The Twilight Sad

by Kenyon Hopkin
Distinguished by James Graham's heavy Scottish accent, an accordion, and oodles of noise, the Twilight Sad rose from Glasgow, Scotland, in late 2003 with the lineup of Graham (vocals), Andy MacFarlane (guitar, accordion), Craig Orzel (bass), and Mark Devine (drums). After playing a couple of shows in Glasgow that featured extensive pieces of music using an abundance of instruments, they holed up in the studio to write new material. In September 2005, with four new songs in hand, they sent a demo to Fat Cat. The label ended up putting them on the bill of a showcase with the Mutts, Charlottefield, the Rank Deluxe, and Frightened Rabbit. The Twilight Sad's debut EP was issued in the U.S. in November 2006; the full-length Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters arrived the following April. The 2008 EP Here, It Never Snowed. Afterwards It Did featured reworkings of several of the album's songs with simpler, more acoustic arrangements, plus a cover of Daniel Johnston's "Some Things Last a Long Time."