To prepare for their debut album, Drink Champagne (released this week), Andrew Vait and Emily Westmanâalso known as Sistersâput together an âexhaustiveâ playlist of their favorite songs, made a mental Venn diagram of where they overlap, and sculpted the sound of the album, which includes telltale traces of the Beatles, Jim James, Motown, '80s synth pop, Talking Heads, St. Vincent, the new Solange album, and Chance the Rapper. Honing what they call their âtogether sound," is a process of constant sonic compromise.
âWe're kind of opposing forces,â says Vait. âI have a tendency toward cliche, and Emily has a tendency towards avant-garde. SoâŠâ
ââŠthe middle of the road for us is nice, easy popâstill complex, but not, like, extreme in any direction,â says Westman, completing the thought (they do this a lot).
Vait and Westman formed Sisters in 2014, though their lives had intersected before that: they met when they were both at the University of Miami's Frost School of Music, and later both played for the Seattle Rock Orchestra after moving out west. They finally âdiscoveredâ each other and decided to play music together after Andrewâs wife suggested they meet up for coffee.
âIt wasn't like Les Miz,â says Vait.
âOr like the dance scene in West Side Story.â Westman adds.
âIt was more like a mockumentaryâŠâ says Vait.
Since then, itâs been a whirlwind of fun times for the duo, after releasing the Diamonds of Gold EP, touring, and playing local shows with a single-minded intention. Their only goal, they say, is to make you feel good. But is it okay to feel good right now, considering various factors?
âWe can come at this with anger, and we should come at this with anger,â says Vait, âbut there's a certain amount of self-care that's necessary in order to give something to any situation, whether it be relationships, or activism, or creativity.â
âAnd nothing is more upsetting to someone whoâs trying to oppress you than being in their face, having a good time, and showing love.â adds Westman. âWe're resisting with joy. Naked, in our backyard, and it's sunny all the time.â
Though the band has two sold-out record release shows at Sole Repair Shop (last night and tonight), they say theyâre more excited about the recently-organized Bake Sale to benefit the ACLU (with Tilson XOXO, Spirit Award, and other guests) at the Fred Wildlife Refuge on Saturday.
âNow, all of a sudden,â says Vait, âit feels like that's the only show that matters.â
âI think itâs powerful just being able to feel like we can do something right now,â adds Westman, âeven if we're just doing the thing we love, music. It doesn't feel frivolous when you're able to apply it in a certain way.â