Music Matters

New On the Listening Rack

Twilight as played by the Twilight Singers

“…and if, my love, I said I’m sorry, would you believe me? Should I cry? Then hold me, as I die And the ones who live Are the ones who fly And the ones who crawl Come crawlin’ by and by On back to you again.”

Sometimes you buy a CD and after the first listen already know that it will become one of the indispensable CD’s of your collection. Twilight Singers, a footnote caught by a corner of my eye in a recent issue of Uncut, has quickly catapulted to this illustrious status within the rack in my living room.

The Twilight Singers is made up of Greg Dulli, Harold Cinchester, Shawn Smith, and various other contributors. If you take a look at the resumes of two of the three members mentioned, you are already looking at a recipe for beautiful songwriting. Greg Dulli is the lead singer of The Afghan Whigs, whose music I am not a large fan of, but whose vocals are captivating. Shawn Smith, another vocalist is better known as the lead singer of both Brad and Satchel. For those unfamiliar, Brad and Satchel are two former side projects of various alternative music bands of the past (i.e. Pearl Jam). Do not be disheartened at this mention if you are not an alternative fan though, this CD is far from any teenage angst anthem and falls more into the category of a cherubic chorus accompanied by a piano and electric guitars.

Greg Dulli’s voice is as ever, a subtle description of taking a solitary moment of loneliness and inspecting it with a powerful microscope. Perhaps, though, aware of how depressing this sound can become on a 60 minute album, Greg combines with Shawn Smith. Smith’s vocals far from disappoint and lace Dulli’s lyrics with a silver lining fit for a Sotheby’s auction house. Factor in the fine touch of a keyboard from Fila Brazillia and the atmosphere never strays far from a mind altering substance. It’s legal, it’s good and by far should be the one recommendation you take of mine for a new band to listen to.