Mother’s Day is probably not the ideal moment to sit with The Twilight Sad’s new record, an album that ruminates so deeply on parental loss. But here we are.
The Scottish outfit’s sixth album IT’S THE LONG GOODBYE took shape over seven years in the shadow of singer and lyricist James Graham’s mother being diagnosed with early-onset frontotemporal dementia—an illness that would tragically take her life in January 2024. The 10 tracks that followed are a bruising, cathartic scream of grief, swinging between the strangely anthemic and the quietly devastating.
Guitarist and instrumentalist Andy MacFarlane takes on production duties, propelling the record forward on a sea of crushing guitars and synths. At times, the sound recalls their labelmates and fellow Scots Mogwai, but Graham’s lyrics and heartbreakingly raw vocals provide a firmer emotional anchor. The whole project feels almost architectural in how it builds and swells, creating a stage for Graham to unleash his pain and fury like never before.
Former Arab Strap player David Jeans handles the drums, while Mogwai live team member Alex Mackay takes on bass, respectively, while another familiar figure lends a guiding hand: longtime Twilight Sad champion and friend Robert Smith of The Cure. Over the past decade, the legendary band have brought The Twilight Sad on tour numerous times, with more dates still lined up. So Smith’s presence on the album feels both natural and significant.
He offered input on the demos and added extra guitars on “WAITING FOR THE PHONE CALL,” guitars and Tron keys on “DEAD FLOWERS,” and his unmistakable Fender six-string bass on “BACK TO FOURTEEN.” With The Cure delivering a late-career high point on 2024’s Songs of a Lost World—an album that also wrestles with familial loss—there’s a strange but fitting symmetry in Smith helping shape this one.
Fans of The Twilight Sad know they’re never signing up for a party record, but rarely have the band sounded so raw yet so huge. With song titles like “DESIGNED TO LOSE” and “CHESTWOUND TO THE CHEST,” Graham is hardly hiding the themes. His Scottish brogue spits out painfully direct lines: “Will you dream with me / lock the doors so no one can see,” and “Here comes your wee boy now / why does he look so down?” The latter lands particularly hard as MacFarlane unleashes a slow, droning guitar line that deepens the sense of anxiety.
The chunky production of the record’s first half may feel overwhelming to some listeners, but things ease slightly on “DEAD FLOWERS.” Smith’s contributions add a hallucinatory texture to the track, recalling the shadowy edges of his early ’80s post-punk work. Still, it’s hardly a moment of lightness.
You could argue the album could benefit from a little more tonal range, a few fleeting moments of reprieve. But given the subject matter, its weight makes perfect sense. This is clearly an album that needed to be made. It’s an act of emotional exorcism, grief channelled into sound with startling honesty.
IT’S THE LONG GOODBYE is punchy, painful, and deeply real. If you like music that mirrors life, that sits with the darker moments rather than escapes them, this record delivers a surge of raw emotional release. It’s not something to chill out to, nor something to dance along with. Instead, it’s an album that meets you in moments of unrest, amplifying the feeling instead of smoothing it over. For those willing to strap in, its emotional heft is undeniable.