The beauty that Twin Shadow’s third album, Eclipse, is entrenched in is almost elusive. George Lewis Jr. is forgoing electronic beats aimed at dance floors in favor of more subtle and carefully crafted music. Eclipse’s opening track, “Flatliners,” is the aural equivalent of a lover’s panic attack; his incinerating lyric display transforms into a liturgical hymn by the time the chorus rolls around. “Turn Me Up” is far more grandiose in nature as Lewis’ need for romantic affirmation comes off as immediate and carnal.
When asked about his musical transformation between his debut album (2010’s Forget) and Eclipse, he is at a loss for words. “It’s hard to say exactly,” Lewis casually remarks. “Life happens, years go by. So many things have happened, so it’s hard to put my finger on. So many factors go into change—relationships, physical space.” He then explains why it’s vital to be piercingly clear when it comes to penning lyrics. “That’s just who I am–an emotional person. I don’t think you can have good music without emotion.”
As festival season quickly approaches, Twin Shadow is slated to play Spain’s Primavera Sound Festival, Berlin Festival, and New York’s Governors Ball. Lewis has no problem being candid when it comes to discussing what he really thinks about working the festival circuit. “I don’t love festivals. I do really enjoy concerts, though, because we can control more of the production. Of course, certain festivals are better than others. It’s like anything–sometimes it feels horrible and other times it feels amazing. You can definitely tell when [festival organizers] really care about their artists.”
Despite endless amounts of touring, Lewis now rests his head in Los Angeles, even though New York was his playground for several years. “I’ve been in LA for 2 years and I like it. It’s not the same as New York, but it’s a dope city. It’s coming up but it’s not quite there yet. It’s going to be exciting.” Although he tends to hold LA and New York in high regard, that same warmth isn’t applicable to Boston (where he also previously lived). “Yeah, I talk a lot of shit about Boston, but I do it so people will make it a better place. It has so much potential. I’ve had some of the best times of my life there and I’ve had some of the worst times. I experienced a lot of racism there.” Despite how sidetracked he gets, he manages to excavate a silver lining in New England. “But every time we play a show in Boston, it’s always a lot of fun. People come out and support and I’m grateful for that.”
Twin Shadow. Friday, April 3. Paradise Rock Club. Boston, MA. All Ages. 7pm, $18. twinshadow.net