William Faulkner once said of the writing process, "You must kill your darlings." It's a quote about ridding yourself of your favorite (and somewhat self indulgent) work for the goal of becoming a better writer.
Darlingside (a.k.a. the act of killing your darlings) is something the four piece has gotten very good at over the past decade. Some of the songs on its new album, Extralife, have taken years to find their way to a record. With a songwriting process that's very democratic, it's clear that these are the finest versions of the songs. The attention to detail is stunning.
The members of Darlingside craft amazing harmonies as they crowd around the microphone — not just in studio, but in concert, too. Since Darlingside's 2015 release, Birds Say, the band has continued to grow, incorporating different instrumentation into their work. You can find that on display here, with its first single, "Eschaton," performed live on the World Café.
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