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Jan 17, 2019 Web Exclusive By Haydon Spenceley

“Why can’t you remember me? I’ve seen it all before” goes the refrain of “(10 Good Reasons For Modern Drugs)” the pulsating opener of It Won/t Be Like This All the Time, the taut and emotional new record from The Twilight Sad. The disorienting, dark beginning gives the first impression of a band that have grown up, widened their palette, and are now reaching for the stratosphere. For so long, The Twilight Sad have been a band who could be huge, rather than merely being deified by a small cohort of devoted fans. It Won/t Be Like This All the Time should be the record to finally see them breakthrough into the wider consciousness of the listening public. It certainly deserves to be.

Whether it’s the muscular “Shooting Dennis Hopper Shooting” (what is it with these song titles) that grabs you, or the marginally more restrained “The Arbor” that initially takes your fancy, it won’t take long for this album to draw you in and make you realize that this is a truly special listening experience. Liberal use of synths to augment the band’s more traditionally taut and aggressive guitar tones brings a maturity and focus to the songs which ought to see these songs sung in (‘80s anthem loving) stadiums before long. “Auge_Maschine” and “Keep It All to Myself” fizz with energy and life, whilst the foreboding bass tones of “Girl Chewing Gum” are equal parts mesmerizing and disturbing.

In a world stuffed with rock bands embracing synthesizers as the final added flourish for their sound, The Twilight Sad have actually managed to create something original and enigmatic. You might miss the guitars, but guitar-driven rock music is so last decade. The future is now. The future is The Twilight Sad. You read it here first. (www.thetwilightsad.com)

Author rating: 9/10