Greenville Scene

Civil Twilight
Human
3.5/5

by: Jennifer Bacon

Civil Twilight is instantly likable, yet I found myself saying, “they sound like,” several times. This trio’s blend of straightforward rock songs and ballads is quite melodic and produced rather well. I have a feeling these songs translate well in the live setting, so I would not pass up an opportunity to see them perform live.

Reminiscent of the Coldplay and Radiohead-esque bands but lacking their depth, Civil Twilight’s British-pop sound is not hard to enjoy. Although not British, vocalist Stephen McKellar has an accent similar to those from over the pond. The opening track, “Is Anybody Out There?” is a rock song with a fantastic crescendo about three-fourths of the way through that launches into a nice little jam. I grew tired somewhat after the second time the chorus came around due to the repetitive refrain of the title, “Is Anybody Out There?” However the song as a whole is enjoyable.

The cd is broken up into Acts 1, 2 and 3 with five songs in each act. The third track, “Soldier” has a heavy Police feel yet also reminds me of very early Radiohead. This pop-punk song is my favorite on the album. “Human” is very touching with a simple piano melody that made me initially think of Coldplay. Lyrically it is one of my favorite tracks on the album. “Stolen” is a hauntingly beautiful ballad that is comparable to Jeff Buckley and is almost a capella as the vocals match the eerie tone of the faint guitar part.

Overall I definitely recommend Civil Twilight. For a trio, their sound is full, the vocals are top-notch and the range of instruments offers variety in the songs. I’d be interested to see them live.

www.myspace.com/civiltwilightband
www.civiltwilightband.com