What do you get when you mix elements of '80s-style goth-rock, classic '70s hard rock, funk, blues, and just a tiny touch of metal? Don't ask me, but whatever it, Twilight Dementia (Myspace) is doing it. And doing it well.
Twilight Dementia are vocalist Jennifer Mendiola and multi-instrumentalist John Krauss. They've been together since 2006, but their self-titled first album has just been self-released via CD Baby. By the time you're halfway through opening track "Deliverance," though, you will notice that this is one act that has been buffed to a high shine. The production is exceptional and the songwriting solid, but what keeps this album going is its sheer eclecticism. It's been a while since I've heard a group that explores so many different musical angles yet still manages to deliver great material.
"Deliverance" is a fairly straightforward ethereal goth-rock number that sounds a bit like a cross between Siouxsie & The Banshees and Evanescence, with Mendiola's smooth, creamy voice floating over Krauss' grinding guitars and punchy drums. "Good Enough," however, opens with a seriously funky acoustic guitar line and a rockin' beat, and manages to be both groovy and somber at the same time. "Lullaby" is a dreamy, spare ballad built from a simple kickdrum pace, shimmery guitars, and lush vocals. "No Way Out" begins with a heavy, bluesy guitar riff straight from the arena-rock of the 1970s that develops into a powerful percussive jam. Only four tracks into the album and we've covered at least four or five different musical influences--but there's still a lot more ground to cover, and Twilight Dementia certainly does its best to explore as many genres as it can while maintaining a consistently spacey dream-pop sound.
This is the kind of album that I love to listen to over and over again, because it never gets boring. Just when you think you've got their music pinned down, Mendiola and Krauss change it up and offer you something completely different. Each track is a new discovery leading the listener to different climes. Artists who manage to produce such work (Mr. Bungle, Tool, and Modest Mouse immediately come to mind) usually end up with highly-devoted cult followings made up of all manner of music fans, because the diversity of their music draws in listeners from many different genres. And if there's one group that deserves a cult following, it's Twilight Dementia.
Links: twilightdementia.com myspace.com/twilightdementia
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