#007: The Tisburys - The Anniversaries
An ocean of breaklights
It happens almost every night
I don't have a memory of listening to music with my Dad. I don't ever remember being in a car with him, staring out of the window, triumphant, muscular guitars, fist pumping from a stereo cassette. In my mind's eye, in my view of what I wish had been, this is when I was first exposed to first wave yacht rock, to 80s stadium fillers, to the choruses and melodies that would trigger a reaction, 20 years down the line. Those are other people's memories now.
But with the The Tisburys, I am back in that car. This time, it's a warm day at the start of summer, the windows are down and the stereo is up. The Anniversaries is playing, and I'm having the time of my life.
You can trust me on this. I don't really listen to male fronted indie rock any more, so when The Tisburys cut through the noise, it hits. They capture my attention in a way that bands in a similar space don't. I respect The Hold Steady, The National, Titus Andronicus, all of the greats of Modern Americana, but I could never call myself a fan or a lover of what they do. The sheer, infectious joy of The Tisburys however, is different. The Anniversaries is joyful to me. An energetic, anthemic melody, elevating a romantic, imagistic lyric, it captures what we've always been told is great about Bruce Springsteen, with none of the bluster, none of the baggage.
The tom hits, a heartbeat, and we're off into an opening that feels like the band attempting to synthesise 50 years of a particular strand of rock music. A propulsive beat, a big, wide piano, a rock solid bass melody. We arrive at the verse, Tyler Asay entering the scene.
The northeast hollows are turning brown and the watercolors will fade Footsteps follow the light into the shade
Melancholic nostalgia, typically poisonous, here, glorious. That solid bass guides us to a twinkling, Byrds-ian guitar. A synth ascends, lifting us out of the everyday to a chorus so catchy it should come with a warning.
The late nights, the come down
Nothing moves, it turns around
You recognise this. Nights out with friends, the increasing severity, and long tail of, the hangover. The camaraderie, the experience of a shared life, muddling through in the wins and the losses. It’s the perfect tease, the perfect trailer, to their forthcoming album A Still Life Revisited.
At the time of writing, this releases tomorrow, 25.04.25. It’s the first album I’ve preordered in years. That kid in the car is happy.
You can pre-order A Still Life Revisited here.