Sister Gemini's full-length debut Screaming, Crying, Laughing, Sighing is a warm, sugarcoated descent into the world of Remy Jean's tumultuous last few years. Following a breakup, a “musical chairs”-esque band shuffle, and full reconfiguration of her sound, Sister Gemini delivers a shimmery blanket of flourishing riffs, smooth slide guitar, and shameless songwriting that holds the listener tightly from start to finish. Though at times lyrically doleful, the instrumentation seems to whisper that everything will be just fine. Jean's unguarded lyrical prowess and vocals stand out against the mix, humming along a slightly distorted midtempo departure from Jean's originally “folkish” roots.
Bouncing between the Midwest and California as a child, she became obsessed with Sara Evans when a babysitter gifted her a collection of tapes. “I would put them in my Barbie cassette player and run up the stairs and pretend I was at a concert,” she remembers. “That's what made me want to be a singer, because a lot of her music talks about being on the road and being a writer. I was four, and I was, like, ‘Yeah, that's going to be me.'”
Remy spent her teenage years gigging in Bay Area DIY bands and appearing on eclectic bills in her secluded hometown. Currently based in Los Angeles, Remy finds the intensity of her scene as challenging as it is invigorating. She has graced stages at institutions including Permanent Records Roadhouse, Gold Diggers Bar, and Moroccan Lounge — in addition to several showcases at SXSW in 2025.
Channeling '90s legends such as Liz Phair, Throwing Muses, and Juliana Hatfield, Screaming Crying Laughing Sighing embodies a rosy sonic glow. It sparked during online School of Song classes, led by Robin Pecknold, David Longstreth, and Chris Cohen. “At the end of it, you have four songs… usually one of them isn't half bad!” Remy says. The format tasked her to operate on a tight deadline, finishing ideas that may have otherwise dragged on. Recounted from the chrysalis between girl and woman, Remy embraces messiness where it arises.
Screaming Crying Laughing Sighing ruminates on how we carry conditioning from external forces into new phases. “When you're younger, you're kind of on autopilot and things are just happening to you,” Remy muses. “Then your brain develops a little more and you're, like, ‘Okay, is this actually serving me?'” These nine cuts address self-worth and adulthood with diaristic honesty. Opener “Active Adult Community Swim” establishes the introspective atmosphere. “If you're talking about me, say it with your chest / I'm not upset,” she quietly intones over earthy strums and spectral keys. In “Last Few Hundred Mornings” Remy grapples with a romantic relationship that is well past its expiration date: “the troubles in letting go / it's easier if you know / how good it feels to be right”. “Elvira” offsets a jangly, slide guitar-streaked arrangement and lyrics probing unfaithfulness. Accepting controversial perspectives, the album examines change on a 360 degree swivel.
Sister Gemini's path to her full-length debut, Screaming Crying Laughing Sighing, was focused, albeit winding — an amicable split with a romantic partner-turned-producer broke the making of the album into two distinct segments. Remy strayed from her initial folk blueprint and harnessed electricity, mastering the ropes of being a frontperson in collaboration with a shifting team. Tyler Piatt guided early sessions; Sam Plecker (Father John Misty, Roger Waters) and Matthew Neighbor (Soccer Mommy, The Avalanches) engineered; Yunus Iyriboz (Dylan Meek, Elyanna) and Harrison Whitford (Phoebe Bridgers, Jenny Lewis) contributed guitar; Ellington Peet (Runnner, Babehoven) and Eric Jackowitz (Nick Waterhouse, Blake Mills) divided drum duties; Raymond Joseph (RYVOLI, Kelly Clarkson) laid down piano; Sean Hillis served as the bassist. The outcome is eclectic and timeless, a patchwork quilt of unique talents.
Screaming Crying Laughing Sighing was titled after a text, in which Remy mistyped the meme “screaming, crying, throwing up”. “It's a phrase that seems to be very cyclical, looping back into itself,” she ponders. “We grow in an outward spiral. The feelings come back around, but they hurt a little less on each lap.” Equal parts tongue-in-cheek and sucker punch, Screaming Crying Laughing Sighing is an inviting, yet reflective project shaped by Remy's coming of age.