Loud is Always Better

Don't let the name fool you. The Twilight Sad might sound an overly morose name for a band to some, but they are no grey miserabilists. When I meet the band a few hours before they are due to play Edinburgh's Bongo Club, they are larking around backstage, eating pizza and enjoying one or two bottles of complimentary Stella. James Graham, front man, vocalist and chief narrator of The Twilight Sad story, is the slagging drummer Mark Devine for his very vocal love of Be Here Now by Oasis, that benchmark of overblown, cocaine fueled excess in music.

“Its probably the worst album ever made” Graham laughs, as we leave the rest of the band to continue a heated debate about what should be played on their bus during their forthcoming tour. “None of us can ever agree to listen to the same album, so we usually just end up watching something like The Office. Or a good old romantic comedy”.

There is definitely an element of romantic comedy to The Twilight Sad. Their songs have titles like 'That Summer, At Home I Had Become The Invisible Boy' and 'Cold Days From the Birdhouse' and deal with subject matters such as the importance of a strong family unit, or the death of siblings in house fires. At least that's what you'd think from first listen, but nothing is that straight forward with this band. Their lyrics, song titles and artwork are all deliberately oblique, leaving the listener to form their own conclusions. Its something Graham wants to actively encourage. “These days, people are just looking for a quick fix. There's not many people who seem prepared to sit down with an album and really listen to it. It seems like if people don't think its to their taste right away they just move on to the next thing. To really enjoy a record you really have to listen to it, let it reveal more about itself.”

Graham, the man who writes the songs in partnership with guitarist Andy MacFarlane, is anything but oblique. Straight talking but always polite, he possesses a sharp dead-pan wit, and does not appear to suffer fools gladly. Whether the subject is the band's next album or the wider state of the music industry, he speaks animatedly. He is disappointed that despite the band's debut album, Fourteen Autumns & Fourteen Winters, gaining widespread critical acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic, it has yet to be matched by the huge record sales he expects. “Its always nice when people like you” he reflects, “but I never read reviews anyway. I mean you could get 100 glowing reviews, but it will always be the one bad review that sticks in your mind.”

Formed in 2003, the band shunned the traditional route to a record deal. They played only two shows at Glasgow's 13th Note Cafe, before retiring to Kilsyth to concentrate on perfecting their sound. For Graham, this was the natural thing to do. “We didn't want to just be playing gigs in front of friends all the time going no where. We wanted to have songs. We wanted what we were playing to be special.” Well why play if you don't have the songs? “Exactly. I don't think we really became a live band until we recorded our album. I'm used to going along to seeing mates bands when they are no where near ready, and all you can say to them after is: 'You were pretty tight', which is a backhanded compliment if ever there was one”.

Signed to Brighton based label Fat Cat records on the back of just one demo CD, The Twilight Sad first rose to attention as a live band par excellence. Following in the footsteps of The Jesus & Mary Chain and My Bloody Valentine, the 'Sad have proved that deafening volume can be married to strong melody, creating a sonic force of great beauty. “Loud is always better in my opinion” shrugs Graham. Their live reputation owes much to Graham's own performances. A singer of great intensity, his baritone voice and animated stage presence suggest he was always destined for the stage. Graham however disagrees. “I don't like playing live sometimes.” He pauses, looking thoughtful. “Its hard to try and make it feel special every night. I do enjoy playing live when everything clicks.” He laughs, “I often sing with my eyes closed, so I don't really have to see anything.”

The band are set to play a few shows this August, including an eagerly anticipated date at the Liquid Room with label mates Frightened Rabbit, before entering the studio in September to begin work on their second album. Before I leave and let Graham get back to his pizza, he is adamant that this work will propel the band into the big time. I wonder, in his pursuit of success, does he ever envisage a day when the band might have to up sticks and leave Scotland? “Nah, I wouldn't move away, this is where we come from and its what influences our music. Although living in Los Angeles might be nice! We could go through a Beach Boys phase.” Beach Boys in a musical sense or the facial hair sense? “Maybe a bit of both! Perhaps just lie in bed for a few years like Brian Wilson.”