The Twilight Sad : It’s the Long Goodbye
If you caught The Cure on any of their tours over the past decade, there’s a good chance that The Twilight Sad were opening for them. Even with this level of exposure, however, the Twilight Sad still manage to be Scotland’s best-kept secret. They’re one of the best post-punk bands going today, establishing a distinctive, dark identity without borrowing liberally from Joy Division. Yet with their sixth album, It’s the Long Goodbye, they get an assist from another post-punk legend, their tourmate Robert Smith of The Cure.
It’s the Long Goodbye was born out of turmoil and tragedy, with some shuffling of personnel as well. Their current lineup now finds them in the company of Arab Strap drummer David Jeans and Mogwai touring member Alex Mackay on bass. Lyrically, James Graham delves into his struggle with the mental health issues triggered by his mother’s death and the trials of watching her decline in health. His voice is typically sitting in the center of the mix, as it should, since it is one of the defining elements of their sound. Guitarist Andy MacFarlane provides the needed sonic backdrop, allowing Graham’s emotive delivery to push past new boundaries as songs like “Designed to Lose” find him swinging up into his falsetto.
The production of the album showcases a rawer rock ‘n’ roll feel, one much closer to their live sound. Graham is known for repetitive vocal lines that create a hook, and they are just as engaging here as they have ever been. Yet their dynamics are even more emotionally powerful here, given the subject matter. Smith lends guitar to the electronic pulse of “Waiting For the Phone Call,” which rocks pretty hard for post-punk coming out of the chorus. Graham continues to set himself apart as a vocalist, his pleading tenor rising in all the best places. Unlike many of their post-punk contemporaries, however, they remain uninterested in recapturing a sound of days long gone, although there is a little bit more of an ’80s feel to the guitar tone of “Inhosptiable/ Hospital.” Even with its bleak mood, it’s catchy enough to be the album’s most immediate song.
Cool guitar tones color the strummed tension of “Chest Wound to the Chest,” while Smith returns to play a 6-string bass on “Back to Fourteen.” And it’s here where some of the lyrics become more entwined in mystery rather than the more introspective outbursts that dominate the album. Closer “TV People Still Throwing TVs at People” finds the vocals opening the song at the back of the mix, with every element slowly come more into focus—a more experimental approach, but one that still possesses the urgency they are so adept at conveying. If you claim to be a fan of post-punk and these guys are not on your radar, then it is time they should be, and this album is a must-listen. Nearly two decades after their standout debut, The Twilight Sad deliver one of their best albums to date with It’s the Long Goodbye, pushing post-punk forward with emotional honesty rather than obligatory brooding.
Label: Rock Action
Year: 2026
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The Twilight Sad : It’s the Long Goodbye
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