The Ghosts of ...2014 : Twilight Sad's "Nobody Wants to Be Here and Nobody Wants to Leave"

This band is going to be opening up for the Cure. Thought I would dig back into 2014 and review it ,so you can decide how early you want to get there. It opens with a very Radiohead like piano line in the background of a sullen yet dreamy mid paced indie rock in a similar vein to Glasvegas. My wife though the vocals sounded a little like Morrissey, and I hear the comparison, but Morrissey's passionate indifference influences the style of most indie rock singers. These guys are very dynamic and like their effects pedals. The get a little ore upbeat on the second song. In there more rock moments they sound like Interpol if they didn't worship Joy Division. "I Could Give You All That You Don't Want" picks up at the chorus. These guys are hooky with out being pop, calling them post-punk would imply a tension that is not here. Melancholy indie rock is a more fitting description.

The formula for "It Never Was the Same" is actually the same as the other songs they just tossed in  an effects heavy guitar "solo", by solo we are not talking shredding here. The National comes to mind on this song, but the Euro vibe is pretty dominant. There is a surprisingly cheerful vibe to "Drown So I Can Watch", then it's off into a darker gloom of synth pulsing bass line of "In Nowheres" This is one of the best songs on the album. The vocals sit back further in the effects and every thing has a more shoe gaze like filter over it despite being on of the album's more driving songs. The title track is a more droning and hazy, not their best songwriting thus far. "Pills I Swallow" falls in line with the rest of songs and adheres to their formula., the vocals are most understated in the verses. "Leave the House" is delicate and floating in effects. I think the biggest challenge for these guys live is how the song would translate into a more organic setting live.

The album ends with the ballad"Sometimes I Wish I Could Fall Asleep" which is not the most compelling song on this album and almost makes his wish come true. I'll give this a 9 it could grow on me. You might not be inspired to catch these guys on their own, but it's nothing to suffer through. I will check out what they do in the future and let this sit on my iPod. I like the mood, much less upbeat and dancy than what you think of from the Cure and it never gets dark enough or melodramatic enough to invoke the g word.