The Twilight Singers – A Stitch in Time / 2006 One Little Indian / 5 Tracks / http://www.thetwilightsingers.com / http://www.onelittleindian-us.com / Reviewed 28 January 2007

It seems as if The Twilight Singers are trying to go forth and channel the spirit of Johnny Cash circa “American III” during their “Live With Me”. This track features Mark Lanegan, and while the vocals are definitely a focal point of the track, the thoughtful architecture created by the band is nothing to scoff at.

The band has moved away from indie darlinghood into a position where this track could rocket up the pop charts. The track length of”Live With Me” is long enough that The TwilightSingers can tell a tale but not long enough for the band to run out of steam. This is a perfect introduction to this Ep, and places The Twilight Singers into a place where they hold all of the cards. The one thing that crosses my mind as a possible problem during “A Stitch In Time” is the fact that Joseph Arthur becomes the featured player during this track, which could conceivably change the complexion and momentum that the band enjoys. The electronic opening for “Sublime” does provide listeners with a different sound for The Twilight Singers, but one thing that sticks as a constant for the band has to be a full sound that is radio-friendly without being vapid or lacking in any way.

The band seems to be pulling on a very late-nineties sound for their “Sublime”. While there is still a calming influence to the track, The Twilight Singers take a little Postal Service influence in the creation of this track. This does not break with the rest of the tracks during the disc but does provide a nice mix-up. The third track is “Flashback”, and while the song feature has came back to Mark Lanegan, there is a rockabilly meets alt-country dusting of influence to this Twilight Singers track. What results is a danceable track, one that brings individuals effortlessly through “Flashback” and into “They Ride”. The Twilight Singers have made an EP that is like a miniature version of their greatest hits, albeit with new songs. I look forward to their next album, and I have little doubt in my mind that hundreds of thousands will agree with me as soon as “A Stitch in Time” hits their ears. The band has created slightly different styles with each of their releases, and “A Stitch In Time” is more of the same. Fun, catchy, and innovative, make sure to grab this EP.

Top Track: Live With Me

Rating: 6.4/10

[JMcQ]