‘Abysmal Thoughts’ is full of youthful yet distinguished songwriting. The Drums’ latest foray into indie-surf-rock darts through playful melodies and lightweight lyrics and when it connects, on tracks like Heart Basel and Mirror, it is fresh and urgent: a delicious musical margarita. It’s music for pool parties attended by skinny hipsters with little dogs.
The band is often described as the ‘project’ of Jonny Pierce and (formerly) Jacob Graham, and this is surely because the Drums produce a highly refined sound that has stayed fairly consistent since their 2010 eponymous debut. Terse chords, thin guitar riffs and direct, ungroovy drums are the dominant features, adorned by Pierce’s diaphanous, repetitive vocals.
The best work comes when the tempo is quicker - skipping, jiving and driving through angsty guitar melodies. It’s a very particular sound that parachutes Factory Records into a Floridian seascape; a Manchester-meets-Miami thing that feels highly intellectual despite its relative musical simplicity.
When Pierce mixes up the tone and the tempo, as on Are U Fucked and Head of the Horse, it’s not as satisfying. These slower, deeper tracks probably need more chord variations and greater musical dynamism.
Clearly, Pierce prefers a cogent sonic identity, and while the result is incredibly distinctive certain album tracks feel like filler. A sense of style over substance, even.
Additionally, the songwriting is occasionally undermined when tunes outstay their welcome. Both Your Tenderness and Blood Under My Belt are a minute too long, and this is possibly down to the need to show off the increased arrangements - sax and strings respectively.
For the most part, though, ‘Abysmal Thoughts’ is a album that demonstrates distinction in minimalist indie-pop. It's comes down on the right side of shallow a long time before you realise that the album title is taken from Nietzsche's Thus Spoke Zarathustra.
The Drums Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Mon October 02 2017 - BRISTOL Thekla
Tue October 03 2017 - DUBLIN Whelans
Wed October 04 2017 - MANCHESTER Manchester Gorilla
Thu October 05 2017 - GLASGOW Art School Glasgow
Sat October 07 2017 - LONDON O2 Shepherds Bush Empire
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