The Twilight Sad

The Twilight Sad stand out with a fittingly evocative name, their sound shaped equally by the introspective and compassionate qualities of their songwriting, the thick Scottish accent of vocalist James Graham, and the expansive guitar textures supplied by Andy MacFarlane. Early releases such as Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters from 2007 drew spacious arrangements and rustic elements including accordions from post-rock and folk traditions, yet the band kept evolving. With 2012’s No One Can Ever Know they explored industrial and motorik influences, then reached anthemic scope on the widely praised 2014 album Nobody Wants to Be Here and Nobody Wants to Leave. By 2019’s It Won’t Be Like This All the Time, which showcased sharpened post-punk skills, the Twilight Sad had demonstrated consistent ability to explore fresh nuances of heartbreak and hope across successive records.

Formed in Glasgow, Scotland, during late 2003, the group began when guitarist Andy MacFarlane and vocalist James Graham, who had first collaborated in high school, chose to pursue their music with greater commitment. Joined by drummer Mark Devine, a former covers-band colleague, the pair brought bassist Craig Orzel into the lineup. Following initial Glasgow performances that incorporated lengthy compositions and numerous instruments, they recorded a four-song demo presented to FatCat Records in September 2005. The label signed them after their third show and released the self-titled debut EP exclusively in the U.S. in November 2006; Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters appeared the next April. The 2008 EP Here, It Never Snowed. Afterwards It Did contained acoustic reinterpretations of several album tracks along with a cover of Daniel Johnston’s “Some Things Last a Long Time.” Also issued that year was the compilation Killed My Parents and Hit the Road, which included previously unreleased material and renditions of songs by the Smiths and Joy Division.

While continuing to tour, including U.S. dates supporting Mogwai and U.K. appearances, the Twilight Sad prepared their second album. Forget the Night Ahead, issued in September 2009, adopted a darker and more streamlined style than prior work and was co-produced by guitarist MacFarlane and the Delgados’ Paul Savage. In February of the following year Orzel departed, with bassist Johnny Docherty joining the touring lineup. The Wrong Car EP, featuring remixes by Errors and Mogwai, arrived in September 2010. Two years later the band returned with No One Can Ever Know, a stark, electronics-driven collection produced by Andrew Weatherall of Two Lone Swordsmen. They extended the electronic approach via a late-2012 remix collection that included contributions from Com Truise, Liars, and Optimo.

After keyboardist Martin Doherty exited to focus on Chvrches, the Twilight Sad tracked 2014’s Nobody Wants to Be Here and Nobody Wants to Leave at Mogwai’s Castle of Doom studio. Mixed by Peter Katis, who had also worked on Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters, the album integrated elements from the band’s earlier and current sonic identity. Later that year they issued the limited-edition Òran Mór Session EP containing acoustic renditions of tracks from Nobody Wants to Be Here and Nobody Wants to Leave plus additional covers. Initially sold only at concerts, the EP received broader release in October 2015 with bonus material. The album attracted admiration from the Cure’s Robert Smith, who invited the Twilight Sad on several 2016 tours. In 2017 Graham’s other project Out Lines, featuring singer-songwriter Kathryn Joseph and producer Marcus Mackay, released its debut album Conflats.

Early in 2018 Devine departed shortly before recording began on the next album. Graham and MacFarlane enlisted drummer Johnny Scott, elevating touring bassist Docherty and keyboardist Brendan Smith to full membership; after the sessions Sebastian Schultz became the permanent drummer. Recorded at Middle Farm Studios in Devon, England, with Andy Bush and additional input from Smith, It Won’t Be Like This All the Time was released in January 2019 as the band’s first album on Mogwai’s Rock Action label. The record appeared on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart, and the group followed in early 2020 with the Rats 7".