Moody, atmospheric indie rock is a crowded field with bands pitching to sound more profound and heartfelt than their peers.
Most of the time the result is tired and cliched but not so with The Twilight Sad.
This four piece (formed in 2003) based from just outside Glasgow manage to bring a freshness and intensity to the table in this highly impressive debut single taken from the album Fourteen Autumn & Fifteen Winters.
Singer James Graham's Scottish accent is highly evident (I'm standing ootside) giving an edgy sense of pent up rage as he sings what the press release describes as a paean to disaffected youth. The lyrics are intriguing; leaving open the question whether the line the kids are on fire in the bedroom is meant metaphorically or literally. The thumping drums give added menace as the track builds, explodes then subsides. They clearly owe something to fellow Scots like Arab Strap or Mogwai and the Interpol similarities are there too but there's enough individuality to their sound to suggest that they will transcend these influences.
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The B-side (not on the album) is Watching That Chair Painted Yellow - another title that highlights their literary bent. This is less subtle and more full on rock but it demonstrates the tightness of the sound and reveals that the ever reliable Fat Cat records are onto another winner.
Great cover art too!
Go get.
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