Nashville via Boston DIY rock duo Twen have released the third (or fifth) lead in single ‘Make Hard’ from their soon to be released debut album Awestruck. With its grounded and measured musical character, it’s a very different animal to the previous two singles, the powerfully declarative ‘Baptism’ and the wistfully angular ‘Damsel’.
Lyrically, it has come to serve as a self-reflection on the maturation and inter-personal growth that has developed within the Jane Fitzsimmons and Ian Jones led band of players through two years of incessant touring and the move from Boston to Nashville. The diversity of approaches on the record is reflective of their constant movement in the two years between leaving Boston and settling in Nashville resulting in multiple changes in personnel and a challenging and multi-locational recording process that by necessity was done in fits and starts.
The end form of ‘Make Hard’ and the timing of its release as the final lead in single to Awestruck emits a sense of catharsis and relief with Fitzsimmons and Jones safe in the knowledge that the DIY ethic and the hard yards of transience and uncertainty have culminated in something tactile and tangible, studio recordings and a long awaited debut album.
Listen to the single below and pre-order Awestruck, which also features two tracks previously released before those aforementioned digitally here and on vinyl here. It’s out via French Kiss next Friday September 20.
Tracklist
1. Awestruck
2. Damsel
3. Honey Smacks
4. Long Time
5. Make Hard
6. Baptism
7. Holy River
8. Waste
9. Azkaban
10. Horseblood
Make Hard
Twen (USA)
From the forthcoming album, ‘Awestruck’, French Kiss Records.
Audio Stream
‘Make Hard’ is now playing in our constantly updated 30 track New Pop Rock Independent Music Playlist here. one of seven new music playlists we curate using spotify. That list has featured no less than 686 quality tracks from the genres associated with guitar based Pop/Rock music thus far this year including Twen’s ‘Baptism and ‘Damsel’. Every one of them all can be found here in the Pop/Rock edition of our Tracks of 2019 Series: Pop/Rock Playlist. Both use the spotify platform and our profile to that is here. Follow if you do too.