Album Reviews |
The Twilight Sad
What's that sound early 90s shoegazing was missing? Yes, it's an accordian! Other things missing clearly include vaguely resembling a colder Arcade Fire and being from Scotland. All such things are present and correct in Twilight Sad. The Scottishness as opposed to Arcade Fire's Canadian-ness ( are these even proper words?! ) shines through. Twilight Sad evoke chilly air and bare mountains. Their arrangements include such instrumentation as accordian, often arriving in the middle of a mass of soundscape aka shoegazing. It's an odd, but charming thing. The opening cut demonstrates properly everything Twilight Sad presently are. That's exactly of course the right way to open your debut album. It takes some time to build up from piano and off-in-the-distance pedal steel, other delicate guitar. An ominous drone appears and the vocals are striking once they arrive. The voice is resigned initially before rising in passion. This is a singer clearly capable of emoting very well. The lyrics are fascinating and paint pictures in a similar way to the finest Arcade Fire songs. Whereas Arcade Fire have a sadness and darkness, Twilight Sad have a bruised heart and the same kind of darkness. In the six minute plus song, two minutes in the noise begins. Thrasing drums, a wall of noise. The singer rises in tone appropriately. Your red sky at night won't fool me now he sings, over and over, as if a mantra, whilst the melodic wall of shining and simmering guitars continue. Overall, it's nothing less than perhaps the most stunning album opener since 'Neighbourhood' on 'Funeral', yet I don't want to overplay those comparisons. Twilight Sad are firmly their own band. Right at the end of 'Cold Days From The Birdhouse', the guitars fade away to be replaced by Accordian. It's a delicious comedown.
The Twilight Sad
Albums
Fourteen Autumns And Fifteen Winters 8 ( 2007 )
Cold Days from the Birdhouse / That Summer, at Home I Had Become the Invisible Boy / Walking for Two Hours / Last Year's Rain Didn't Fall Quite So Hard / Talking with Fireworks-Here, It Never Snowed / Mapped by What Surrounded Them / And She Would Darken the Memory / I'm Taking the Train Home / Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters
The 2nd best song arrives 2nd and you know what i'm going to say next, don't you? From such an intense album opener arrives a song every bit as good and it's inevitable almost the album won't be able to keep up such a high level. Still, 'That Summer, at Home I Had Become the Invisible Boy' includes the memorable refrain The kids are on fire, in the bedroom and is every bit as epic as 'Cold Days From The Birdhouse' and as enjoyable. There's strong melody and glorious see-sawing guitar lines in 'Walking For Two Hours'. After a couple of so-so tracks, 'Mapped By What Surrounded Them' picks up the pace with more striking lyrics and impassioned energy. The title track closes the album satisfyingly, a comedown sounding like the first minute of 'Cold Days In The Birdhouse' played in the next room. It adds needed calmness to an album that's almost too impassioned and too intense generally. Overall though, there's no denying the ambition on display here and fingers crossed these guys can make a big splash in the years to come.
Add A Comment?
this page last updated 26/08/07
Channel Youtube |
Contact Us |
Features |
Music & Web Apps |
Ratings At A Glance
Singles Bar |
Top 100 Albums |
Top 100 Songs |
