The Twilight Sad – Òran Mór Session
Comprising reworked tracks, B-sides and a cover of Arthur Russell’s I Couldn’t Say It To Your Face, this session highlights the incredible intricacies and melodies behind the Kilsyth trio's acclaimed Nobody Wants to Be Here and Nobody Wants to Leave
Most Brits apply the logic that because Scotland is generally colder than the south, the culture – be it comedy, art, music – is inherently darker; booze-soaked confessions from a harsh landscape. And while that may be true some of the time, The Twilight Sad packed plenty of hooks and melody into their wildly acclaimed Nobody Wants to Be Here and Nobody Wants to Leave. Instead of treating us to a happy-go-lucky departure from their previous form, they filled it with reverb, drones and characteristically morose song titles – and it was great.
The Òran Mór Session essentially filters out that thick, dour atmosphere and strips the album back to guitars and simple percussion; the jarring sounds on the intro I Could Give You All You Don’t Want sounds more like James Graham backed by the Cranberries (stop sniggering up the back). But despite adding clarity to the mix, the vocals are still intense, powerful and haunting. A must for fans and certainly not a ‘lighter’ acoustic alternative. [Thomas Ingam]