Kaurna/Adelaide outfit Twine have returned with their second single, sharing the affecting “Same Old Problems” today.
Having first appeared on the scene last year with the release of “Cleaner”, Twine fast made a name for themselves as a powerhouse example of the stellar music made in the South Australian capital. Powerful and emotive, it appeared as a stunning debut for the group, and undoubtedly left fans eager to hear what’s next.
As vocalist and guitarist Thomas Katsaras explains, the origins of Twine were humble, with its members coming together out of a shared love of similar music styles.
“Twine started off as a personal project of mine,” Katsaras explains. “[I was] wanting to write music that was loud and dynamic, but also paired with the honest lyrics and emotion of country music.
“This current line up has probably only been kicking round for about six months at this point, but I reckon we’ve all sort of come together sharing a love for similar styles of music, particularly Pile; love Pile.”
Of course, those who fell in love with the band upon the release of their debut may notice the group’s lineup has shifted and expanded somewhat. With “Cleaner” giving the band the ability to showcase their craft on a national level, it also brought with it a lineup change, with the likes of guitarist Ricky Albeck and bassist Alicia Salvanos joining the fold.
Now, Twine have returned, with “Same Old Problems” serving as their second release, and a perfect indicator of what’s to come from the group.
Kicking off with the affecting violin of Thea Martin, the slow-burning track slowly begins to show its teeth as the rest of the group come together to build towards a powerful crescendo of blissful alt-, noise-, and post-rock, along with a decent showing of the classic post-punk genre.
“We’re all heaps proud of this song,” Katsaras explains. “It was recorded live with John over at Twin Earth Recording Studios, then mixed by Colby Robertson at Interim Studios and finally mastered by Greg Obis at The Chicago Mastering Service.
“It’s the first song written with the new lineup, and it’s got some pretty heavy backstory,” Katsaras continues. “It was written around the one-year anniversary of a friends passing and finding the similarities with that loss and other way’s I’d lost contact with friends at the time.
“For a long while I was debating whether or not to keep the lyrics, but I came to the realisation that being cemented in a song is a pretty great way to remember someone, songs are kinda timeless and regardless if something is or isn’t on streaming, the song lives on.”
The addition of Martin’s violin helped to elevate the track to another level, with Katsaras citing a nascent obsession with the likes of Warren Ellis in helping to make the decision to add in some additional strings.
“The decision to add violin to the song just sort of made sense,” Katsaras adds. “I have always loved violin being in heaps of country stuff, but I’d recently just gotten obsessed with the Dirty Three and I think seeing the instrument used in a less traditional sense really inspired the idea of adding it to our sound.”
The result is a majestic and affecting track that sees Twine continue to not only expand their sonic palette, but move it to the next level as they cement themselves as purveyors of powerful, emotive rock music.
While “Same Old Problems” only serves as Twine’s second single, fans won’t have to wait quite as long for more music to follow. As Katsaras explains, the band will be visiting Wollongong this month, before aiming to not only plan more shows around the country, in addition releasing another song and planning a potential EP.
Needless to say, there’s plenty on the horizon for Twine, and given how powerful “Same Old Problems” is, we can’t wait to see what’s next.
Twine’s “Same Old Problems” is out now.
