Dark and Twisties – “Ungrateful Women”

Dark and Twisties are a five-piece alt-folk band from Swansea, Wales, and their debut LP “Ungrateful Women” was released on December 19th. Sarah Birch, Kate Ronconi, Sarah Passmore, Danny Kilbride, and Huw Rees have been turning heads since they started performing just months ago, and this album shows why people are paying attention.

The title track gets at the messy reality of being a woman on her own at a certain age. It’s about that constant back and forth between loving your independence and dealing with loneliness, between craving a quiet life and worrying you’re missing out. The song is about how women handle friendship and loss, and all the masking and unmasking we do just to get by. It’s honest and doesn’t sugarcoat anything. And my favorite tracks are “This Time”, “Questions”, and “Grace & Dignity”.

The harmonies are gorgeous and do a lot of heavy lifting here and the arrangement lets everything unfold naturally while keeping you engaged. Dark and Twisties pull from traditional folk but add their own atmospheric spin, creating this uplifting sadness where beauty and melancholy exist together.

This album is worth checking out if you’re a fan of alt-folk with real storytelling behind it. Follow Dark and Twisties on socials to stay updated on new releases heading into the new year.