Taking the perfect first few steps into your life, Like My Music is a song that kicks off this album from indie-punk-rockers The Twindows in a loud, fast, unforgettable way. The music is thick, manic and unforgiving. Alongside of it these brief, chaotic snippets of simple melodies and bold ideas pour out like shots of rum. The energy is sky high throughout, the songs guided lightly yet certainly by this characterful and confident leading voice. This sort of free-flowing, creative expression has not quite been found among such insane levels of fuck-it since not too long after the nineties gave it a new lease of life.
Mosquito / Thick Skin follows on proudly and keeps the pace quick and infectious. Then you get Forgiven, a touch of something a little darker, a meeting of the alternative, industrial music world, with the weight and melancholy of metal, and the reflective openness of an indie songwriter piece. Structurally this one winds its way around your head space in a colourful and complex way. It’s a really well crafted, considerate, hard hitting track.
Dig Tree lightens the mood a little, a delicately joyful riff emerges, though not without a hint of something explosive at bay. A touch of The Pixies comes through here – the indie rock edge, the space, the softly captivating leading voice. It’s a mesmerising story line, equal parts calming and shocking. Then you get the brief bounce and brightness of Ska Death (Ska Death Lounge Death Ska), an unpredictable few minutes, something along the lines of Amanda Palmer and System Of a Down politely at war, in a basement. Reversals follows with relentlessly high energy and unstoppable, rhythmic chaos. A live show from The Twindows would be the place where all of this bursts into life and becomes a necessary part of your weekend.
Pulp brings a change of pace, a spacious and slow-grunge rhythm and soundscape emerge, the story telling again attempts to shock and draw your attention. The drama is intense here and quite theatrical in presentation. The performances throughout fit the raw energy and essence of the song pretty flawlessly. The guitars in the latter half re-assess the moment well.
Instigator offers up a mighty sense of melody, a gradually evolving song that hits like a punk-pop classic anthem for the misfits of the modern world. This one stands out for its unique colour and detail, as well as the ever-changing vocal delivery and the freely meandering mood. The Industry comes afterwards and again holds tight to that accessible colour and melodic expression. The subject matter reaches out to a wide audience of souls who’ve lost enthusiasm or confidence in the ways of the world. It connects well, and disconnects you from your troubles at the very same time.
Sleepycore takes both melody and grunge and brings back that delicate harshness that hypnotically lulls you into a thoughtful, peaceful day-dream. The title fits the feeling the music gives you, you want to be energized still, though it’s very easy to drift off into your own thoughts. The Twindows take the time to escape into their music, which, in turn, gives their audience the perfectly realistic, go-to escapism they expect from effective music. Wire Mother is the finisher, bringing things to a close with a distorted bass-line and overall thickness that reminds you of the sheer wall of sound and creative expression that has been this album. A strong way to finish, a last blast of seemingly unlimited lyrics, and yet another cleverly evolving melody-line that arrives soaked in uninhibited originality.
Pre-order the album via Bandcamp. Find & follow The Twindows on Facebook.
