Heathers

Heathers' Here, Not There. isn't so addicting because it breaks a bit from the Plan-It-X mold, but rather because the Dublin-based twin sisters sound like early Tegan and Sara but with the songwriting talents that came later on for the Canadian sibs.

And yeah, the fact that they're twin sisters isn't the only reason for the comparison -- the voices of 18-year-old sisters Louise and Ellie Macnamara definitely have the resemblance going on in their singing, too. But where they manage to stand out is the fact that they're more stooped in traditional Irish folk than modern indie pop with nothing more than their absolutely gorgeous voices and an acoustic guitar; the sincerity and confidence they exude is unlike anyone who they remotely sound like, with spot-on harmonizing, pitch-perfect melodies and plenty of involuntary sing-along moments.

The only thing that quite hurts Here, Not There. is its imbalance. "Remember When" and "Margie" pretty much blow away the rest of the album and leave you waiting for Heathers to match 'em. That doesn't really happen, but the disc manages to retain a fluid consistency and compellingness, from the high notes hit on "What's Your Damage?" to the pinpoint rambling on "Bloodpact"; the songs only clock in around two to three minutes apiece, anyway, so it's not like they have much time to lose you.

Nonetheless, Here, Not There. is an occasionally stunning and seriously adorable release that deserves as much notice as some of the bigger PIX names that have gained notoriety in recent times.

STREAM
Remember When
Fire Ants
What's Your Damage?