Music I Listen To: The Twilight Sad

The Twilight Sad

Lately I have been getting asked more questions about who I listen to, as opposed to what I review. Like what do I listen to for my own enjoyment and pleasure when not reviewing albums? What's in my car stereo or iPod? Those questions came from complete strangers I was meeting for the first time and from friends who I keep in touch with through Facebook. So, I decided I am going to answer that question in a regular column here on my music blog.

It seemed like a good thing to do since I will be getting away from some writing in 2010 to take more of an editor's role and give new writers a chance to shine. I will still do some interviews and reviews, just not in the same capacity I used to. As usual, I'll link them here so you can find them easily. This column won't be reviews in the traditional format, but rather less formal and me speaking freely.  

For the first installment of Music I listen To, I would like to introduce you all to The Twilight Sad. Right now I think they are the best indie band on the planet. I can't stop listening to their latest album, Forget The Night Ahead. Their shoegazey indie meets post rock style appeals to my love of crunchy guitar and spacey notes. Combined with lead singer James Graham's thick Scottish accent, you have one of the most original indie bands on the scene.

I got to check out The Twilight Sad live in Austin this past April when they played at Mohawk. It was a Sunday night and that meant they had to play the inside stage. For those of you outside of Austin, there is a noise ordinance on the Live Music Capital's most popular and iconic street, Red River. It wasn't always that way, but then some idiots thought it was a good ideas to put up high end condos right smack int he middle of it all. In theory it sounds cool to have the Red River music district outside your door, but because the city has laws about decibel levels around residences, there lies the problem. That's the short version.

Me with James Graham, lead singer of The Twilight Sad, in April 2009

So in the tiny and cramped area known as Mohawk's inside stage, which could be any small bar venue really, my good friend, fellow blogger and Austin Vida's managing editor Ajay Miranda checked out their set. I forgot why we were there, maybe it was for The Twilight Sad, maybe it was for an opener. Anyway, we were blown away at how awesome theses dudes were. There weren't too many people there, but I've seen Mohawk less full. Again, it was a Sunday night. It was actually better that way so I could get a chance to chat with them and snap a photo for my collection. They were very cool dudes and very tired from the grind that is touring. I look forward to interviewing them one day soon hopefully, but until then I have both of their albums and an some five song EP of theirs I found online shortly after their show to hold me over.

Their first album is called Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters. Although I dig that record, I prefer the more melodic Forget The Night Ahead. Both have me singing along in what is an awful sounding Scottish accent, but I can't help it as it sounds weird to me with any other tongue to it. The album came out in in the U.S. on October 5th and is available on Fat Cat Records. Here's the video for one of my favorite tracks off Forget The Night Ahead called "I Became A Prostitute"


The Twillight Sad - I Became A Prostitute from TLOBF.COM on Vimeo.

For more on The Twilight Sad, visit their official website HERE.