It’s no real surprise that the Chapin Sisters—Abigail and Lily—ended up playing music professionally. They come from a impressive family of musicians, including their father (Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Tom Chapin), uncle (late singer/songwriter Harry “Cat’s In The Cradle” Chapin) and grandfather (late jazz drummer Jim Chapin). In 2008, Abigail and Lily, along with half-sister Jessica Craven (daughter of horror director Wes Craven), released their debut, Lake Bottom LP, which came on the heels of the success the trio garnered with their cover of Britney Spears’ “Toxic.” Late last year, Craven left the band to care for her newborn daughter, so Abigail and Lily continued on as a duo, touring this summer as members of She & Him and, more importantly, recording their second Chapin Sisters album. Two (Lake Bottom) was cut at a family farm in New Jersey by Abigail and Lily with co-producers Jesse Lee (Gang Gang Dance) and Louie Stephens (Rooney), and it adds layers of electric guitars, keyboards, percussion and more to the duo’s patented acoustic, vocal-harmony-driven sound. The duo is currently in the middle of a U.S. tour supporting Two. The Chapin Sisters will also be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our Q&A with them.
Lily: This movie, directed by Jaques Demy and starring Catherine Deneuve, is so beautiful and strange. I saw it for the first time when I was a kid when my friend Emily was visiting from London, and I’ve probably seen it a dozen times since. It is a musical movie—a world where people only know how to sing, not talk, like birds with clothes on. In fact, all of the dialogue is sung. “I Will Wait For You,” the musical’s main theme, is heartbreakingly sweet and will stay in your head long after the film is over, especially when sung by the sweet, young Deneuve, who is at her most fresh and lovely. Candy-colored umbrellas, color so bright and dense as if painted onto the screen, super saturated and bright and hypnotic visuals alone make this movie symphonic. Most of it is set in the most adorable French umbrella shop you’ve ever seen. The colors are almost a character unto themselves.
Video after the jump.
