The Twilight Sad are unapologetically loud in concert and contemplative, even pretty, in the studio—just like most shoegaze bands. But they stand out from the crowd with emotional candor. 2007's acclaimed Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters saw James Graham deliver heartfelt tales of hardship with an edge that cut through the storm of guitars. The band tore down the wall of sound on 2009's Forget the Night Ahead, getting even more personal. While they've since explored genres like krautrock and post-punk, it's that openness that continues to make them as compelling as ever.