Review: Twilight City Projects – “Welcome To The Twilight”

Self-Released- 16 April 2021

The growth ahead

From 1995 through 2005, The Youth Ahead were a New Jersey pop-punk mainstay.  Odds are good that if your favorite pop-punk band toured NJ at the turn of the millennium, The Youth Ahead was their favorite pop-punk band. For me the best example of the strength of The Youth Ahead’s reach will always be when I was hosting a meet and greet with Relient K at Bamboozle 2010.  Around halfway through the line, Matt turns and asks his bandmates if they think that The Youth Ahead would be one of the surprise guests.  He then spent a few moments raving about the band to everyone who came up looking to rave about his music.  Like I said, your favorite pop-punk band’s favorite pop-punk band.

Those of us lucky enough to have been witness to that scene were given a long overdue treat with vocalist Shawn McGovern’s latest venture Twilight City Project. 

The six song Welcome To The Twilight EP recorded by McGovern in his Pennsylvania bedroom harkens back to the glory days of NJ pop-punk, all growed up. McGovern has traded in his former trio’s signature juvenility and cheekiness for more pensive and reflective content. 

Still dishing out slices of pop-punk perfection McGovern shows no signs of rust, still belting out contagious bops with precision, only now McGovern has grown beyond the “Stuck Up High School Girls” of his past in favor of setting a positive example for his own high school aged daughter.

When the album opener “Oh, My Dear” kicks in with Heath Saraceno (Midtown, Senses Fail) playing double duty with lead guitar and drums and Josh Ansley (Catch 22, Streetlight Manifesto) on bass we know its going to be a fun time.  With McGovern on synth and singing lyrics of acceptance and balance there is no denying that Twilight City Projects has progressed way ahead of his youth. 

Follow up track “Almost” is both heartbreaking and reaffirming and the best cut on the record to me.  McGovern seems to be coming to grips with his on-the-cusp-on-stardom here.  As the track repeats, sometimes “Almost had to be enough,” as was the unfortunate case for The Youth Ahead who seemed to perpetually find themselves on the wrong side of fate. The optimism and hindsight though really sets a scene for a much matured and positive McGovern.  Not many artists could realize they were always at the precipice of their dreams and embrace it.  Instead of being angry or looking for someone to blame, Twilight City Projects instead finds solace; “who would have thought we’d ever get so far/on drums and a guy who barely played guitar/but we found life in every note we played.”

“Smash the Mirror” follows the PMA trajectory of McGovern’s new project (and features a pretty fun Twisted Sister homage).  The song suggests not only accepting the identity you’ve created, but updating and adjusting it as needed.  Follow up track “44,” featuring Heidi Vanderlee (Early Riser) on cello is a lovely ballad of gratitude and counting one’s blessings.

As he does on “Almost” and “Smash The Mirror,” NJPP archivist Joe Pulito (37 Slurp) carries the bassline throughout the album closer “This Is Home” while Saraceno returns with some guitar work.  The anthemic ode to the adventures McGovern and his fiancee have shared continues to show the growth and path of Twilight City Projects. 

Maturation and peace are the centerpiece of Twilight City Projects as McGovern does the near impossible and demonstrates what happens when pop-punk settles down.  In a genre built around juvenility, its rare to see an artist grow up, but it sure is refreshing.