The Rogers Sisters

Chord Magazine - Invisible Deck Review - 04/24/06

THE ROGERS SISTERS
The Invisible Deck [Too Pure]
[Fans of Sonic Youth, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Deerhoof take note.]

The Rogers Sisters put rock through the grinder, rhythmically pounding on it until it’s little but dirt and muck. The sound of the destruction rides Miyuki Furtado’s often-fuzzy bass, which inhabits the spot where anchor, groove, and chaos intersect. Laura Rogers drums aggressively, turning her dance-band influences and 4/4 delivery into something more manic, elevating the trio’s dark enthusiasm. Her sister Jennifer doesn’t eschew guitar hooks, but she’s at her finest when mashing her sound. The end effect has its roots in late-’80s/early-’90s Sonic Youth, but with its own contemporary and idiosyncratic twists. The Rogers Sisters come from the tradition that believes rock ‘n’ roll lives in dank, underground clubs, and even lighter moments, like the early-Who riffing of “Money Matters,” end up in frantic strums or tight enclosures. With the step from art-punk to garage-rock always available, the Sisters turn the other way and challenge themselves with closer “Sooner or Later,” a lengthy atmospheric that brings the trio’s aesthetic to its fullest (although not most successful) stretch. While the more concise numbers have a harder punch, this one best exemplifies the movement of a band trying to be both brutal rock and dramatic art at once.

-Justin Cober-Lake

Chord Magazine