I love Twin Peaks the TV show more than I love damn fine coffee or the best cherry pie in the Tri-Counties. But there is also Twin Peaks the band, who have been gigging since 2010. The Chicago based garage-band were struggling to balance their three year tour with recording. Rather than commit to a full album, they decided to put out a series of vinyl singles over 2017. Just 300 singles were pressed each time, and only subscribers could get them. Demand vastly outstripped supply, so they’ve compiled them into an album, now available on download and vinyl.
Is it worth listening to? Yes. Dale Cooper once said, “Every day, once a day, give yourself a present.” These songs are just that kind of present. This is good music made with actual instruments played well. The songs are just really happy. It sounds like what happens when you take five session musicians and let them jam together: the easy confidence of the melodies belies how skilful the band is.
In psychology, there is an idea of ‘transcendence’ or ‘flow.’ It’s that feeling you get when you lose yourself in a task. Time stands still as your inner critic shuts up, all dithering ceases and you just do what needs to be done, effortlessly. It sounds to me like that’s what Twin Peaks did when they made this album. Sometimes, they play bluegrass, sometimes it is grungy, one track even reminds me of Bugsy Malone. But as they say on ‘Shake my Lonely,’ every track is gonna be, gonna be, gonna be good.
