Despite their bland name, you gotta respect the band The Kin: Here are two brothers, born in Sydney and based in New York, who -- without the help of a record label -- have opened for big acts like Bon Jovi and Men At Work, and played one sold-out show after another (including one last February at Bowery Ballroom where Shakira celebrated her birthday). They’ve also self-produced and self-released four albums, sold over 7,500 units, and amassed a small army of fashionable fans from Tokyo to Toronto. And to be fair, they weren’t always called The Kin. They started out as The Harlequin, a far more interesting name that was shortened because that’s what Aussies do to words.

Their music is impressive, too. Comprised of blonde, shaggy-haired brothers Isaac and Thorry Koren (who take turns singing, in addition to playing the piano and guitar, respectively); a Texan named Ben on bass; and Pat, a kid from Kansas on drums, The Kin makes music meant for cross-country road-trips. Their albums are full of big, flowing, occasionally tortured but ultimately feel-good songs with inspirational titles like “Arise,”  “See,” and “Go.” 

Click above to watch QuickTime Movie of The Kin's "Go" (4.19 MB)

If Jeff Buckley and Chris Martin ever sang duets of U2 tunes, they’d have sounded a lot like The Kin. Not surprisingly, they count Coldplay, Buckley, and U2 as influences, as well as Pink Floyd, Crowded House, and Frank Sinatra.

“To get people out of their heads, and into their hearts, off their asses, and onto their feet. To celebrate! To feel love. To believe,” is how The Kin explain their music’s purpose. Works for us.

Check Them Out:

The Kin will play Saturday, June 10th at Mercury Lounge, 217 Houston St., NYC; mercuryloungenyc.com. Tickets, $12, ticketweb.com

For more info including tour dates and where to buy their albums: thekin.com and myspace.com/thekin.

The Kin’s Music Video “Go” directed by Francesco Carrozzinni, francescocarrozzinni.com