The Twilight Sad - Forget the Night Ahead

While recording their second album, Forget the Night Ahead, The Twilight Sad used everything from distortion pedals to the smacking of fire distinguishers to cloak the record in haze. If you cut through all that fuzz and distortion, you start hearing really dark messages. Themes of guilty consciences, the sad realities of prostitution, and the tragedy of losing loved ones infiltrate the album, a twisted storybook of frontman James Graham’s experiences. What it really comes to, though, is the music to which the lyrics are cast. “Ultimately we wanted to make a record that is big, and noisy as fuck,” explained Graham. The Kilsyth, Scotland band succeeded, piecing together eleven songs that are as tuneful as they are loud. Though “Scissors” is an evolving wall of noise, the majority of Forget evokes the feel of The Cure and other late ‘70s goth rock. “Reflection of the Television” bounces with rubbery bass, echoed drum hits, and Graham’s deep, controlled vocals. The mostly instrumental “Floorboards Under the Bed” would be Chris Martin’s wet dream if he could tame the cacophonous electric guitar that shrouds creepy minor-key piano clunking. Most of us keep a fire distinguisher handy to put out flames; The Twilight Sad uses theirs to keep ‘em burning.