The contours of the relationship between Ceci Sturman and Hannah Pruzinsky, who make up two-thirds of the New York band trio Sister. along with James Chrisman, move beyond that of a more standard-issue indie rock band. To start, there is the fact that the two artists lived together for one year short of a decade. Then there is the additional fact they collaborate on GUNK, a New York-based zine and show listings resource that has done an excellent job of filling the big sneakers left by the legendary Brooklyn publication Showpaper.
The depth of this relationship forms a conceptual basis for the band’s new record, Two Birds, which was recorded and mixed by Chrisman and co-produced by all three all along with Felix Walworth, also known as Told Slant. This is an intimate record that uses the languages of indie and folk to explore dynamics that can be hard to articulate outside of the realm of music. I sent some over to Sturman and Pruzinsky, the latter of whom also makes music under the name h.pruz. Read the interview, and listen to Two Birds, below.
You’ve said that your new record is centered around your relationship. How did you two meet?
Ceci: It’s true. We met on Facebook actually, we were both in the “St John’s class of 2018 Dorming” group and I was scrolling through people and I messaged Hannah, “Hey, you seem normal.” We messaged every day our senior years of high school (Me: Virginia; Hannah: Pennsylvania) and sort of convinced each other to go to St. John’s out of the other schools we were both accepted at and become roommates. Then we did that through college and for five years after.
As your relationship as people has developed, have your songwriting and musical sensibilities developed alongside that?
Ceci: Definitely. I think as we were starting to do music together, we were really just figuring out our unique styles and voices for the first time. I used to think of it more as a collage, where we each would bring in different ideas and see how they could work together. When I listen to our old songs I can notice when they took on individual authorship through choices that are a bit abrupt/distinct; it was honestly so cool and beautiful to see how two growing styles worked and grew together. But now we write so much more together from start to finish, and I think we have just learned each other's instincts so much that we lean into that, we start to mesh them together even. Sometimes now I don’t know where Hannah stops and where I start.
Hannah: In a similar way to what I imagine it is like to grow up with an actual sister, I've felt a lot of those relational shifts with Ceci that have trickled into our creative lives. There were times where we were incredibly dependent on the other in order to even fathom singing or performing live (I remember a time where Ceci wouldn't even want to sing the songs she would write, and instead would have me do it), to points where distinction between the two of us felt necessary and important. It felt like a rebellious moment in our relationship where I was like a moody teenager and really needed space. It's cool to see that through to this point in time where it feels easy and important to write and play and sing and create together, again.
Nine years is a long time to live together. Are there any roommate routines from that time period that you continue to miss?
Ceci: I miss coming back from whatever outing and getting bodega mozzarella sticks and plain seltzer, watching lots of reality tv together, I miss how easy it was to just go into the other room and stumble upon creating something together—in music, writing, cooking, etc.
Hannah: I almost forgot about the bodega mozzarella sticks. That was essential. I miss Ceci asking me to massage her back at least twice a week. I miss the sound of Ceci's footsteps around the house. I miss when Ceci would make popcorn on the stove. There was one time you drew me a bath after a really hard day. Yeah, Ceci's a really great roommate.
How did the video for “Two Birds” come together?
Hannah: The video really came from the photoshoot we had done for the album artwork with our friends Alexa Penn (our creative director for this album) and Sarah Blesener (the photographer that day). Alexa had this grand idea to go from the Chinatown mall to the Rockaway ferry to the Rockaways on one of the coldest days of the year in these beautiful elaborate outfits. It became just a day of us exploring and living out another dimension of the sonic world of the record. Alexa shot some b-roll footage on my video camera while we were out, and I edited the footage later on.
You both run GUNK, a DIY show listing zine, together. What prompted you to start it? Were you at all inspired by Todd P’s old Showpaper publication?
Hannah: We absolutely were inspired by the old Showpaper. I had heard about Showpaper for most of my relationship with my partner Felix (Walworth) who lived in one of the iterations of Silent Barn and was a huge fan of Showpaper. Over the years I'd just keep hearing about how cool Showpaper was and a lot of people wishing that it still existed. I was getting my haircut the summer before we started GUNK and remember thinking during the nice shampoo massage part that maybe Ceci and I should try to just start something similar to fill that void. We wanted to include writing as that's something pretty central to our own relationship (we both worked at our University's writing center), and GUNK slowly became what it is today.
What are some of your favorite New York venues since the pandemic? Can be more solid rooms or even just a house that did, like, two gigs two years ago.
Ceci: LSD, the Secret Riso Club basement. :)
Hannah: Winston's living room, backyard shows in Bed-Stuy (there have been a few), 123.
Continuing on the New York City tip: Who is an underrated NYC band that people are sleeping on?
Ceci: Hard question because there are so many incredible musicians that I am probably sleeping on too. I’d say Adelyn Strei, Alice Does Computer Music, Alena Spanger.
Hannah: Gotta second all of Ceci's picks. Aaaaand: Matt Bachmann, Reaches, Kitba, Nara's Room, Iceblink.
What's the best and worst part about being in a band with a best friend?
Ceci: I think the best part is that it just feels like we’re almost always on the exact same page. Also having a built in emotional support so that when we’re on tour or something, it never feels like free falling. And having someone anticipate and be aligned in food and coffee preferences. : )
The worst part is probably not being able to hide annoyances and preferences, it sort of removes the polite good-sported qualities that are important to have with your friends and bandmates, I really do feel like we’re siblings in that way.
Haannah: Best: Feeling like I always have someone I can go to if I am overthinking or spiraling or just having an off day when we are performing or on the road. They know exactly how to talk me down and reel me back into reality. I don't feel like I have to hide those moments which feels incredibly freeing.
Worst: We are really good at bickering and fighting. Maybe that's also a plus, because we are incredibly good at conflict resolution at this point in our relationship. But a sibling dynamic is absolutely something we grapple with.
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