The Drums: The Drums (Downtown)

The Drums

Downtown

Jul 02, 2010 Web Exclusive By John Everhart

Summertime and escapism were the themes that pervaded The Drums' debut EP Summertime! The sweet rush of "Saddest Summer" and their U.K. hit "Let's Go Surfing" were evocative of innocent summers long gone, rife with lithe melodies and blithe handclaps. Now, on their self-titled full-length, the subject matters tackled are more serious, but their innate knack for writing a killer pop song remains intact.

Opener "Best Friend" establishes a template for the record, as a taut, New Order-esque bassline and a serpentine guitar weave and usher in frontman Jonathan Pierce's gravely dejected lyric, "You're my best friend and then you die/When I was 23 and you were 25/And how will I survive," before the track blossoms into the soaring chorus, "And everyday I waited for you/Everyday on the hood of your car," his grief abruptly metamorphosing into grand catharsis.

"It Will All End In Tears" finds Pierce waxing downcast over a fervently pulsating melody. And when he croons the sad-eyed couplet, "I don't believe you when you lie/Because your eyes are always saying goodbye," his over the top delivery conjures the forlorn melodrama of The Smiths' "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now."

The record's closing numbers surprisingly hew closely to conventional indie pop, in particular penultimate track "I'll Never Drop My Sword," with its plaintive tune that nods to band favorites The Field Mice. Yet it's one of the best tracks they've ever written, and despite the stylistic shift, all the signifiers that have so endeared the band to their fans are still evident-their steadfast allegiance to melody, and Pierce's starkly emotional phrasings.

The latter in particular is what makes The Drums so unique. Pierce's vulnerability isn't an affectation or a device. It's disarmingly sincere, expressed through poignant lyrics bereft of cheap sentimentality. And it's this inclusive, generous ethos that elevates the band into a rarified echelon, with the potential to achieve even greater things down the road. (www.thedrums.com)

Author rating: 8/10

Rate this album
Average reader rating: 9/10