Music, Print, Reviews June 8, 2022

Album Review: Companion – Second Day of Spring

by Valerie Vampola

Fort Collins based identical twin sisters Sophia and Jo Babb, otherwise known as Companion, release their debut folk/americana album Second Day of Spring with vocal harmonies that match as perfectly as their DNA.

They find creative ways to use their voices throughout, as in “Arms Length,” where supporting sprinkles of “ahh” in the chorus play the role of a string quartet. Their unisons are striking, which they show off in “23rd Street,” the balance between their voices and the carefully constructed harmonies giving the illusion that they are coming from the same person.

Companion is Fort Collins-based twin-sister folk singers Sophia and Jo Babb. They open for Andrew Bird on June 24 at New Belgium. All photos by Francesca-McConnell

Sophia and Jo’s voices are meditative and soothing, and the music follows suit. The finger picking patterns and occasional piano or string accompaniment compliments the intentionally calming atmosphere. But beyond the ambience, the sisters express their thoughts and emotions as they process the trauma of their father taking his own life while suffering from Parkinson’s disease, as well as their own feelings of isolation brought on by the pandemic. “Forfeit” addresses allowing someone to feel vulnerable in their presence, something they long to feel for themselves in imagery-driven phrases like “the power lines above us weave a humming chorus” or “laying on your carpet waiting for a forfeit … victory is your laughter.”

https://youtu.be/1BRLDlJQv8U

The music is pretty, evoking deeper emotions when in the right mood, though it might achieve deeper resonance more effectively if the ideas were to climax more. We get glimpses of some build and release in “If I Were a Ghost” with added layers of instrumentation stacking up throughout the song, but with vocals as their driving force, their creativity and access to their emotional inspirations will be their most valuable asset in the future.

Second Day Of Spring is out now. Catch Companion on a western US tour with Tori Amos until June 17 and in Fort Collins supporting Andrew Bird on June 24 at New Belgium Brewing Company. More at companionband.com