Twin River
Should the Light Go Out (Light Organ Records)
Twin River have really taken it up a notch. Gone are the days of melancholic folk rock, heard on their 2012 debut Rough Gold. With the help of producers Colin Stewart (Black Mountain, Dan Mangan) and Darcy Hancock of Ladyhawk, Should The Light Go Out is a confident leap forward into punk, dream pop and country, summoning images of The Cowboy Junkies, backed by The Cure and The Cramps.
It all begins with "Bend To Break" a high-speed-assault from rhythm section Dustin Bromley (drums) and Malcolm Biddle (bass) that hits you like a rogue wave, enhanced with distortion, chorus and twang, all courtesy of guitarist Andrew Bishop (White Ash Falls). Courtney Bromley’s rebel yell summons the spirit of Neko Case while keyboardist/vocalist Rebecca Gray paints it all gold with her otherworldly harmonies, reminiscent of The Shangri-Las.
Two songs later, it’s all glowing synthesizers provided by Gray, giving the Badalamenti treatment to back C Bromley’s song of heartache, “He’s Not Real and He Ain’t Coming Back”. Immediately after, we are back up the tempo stream with "Get Gone" and the Bishop-led "Anything Good".
They never stay anywhere for too long, but always sound coherent.
It is this perfect accumulation of influences and a focus on songwriting that make Should the Light Go Out so appealing. They've somehow made an upbeat indie rock album that even sad bastards can get down with.
Rating: ★★★★
