Song of the Day: Twin River - Knife

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJ’s think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on the Morning Show with John Richards, is “Knife” by Twin River from their sophomore album, Passing Shade, recently released on Light Organ Records.

Twin River - Knife (MP3)

Our neighbors up north really know how to fashion some gems and Passing Shade, the sophomore album by Vancouver, BC, group Twin River, is one of its most recent to emerge. Born out of the creative prowess of Courtney Ewan (singer, guitarist) and Andy Bishop (guitarist) and joined by Jordan MacKenzie (drums), Rebecca Law Gray (keys, vocals), and Francesco Lyon (bass), Twin River is a powerful outfit that tweaks the atmospheric, Springsteen-rock elements of The War on Drugs combines them with the pop sounds of Fleetwood Mac while at times getting sweaty and gloomy with synth in the garage.

With the album title being inspired by a line in Patti Smith's memoir M Train, Passing Shade is the ear candy follow-up to Should The Light Go Out, which came out in 2015 and demonstrated a more mercurial mix of styles such as pop, country twang, ambience synths, punchy punk, and even a hint of doo wop. The ten tracks on Passing Shade certainly allow the band to continue exploring a genre-transcendent style but it seems like they've tightened up around a more alt-pop, garage and synth rock aesthetic. Unlike the two more slowed down, ominous openers of Passing Shade, their third track "Knife" quite literally cuts through as one of their more straight rock numbers. "Knife" starts off with a waltzy surf rock verse with some whammy and noodling action that then explodes into a ripping, full-band chorus with giant guitar riffs paralleled to Courtney Ewan singing "There's shadow on my face and it's shaped like a knife / you've got my talking to myself when I sleep at night." If you're looking for a new summer jam go-to, look no further.

Twin River just played last night in Vancouver at The Emerald. They don't currently have any shows coming up, but to keep tabs on them via their Facebook page for upcoming shows and details, and while you're at it, check out "Hesperus", the opening track of Passing Shade: