...and she would darken the memory

The Twilight Sad are perhaps one of the most Scottish bands I know, second only to Arab Strap. They sound like an eagle soaring over the Highlands. Singer James Graham delivers mournful lines in a thick Glasgow accent, while the other band members add layers and layers and layers to the sound.

The Twilight Sad - And She Would Darken The Memory

For a while, I thought the lyrical hook in this was 'putting the button', which didn't really make any sense to me. A Scottish friend of mine corrected me - it's actually 'putting the boot in'. Just after he delivers the line for the first time, you're plunged into a sea of chiming guitars and strings - and as you sink through the layers of sound, James Graham gets more and more insistent - ranting about 'friendly faces with put-on smiles' and 'putting up with your constant whine' until he can do nothing but scream.

The Twilight Sad - That Summer At Home I Had Become The Invisible Boy

This track opens with James Graham mournfully intoning '14... and you know...' and you do know - you know exactly what he's talking about. He sarcastically refers to his 'loving mother', 'strong father figure' and 'lovely home', all while the teenage angst overwhelms him until he screams 'they're sitting around the table talking behind your back'. Again, the backing feels less like a song and more like a wide, deep ocean of sound - it's shoegaze with a point - music to lose yourself in.

- Duncan