It Won/t Be Like This All the Time Live by The Twilight Sad

Scotland’s The Twilight Sad had been discussing the release of a live album for some time in light of their acclaimed 2019 album, It Won/t Be Like This All the Time. But with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, now seemed the perfect time release one on Bandcamp as a “pay what you want” release. More from the band’s announcement:

The reason behind this is that we know that financially it is a worrying time for a lot of people and for ourselves included. We wanted to make sure we could give everyone who likes our band one of our gigs live in their living room as we can’t be out in the world playing gigs right now. We wanted to make sure that anyone who wants the album can afford it as well.

The live recording is bracing stuff, from James Graham’s rich, heavily accented vocals to the band’s noise-rock onslaught lead by guitarist Andy MacFarlane — and the crowd’s enthusiasm only adds to the effect. Highlights include “Vtr,” “That Summer, At Home I Had Become the Invisible Boy” (the band’s first song), “The Arbor,” “Seven Years of Letters,” and a thunderous version of “Cold Days From the Birdhouse.”

What I’ve always loved about The Twilight Sad’s music is how it can be completely overwhelming and deafening, and at the same, dramatic and emotional — and this live recording captures that balance perfectly.