Wednesday built Twin Plagues around a simple idea: take the big, loud sound of classic indie rock and make it feel raw and exposed. The band wanted a record that sounded huge on the surface but carried a weight underneath. They got both. The result is a tight, 12-track album that mostly delivers on that promise, even when a few songs slip into filler territory.
Opening With Twin Plagues
“Twin Plagues” opens the album with a statement. The song sets the tone immediately: big guitars, loud vocals, and an anxious undertow that runs through everything else on the record. It works as a mission statement, and it earns its place as the title track.
“Handsome Man” follows and leans into the noise. It is shorter, tighter, and less concerned with the big picture. It is a solid opener, but it plays second fiddle to what comes before it.
“The Burned Down Dairy Queen” slows things down slightly. It is one of the quieter moments on the record, and it gives the album a brief breath before the middle stretch picks back up.
Cliff and the Middle Stretch
“Cliff” is where the album starts to find its footing. The song builds tension without losing momentum, and it shows the band can write a hook that lands even when the volume stays high. It is not a standout, but it holds the record together.
“How Can You Live If You Can’t Love How Can You If You Do” is a longer cut, and it is the first moment where the anxiety beneath the surface becomes the main event. The lyrics ask a question that the music answers in kind: there is real pain here, buried under the noise.
“Cody’s Only” is shorter and more direct. It does not overstay its welcome, and it keeps the album moving without adding much new.
“Toothache” is a small, sharp track that cuts through the noise. It is one of the best moments on the record, a short burst that proves the band can write something memorable without having to scream.
Birthday Song and the Back Half
“Birthday Song” is a change of pace. It is the most playful track on the album, and it breaks the tension without losing the record’s sense of urgency. It is a welcome shift, even if it is not the most essential song here.
“One More Last One” is the track critics singled out, and it is easy to hear why. The song builds to a climax that feels earned, not forced. It is the album’s high point, and it justifies the whole project.
“Three Sisters” is shorter and more compact. It does not reach the heights of the tracks around it, but it keeps the album moving at a steady clip.
Gary’s and the Close
“Gary’s” is a brief, quiet interlude. It is not filler, but it is the least essential moment on the record.
“Ghost of a Dog” closes the album on a strong note. It is the other track critics flagged, and it earns that attention. The song ends the record with a sense of resolution that the rest of the album only hints at.
What Works and What Doesn’t
The album’s strengths are easy to identify. The best tracks — “Toothache,” “One More Last One,” and “Ghost of a Dog” — are sharp, focused, and memorable. They are the reason the record holds together.
The weaker moments are harder to pin down. Some of the middle tracks — “Cliff,” “Cody’s Only,” “How Can You Live If You Can’t Love How Can You Do” — are competent without being essential. They fill space rather than building the album’s case.
| Track | Length |
|---|---|
| Twin Plagues | 4:08 |
| Handsome Man | 2:28 |
| The Burned Down Dairy Queen | 3:09 |
| Cliff | 2:40 |
| How Can You Live If You Can’t Love How Can You If You Do | 3:03 |
| Cody’s Only | 2:32 |
| Toothache | 2:39 |
| Birthday Song | 3:17 |
| One More Last One | 3:20 |
| Three Sisters | 2:16 |
| Gary’s | 2:12 |
| Ghost of a Dog | 2:24 |
Final Word
Twin Plagues is a solid, ambitious record that mostly lives up to its own ambitions. The best tracks are excellent, and the worst are forgettable rather than bad. It is a 34-minute album that knows exactly what it wants to be.
Here is how the tracks rank:
- “One More Last One”
- “Ghost of a Dog”
- “Toothache”
- “Birthday Song”
- “Twin Plagues”
- “Cliff”
- “How Can You Live If You Can’t Love How Can You If You Do”
- “Cody’s Only”
- “The Burned Down Dairy Queen”
- “Three Sisters”
- “Handsome Man”
- “Gary’s”
The album earns a 7.4 out of 10. That is a fair score for a record that hits its mark more often than it misses it, even when some of those misses are barely noticeable.
- Twin Plagues4:08
- Handsome Man2:28
- The Burned Down Dairy Queen3:09
- Cliff2:40
- How Can You Live If You Can’t Love How Can You If You Do3:03
- Cody’s Only2:32
- Toothache2:39
- Birthday Song3:17
- One More Last One3:20
- Three Sisters2:16
- Gary’s2:12
- Ghost of a Dog2:24
