Twin Atlantic - Great Divide

August 18th 2014

(CD Album Review)

*****

WOW!!! what an album!!!

Twin Atlantic are an Alternative Rock band from Glasgow, Scotland and mix up the sounds of American Rock giants 30 Seconds to Mars, Scotland's finest Idlewild, Biffy Clyro, The X-Certs and even Psychedelic Rock pioneers Muse to create their distinctive sound. 'Great Divide' is their third album to date and probably their most commercial to date. I never really got into this band, but something in me told me they were going to do something very special one day and I think this is that. 'Great Divide' is like nothing else and is bound to be one of the best albums of the year and a real success. The album opens with amazing piano for the song 'The Ones that I Love (Intro)' and which back up by beautiful vocals by Sam McTrusty who's Scottish accent really comes out on.

The piano sounds epic like a Tom Odell song, but the vocals are far more clear than that and really well recorded. They come out really well as the story of the song is told, this is a really superb track that even a boy band would happy to have in their arsenal and a great way to start off a album with, it has real emotion. 'Heart and Soul' jumps out at you like a pop up kids book, and almost has a modern day Joan Jett feel to it. Like a modern version of 'I love Rock 'n' Roll' with a Pop chorus. This is going to be a big hit for the band and get them known even more than they already are now. It's really catchy and the song sounds really big and you can see the production on this album is really first rate. 'Heart and Soul' was the first track to get premiered on the radio courtesy of the BBC and Zane Lowe and made a big impact from the moment it was played.

'Hold On' sounds like what would happen if you mixed 30 Seconds to Mars with The X-Certs in a blender, and I have to say by this track that would be a very good thing. It is everything you would want from a Twin Atlantic track and it sinks into your memory very quickly which is a good sign. 'Fall into the Party' goes on from where 'Hold On' left on and it mixes up Pop Punk with Rock in a great way, like if Blink 182 went Rock. The chorus and bridge really grab you in and make you want to play it over and over again. This is superb stuff by Twin Atlantic and the guitar sound at the end is just breathe taking. You can hear Biffy Clyro influences on the track 'Brother and Sisters', so if you are a fan of the fellow Scottish band you will absolutely love this slow build up romantic song. This is a real epic song that is bound to be a fan favourite live and the end is just astonishing.

I am quite shocked about how good this band have suddenly got. The slow 'Oceans' is just the track to follow this and is just so beautiful that if you have a loved one next you, you just have to hug them tight and not let them go. The vocals by Sam are the thing that really makes this track but the music is really well put together. I love the big drum sound at the beginning of 'I am a Animal', it helps to build up the track before it goes into the catchy chorus. The lyrics are really well done and the it has a really good rhythm to it. Yes it sounds like a few Pop Punk / Rock tracks you have heard before, but it's really well put together bridges really make it something different. It almost like an anthem that Twin Atlantic would produce if they worked with My chemical Romance. 'Be a Kid' is a very different track and it gives a different contrast to the album, it has less instruments and starts off with a nice acoustic guitar before it builds up slightly. This track would be great to listen to on a summer day while drinking cider in the park.

'Cell Mate' changes the album tempo back up, and is a fun track that you can imagine yourself playing guitar to in your room, while prancing in front of the mirror and is more of a British Indie Rock track. Think Ash meets Feeder and you have some kind of an idea of what they were aiming at when they wrote it. 'Rest in Pieces' is a Singer / Songwriter track, written when you are going through troubles in your life. This is a track that I think we can all identify to and works really well on the album. On the next track 'Actions that Echo' I think they have taken a lot of influence from 90's American Rock acts like R.E.M goes it has a real feel of being on the coast Rockin' out with your guitar and is a nice addition to the record. They end the record with a slow down track 'Why won't we Change' which is a great closing number, it just wraps everything up and gives you the feel of the end of something.

I really enjoyed the new direction of Twin Atlantic and this album really shocked me and of after an album like 'Great Divide' this band aren't huge and headlining festivals and topping the charts then their is no justice in the World. This is an album that you just have to buy, because you will play it over and over again. Simply great stuff... Well Done!!! Twin Atlantic!!!

Review by Dan Devour