The Twang
If Confronted Just Go Mad

The extensive support tour for the reborn Shed Seven (twenty-three dates) and, above all, the celebratory tour for the tenth anniversary of the debut album “Love It When I Feel Like This” (now a small classic of early 2000s British indie rock) have breathed new life into the creativity of the British band The Twang.

The most significant change, namely the departure of frontman Martin Sanders (followed by Phil Etheridge's promotion to full-time singer and the subsequent addition of female vocalist Cat Mctigue to the lineup) has been perfectly absorbed by the band, who re-emerge a full five years after their previous “NEONTWANG” with this new “If Confronted Just Go Mad.”

The refresh to their sound is already evident from the single “Everytime”: the shift towards pop structures is clear, as is a newfound class and compositional flair in presenting them, with the added bonus of a perfect harmony between the two different types of voices (male and female). The riffing of the subsequent “Lovin State” is also delightful, as is the surprising “Million Miles,” sung entirely (and excellently) by the band's bassist Jon Watkin.

The “dark” moment of the album comes with the splendid second single “Dream,” trippy and psychedelic enough to enhance a sumptuous and enveloping arrangement. “Time Waits” and its tight guitars are the "consolation” (but of great class) for the longtime fans, but it's only an illusion; the rest of the album moves between optimistic bursts of straightforward guitar pop and a dark reinterpretation of “Tinseltown In The Rain,” a 1984 track by The Blue Nile.

“Nothing Gets Better,” an intriguing musical fusion experiment with rapper Polarbear, closes a great album that marks a real relaunch for a band that, in recent years, has not always fully expressed its potential.

Best track: Dream