I must have some sort of twin radar in my mind. I always pick up random people from the crowd who, as I find out later, have a twin brother or sister or have twins in their closest family. It’s really weird, but also fasticating and cool. Being a twin myself, I seem to gravitate towards other twins automatically. It’s like being on autopilot or being drawn towards beings similar to myself. And recently, all bells and whistles on my twin radar went crazy, when I stumbled across a Manchester based band called Two Of The Same. I should have known from the beginning as their name is pretty much obvious but it took me a while to figure things out. Yes, Two Of The Same comprises identical twin sisters Harriette and Charlotte Robinson. Make sure you remember their names as they are absolutely and utterly brilliant.
Single cover, picture by Harriette Robinson
If you haven’t heard about them yet, don’t worry. The sister duo has only two singles to their names: “Evergreen” released in April 2023 and “Dancing On A Landline” that came out on December 10th last year. I only discovered them about two weeks ago, so even I am late to the party. The girls are also excusivelly active on Instagram and TikTok, both platforms predominately prefered by younger audiences which also limits their reach into mature listeners.
My opinion may not be the most popular one, but I much prefer that young bands are playing for younger audiences. There is nothing wrong with older people enjoying new and unsigned acts, but as a female in the industry I know how often old men completely dominate the young bands’ gigs and it’s a horrible experience. At least playing for their peers, the kids can have fun and create safe and inclusive places for themselves. This is vital at the beginning of their careers.
“Dancing On A Landline” will definitely appeal to younger musical tastes. The single is a melodic, 3 minute pop rock composition with soft harmonious vocals and uber radio friendliness. If I had to take a gamble and think of their influences, I’d say that Two of The Same are inspired by Taylor Swift, Alvvwys, Wolf Alice and others. Those are not indie artists, but indie lovers should really give them a listen. I have seen some videos from their shows and the girls can play guitars and perform with a backing band that is loud and very grungy. And if one really combs through their social media posts, they might find the girls are actually fond of early (!!) Alice In Chains and some Type O Negative. I’m seriously sold. A Seattlelite who grew up in the 90’s and is very fond of uncle Pete, doesnt need any more recommendation. Did I ever mention to anybody that my high school friends used to give Peter Steele roses before TON gigs? No? Damn, good times, this literal type RH O negative Gen X’er just got very sentimental.
But back to the topic at hand. Two of The Same are a pop band with clear love for the type of music that in my day was very experimental, opinionated, hard to deal with and sarcastic AF. Those are very solid foundations. The girls may sound like Appalachian trail version of Taylor Swift but they have wide musical horizons (from Inhaler, to jazz, pop, soul and local Manchester unsigned groups) and are not afraid to play with genres and sounds. “Evergreen” is slow, melancholic, soulful folk/bluegrass concoction and “Dancing On A Landine” is going into 90’s pop rock territory aka Better Than Ezra. I was listening to the song for hours on repeat last night, and seriously, and it has a beautiful Kevin Griffin vibe to it. Just listen to the chorus at one 01:18 minute mark and you will hear something similar to “At The Stars” and “Desperately Wanting”. I have never heard any other British band that could write like that. I don’t know how old the girls are but they must be in their late teens! Ladies and gents, that’s real talent to be able to compose like that at such a young age.
Harriette and Charlotte photographed by Tom Barker
What I absolutely love about “Dancing On A Landline” is that this song radiates pure joy. Maybe it’s because they are young and hopeful and are having fun with their friends, but I think it’s also down to them truly adoring what they do. It shows and it’s contagious. This track will put a big smile on your face and lift your spirits. They are not reinventing the wheel, but the girls don’t have to come up with a brand new genre to impress anybody. They can sing about everyday things and you will be drawn into their world in an instant.
Two of The Same are still developing their musical identity and maybe a year or two down the line, they will change their direction and sound utterly different. At this moment though, they play a type of music that really is not appreciated in the UK, especially around Manchester that is still stuck in the vapours of a Brit pop nostalgia. That really worries me a bit. Harriette and Charlotte would do very well in America but I hope their music will be equally valued here.
They truly deserve to have a huge following. Hey major labels, instead of creating artificial brands, invest in the talent that is already here. Two Of The Same could be big, big stars like tomorrow, just with a little support from you.
Follow Two Of The Same online:
https://www.instagram.com/two.ofthesame/
https://www.tiktok.com/@two.of.the.same
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5AH820JlmasyqE4zDqmZJw
Rita Dabrowicz
Indieterria 