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When I first heard “Anybody Out There,” the opening cut on Civil Twilight’s self-titled debut album, the driving rhythm and vocal quality sounded very familiar. Early U2 came to mind, but with a greater intensity. However, as I continued listening to the CD, the U2 sound wove in and out of the album, while the Bono-style vocals remained.
It’s difficult to describe Civil Twilight. The band’s unique sound consists of rich piano and fiery vocals and lyrics, but in a 1980s style. In one word: “intense”—on all levels.
As I continued listening, the music eased up a bit with the next two songs. “Soldier” (“I’m just a soldier fighting for someone else”) is full of politically-charged lyrics but with a Police-style reggae beat and catchy chorus. This may be my favorite on the album, or maybe it’s the next one, “Next To Me” (“I’ve got a second chance, I’m gonna take it”), which is lighter with nice melodies and a chorus that you can’t get out of your head. Then again, “Letters from the Sky,” though it’s back to the intense piano and passionate lyrics, is another memorable cut. This is good stuff.
However, come the seventh song out of eleven, I was exhausted. The intensity continued with the similar solid piano and beat, with angst-filled lyrics. One song provided a well-needed guitar diversion, but, by then, I needed a break, and I just couldn’t concentrate anymore. I was absolutely beat. With Civil Twilight, it seems that a little goes a long way.
Civil Twilight was formed in 1996 by brothers Steven McKellar on vocals, piano, and bass and Andrew McKellar on guitar, with their childhood friend, Richard Wouters, on drums. Originally from Cape Town, South Africa, they now make their home in Los Angeles, and they’ve managed to place at least four emotionally charged songs on major U. S. television shows in a single year.
The members write together as well as on their own. Andrew maintains that Nirvana “changed everything” for him, and that he was affected by how Kurt Cobain sounded “pretty desperate, singing in a way that was very real.” From the piano to the vocals and drums, this is evident in Civil Twilight’s music.
As Steven puts it, “We’d like people to come away from this album feeling the weight of emotion behind it.” They definitely have accomplished that. I think there’s a bright future for Civil Twilight, but they just need to lighten up a little—or at least give listeners an emotional break now and then.
