So cool it could snow.
In between albums, it can be hard to keep the momentum going and ensure that fans have enough new products to keep them interested and try to win over some new casual fans. Many bands try different things and releases and The Twilight Sad have came up with the ‘Here, It Never Snowed. Afterwards It Did’ ep. It features four reworked songs from their debut album, an all new track (the title of the ep) and a cover version. Fans of the band have a couple of new things to be interested in and a smaller package may be more attractive to casual listeners of the band as opposed to a full-on album. On paper it’s a winner but does the music back it up?
Lets cut to the chase, yes it does. The band may be an acquired taste but for what they do, they do it extremely well. ‘Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters’ topped the end of 2007 polls in a couple of publications so they are clearly a band who are liked in certain circles and this small collection shows the act at their most powerful.
Only a Scottish person could make the line “I’m putting the boot in” rhyme and make perfect sense and the Scottish ness of The Twilight Sad comes through loud and clear. No, this doesn’t mean they will rampage, rape and pillage through Manchester like Rangers fans, it means their accents come to the fore and the sound-scape backing puts you in the mood of Mogwai. The Proclaimers make a lot of noise about how they sing with their true accent but to be honest, their music is utter pish and it would be better if they sang nothing at all but The Twilight Sad prove that you don’t have to alter yourself to fit in.
Opener ‘And She Would Darken the Memory’ sets the tone for the powerful vocals but it is ‘Cold Days From The Birdhouse’ that steals the show. The quiet backing that is atmospheric and spooky is the perfect accompaniment to the blood curdling delivery of James Graham. Its pretty powerful stuff and would probably blow your socks off in the live arena.
The new track which also gives the ep its title and is a bit lighter in its feel which owes a lot to the backing instruments that give the song a chiming rhythm. The section where Graham launches into his full pelt vocal cant be described as a shock because of his overall use of this approach but on this track it stands out greatly.
The last track is a cover of Daniel Johnston and Jad Fair’s collaboration ‘Some Things Last A Long Time.’ It’s good to see Daniel get the recognition his work deserves, no doubt the film of his life helped as its obvious he has been an influence on many great artists in recent times. You should do yourself a favour by checking out some of his work and the Twilight Sad have did a good job in capturing the feel here. Not to belittle Jad Fair either, his work with Teenage Fanclub and adhering to the Velvet Underground Jonathan Richman sound is always worth a listen.
It may be a stop gap but its one well worth taking.