Identical twins Chandra and Leigh Watson have developed a style of sweet, soulful indie-folk that does more than nod to alt-country influences. Their Southern charm, close-knit harmonies and high-profile collaborations with Rilo Kiley's Jenny Lewis have helped make the duo a hit in the L.A. folk scene and beyond.
After relocating from their native Kentucky to the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles in 1997, the twins joined blues-rock act Slydell as backup singers and began to collaborate with other musicians, including Lewis. In preparation for their fifth release as The Watson Twins, Talking to You, Talking to Me, the twins retreated to a cabin in the Sierra Nevadas with producers Russell Pollard and J. Soda. Purposefully cutting themselves off from phones, television and any music other than their own, they spent several days sketching out ideas for their new record with a drum kit and a handful of guitars. The songs that emerged from this self-imposed seclusion draw from a broader pool of influences than their previous efforts, pulling in elements of R&B, bossa nova and classic soul. The Watsons play songs from their new album in this World Cafe session.
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