Sisters Of Sheynville @ NXNE

BACKGROUND/COMPOSITION: Remember that swing dancing craze that had urban hipsters learning the lindy hop? Well, it ain't got nothing on "swing-klez," the brand of music performed by this all-female sextet that harkens back to the Yiddish swing era of the '30s and '40s. That's not all the Sisters of Sheynville are about, though: they also fuse healthy doses of blues, jazz and even country.

Grade: 88

Comment: Sisters of Sheynville could almost be written off as a novelty act if not for the fact that there are some serious musical chops lurking behind the cheesy stage banter. They were definitely one of the most fun and unexpected additions to NXNE, and a pleasant break from the 5,430 indie rock bands.

Achievement of Rock 'n' Roll Expectations
80-100: Exceeds skill and knowledge expectations, i.e. rocked us so hard we peed our pants.
70-79: Achieves required skills and knowledge. Meets rock 'n' roll standard.
60-69: Demonstrates some skills. Approaches rock 'n' roll standard.
50-59: Demonstrates some required skills and knowledge in a limited way.
00-50: Has not demonstrated required skills or knowledge.

Learning Skills: E=Excellent, G=Good, S=Satisfactory, N=Sad Really

Oral And Visual Communication
Eye Contact: E
Pronunciation: E
Stage Presence: E
Stage Banter: E
Image: E
Appearance: E
Use Of Stage: E

Strengths/Weaknesses/NextStep:
Lenka Lichtenberg and Isabel Fryszberg did a great job as co-frontwomen, singing and dancing up at the front and delivering lyrics in both English and Yiddish. The pair even donned cowboy hats during a klezified rendition of the old Johnny Mercer song "I'm an Old Cow Hand From The Rio Grande." Keyboardist Fern Lindzon frequently added her voice to the mix as well for some great three-part harmonies, and there was evidence of great chemistry between all six women. 

Musical Analysis
Level Of Participation: E
Problem Solving: E
Teamwork: E
Work Habits: E
Organization: E
Audience Participation: E
Sound: E
Composition: E
Songs: E

Strengths/Weaknesses/NextStep:
You don't need to be familiar with the idiosyncrasies of Jewish culture to appreciate the Sisters of Sheynville, but it certainly doesn't hurt. At best you'll chuckle at the references to kishke, Purim and generous smatterings of Yiddish that permeate the music. At worst you'll still be able to stand back and shake your head at the sheer spectacle of six chicks rocking out to klezmer music. And the world needs more female upright bass players — it's super sexy.

Other Skills And Areas Of Interest
Charisma: E
Problem Solving: G
Teamwork: E
Sexiness: E
Haircut: E
Indie Rock Footwear: E
Nods To Disposible Fashion: E
Cool Equipment: E
Level Of Inebriation: S
Actual Ability: E

Strengths/Weaknesses/NextStep:
The Sisters are a riot on stage, but proved curiously standoffish afterwards. We had to ask three of them before someone would get around to selling us a CD.