it before. He’s spouting off hard truths like on the back half of “Prairie Loon”—like, “Well some friends are gonna die / Some are gonna take their own life / There’ll be no reasons why / And, boy, you’re gonna cry.” The first two songs and the last song, strongly focused on death, are fleshed out with strings and back-up vocals and it makes for a pretty emotional listen—although they’re words of comfort rather than naysaying. Meanwhile, on the other end of the life spectrum, “Fine Clothing” is definitely the album’s cheeriest, urging you to “Sing all of those old songs / Those one your granddaddy used to love.” Given Fort’s electric background, these songs aren’t ripping off traditional folk ballads but instead are thoughtful, spacey progressions backed by all the usual folk instruments which are played by musicians from the community (David Dobbs of Vampires and Ingrid Gatin to name a couple) and other friends who have since become the rest of TWIN. For the moment, the five-song EP stands alone in Winnipeg—Sharing Secrets with Strangers is much more sinister than any other folk being made, and it’s much more heartfelt than any indie rock. (Independent, www.myspace.com/twintwa) Taylor Burgess
Winnipeg music & culture since 1989