Scottish post-punk/shoegaze outfit The Twilight Sad have announced their first studio album in seven years, titled IT’S THE LONG GOODBYE. With this news, they released new single "Designed To Lose". The record will arrive on March 27th via Mogwai's Rock Action label.
Check out the visualizer for "Designed To Lose" below:
"Designed To Lose" was preceded by "Waiting For The Phonecall" last October, featuring The Cure's Robert Smith on guitar. IT'S THE LONG GOODBYE, the follow-up to 2019's It Won/t Be Like This All the Time, revolves around singer/lyricist James Graham dealing with sharply contrasting highs and lows. Particularly the highs of touring with The Cure in 2016, and privately dealing with the slow decline of his mother's health.
Graham and fellow bandmate Andy MacFarlane gradually developed the album over a seven-year period. The project now revolves around the duo, as the other band members were drawn away by other commitments in life. Smith, Arab Strap's David Jeans, and Mogwai's Alex Mackay provided instrumentation for the songs, whereas My Bloody Valentine's Andy Savours and Slowdive's Chris Coady provided additional production.
Graham reflects on the making of IT'S THE LONG GOODBYE:
“To know that I’m saying things that connect with other people, that’s such a powerful thing. I want to be a relatable person that talks about things that can happen and give an opportunity for people to go, well, you’re not alone. I want people to be able to listen to this record and hear that it comes from a place of raw emotion. The album is an opportunity to share my experience and move forward with my life.”

IT'S THE LONG GOODBYE arrives on March 27th 2026. Preorder the album here. Full album tracklist:
1. GET AWAY FROM IT ALL
2. DESIGNED TO LOSE
3. ATTEMPT A CRASH LANDING - THEME
4. WAITING FOR THE PHONE CALL
5. THE CEILING UNDERGROUND
6. DEAD FLOWERS
7. INHOSPITABLE/HOSPITAL
8. CHEST WOUND TO THE CHEST
9. BACK TO FOURTEEN
10. TV PEOPLE STILL THROWING TVS AT PEOPLE
The Twilight Sad will play a list of headline shows in April and May. Later on they will hit the road opening for The Cure again this upcoming summer.
See the full list of dates below:
04/12 Milan, IT @ Legend Club
04/14 Zurich, CH @ Bogen F
04/15 Munich, DE @ Ampere
04/16 Berlin, DE @ Gretchen
04/18 Copenhagen, DK @ Loppen
04/19 Oslo, NO @ Parkteateret
04/20 Stockholm, SE @ Slaktkyrkan
04/22 Hamburg, DE @ Grünspan
04/23 Utrecht, NL @ TivoliVredenburg – Pandora Hall
04/25 Cologne, DE @ Gebäude 9
04/26 Brussels, BE @ Rotonde – Botanique
04/27 Paris, FR @ Le Trabendo
04/29 Bristol, UK @ Electric Bristol
04/30 London, UK @ Roundhouse
05/02 Manchester, UK @ New Century Hall
05/03 Newcastle upon Tyne, UK @ Boiler Shop
05/05 Glasgow, UK @ Barrowlands
05/06 Glasgow, UK @ Barrowlands
05/09 Dublin, IE @ Button Factory
07/24–07/26 Baldersby, UK @ Deer Shed Festival
06/14 Florence, IT @ Visarno Arena (with The Cure)
06/24 Cardiff, UK @ Blackweir Fields (with The Cure)
06/26 Dublin, IE @ Marlay Park (with The Cure)
06/28 Belfast, UK @ Belsonic (with The Cure)
07/08 Trenčín, SK @ Pohoda Festival (with The Cure)
07/10 Berlin, DE @ Wuhlheide (with The Cure)
07/11 Berlin, DE @ Wuhlheide (with The Cure)
07/12 Berlin, DE @ Wuhlheide (with The Cure)
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