Down in Heaven

Description

After Sunken, a first record with a sordid and grimy atmosphere, then the unifying Wild Onion, which had earned them the adoration of hordes of fans, Twin Peaks now give pride of place to melodies and serenades with Down In Heaven. Their style is both modern and vintage, with touches of country, their attitude is frankly punk, and the whole thing is very exciting. Co-produced by Twin Peaks and their longtime collaborator R. Andrew Humphrey, and mixed by their new confidant John Agnello (Dinosaur Jr., Kurt Vile, Sonic Youth), this record has the roughness and craftsmanship of a classic. Whether contemptuous, pleading, aggressive or impatient, the thirteen songs that make up Down In Heaven fit into the band’s logical evolution and sound unlike anything they have done so far. Here is an album about feelings: breakups, forgiveness, anger, jubilation, reinvention and evolution. The album’s opening track, Walk To The One You Love, in which James speaks about the ability to let go of someone close, is followed by Wanted You, a song in which Frankel evokes the failure to build a relationship with the person one desires. As for Stain, probably the band’s most innovative song on this record, it is a song about the love of music. Simply put, with Down In Heaven, it becomes difficult to say that Twin Peaks are a classic rock band.