Before I review this album I gotta say this band is amazing. The last album only had a few songs but they were all good. The drums are one of those bands that you either love or are obsessed with, there is no easy way out. Sure there's always hit singles like "lets go surfing!" And "Down by the water" but the vintage style song feel is both catchy and innovative but keeps the realm of 50's rock n roll in tact. The simple and sometimes sad lyrics are usually under a layer of happy guitar riffs and quick drum rolls with a bass that glues songs together. Someone on one of the drums internet forums described feelings for the drums as "there is not one bad song by them" and so far "summertime!" Is still holding that title but what about portamento?
Here's my take:
1. Book of revelation: it begins with a bloop. Then guitar and drums start shortly after with vocals. Funny story the intro and chorus remind me of a song I wrote and it sounds exactly the same too except instead of let it begin, it was let us begin. One word difference but im pretty sure I wrote this song around the same time they made this. Well the lyrics also say "I've seen the world and there's no heaven and there's no hell" and " and I believe that when we die we die so let me love you tonight" yeah its catchy depressing and against most belief systems. Yeah its a good song im not an atheist but man if anyone can say that without making you cry the drums can.
2. Days: if you have heard "summertime!" You are familiar with the power of the bass in their band. The mood changes completely. When the bass starts a curtain of awe is thrown down and the vocals emphasize that. The lyrics are sad but the song is upbeat. That's probably what makes the drums special they are real and down to earth but they can make you happy anyway. The attitude is life sucks but you can still dance.
3. What you were: my favorite song, possibly the best song on the album, has the most amazing catchy bass line in existence. The vocals contrast so well to it. The added horn gives it a retro perspective. The guitar is there to make the bass look good not to take away its glory. The best part is from 2:08 to the end of the song. The transition to the next song is great. The bass just goes right into an end and then...
4. Money: you can hear them slinging on another guitar. Then the guitar starts its epic riff. The bass isn't bad either but the song emphasizes the guitar more. They both share the glory though as the vocals start. Im pretty sure they had inspiration from a Vicente Fernandez/Pedro Infante song somewhere because this reminds me of a song called "el rey" by Vicente and "nessesito dinero" by Pedro. If you translate the lyrics to English you'd hear alot of similarities and/or direct rips off the lyrics but hey turning an old 50's Mexican song into a modern dance hit in English is hard but id like to have the reference there. Its a great song catchy and down to earth.
5. Hard to love: hard to describe actually, the beat in the beginning seems to be a bass while the guitar is acidic and the drums show a clash while the solution is so "hard to love" while the vocals shout a broken hearted boy trying to win back the love of a young girl who is hard to love. "Ow ayo ow ayo ow ayo" probably the best moment of the song is that entrance.
6. I Don't Know How to Love: the guitar starts to play very energetically and the guitars make you wanna start jumping well almost everybody im pretty sure you all know i dont like the guy anthony fantano of the needle drop because of his remarks of "every thing must make sense and be perfect to actually like duhh duhh" "the guitars [...] on the track i dont know how to love [...] makes it sound all muddy cus the bass and guitar are at a different pace" im sorry that the drums are to complex for your tiny hipster brain but i think that since the bass and the guitar are at a different pace the guitar is being complemented by the bass and the bass is also complementing the vocals and since the drums usually have those vocals that grip your sense of thought and feeling thats what they do they try to emphisize the lyrics. Making lyrics that are meaningful takes alot of time and the fact that this song has a good sound and good vocals shows the hard work put into the album not everyone can make an album in ONE YEAR and make it SOUND GOOD. Matter fact they almost doubled the amount of songs and you expect something more really dude chill out i dont see you making songs or albums that become really popular. sorry for my angry ranting but this guy really urks me i dont hate him i just dont agree with most of his opinions. this song the beat may be hard to take in but the vocals are just superb and the "looohohohhove" part is the best.
7. Searching for Heaven: the beat is so good i dont know how they created this beat but it gets stuck in my head and its very western. the vocals are great too and i like the filtering in the vocals making it sound as if he was lost or confused and regretful. the simplicity of the song kind of emphizises that feeling and it does remind me of some european electro but this is a different beat then that its hard to describe the short songs feeling and i would just listen to it to feel that. yes the song does stick out but thats a good thing you dont want songs that have just one feel to it and have the feeling of one song just going on and on through out a whole album thats what gives the album its incredible depht the small changes it has. This is indie it must change and still hold its foundation thats what makes the drums great they can have similar songs and odd songs that still hold the aspect of the album without causing a "death to the album" view.
8. Please Don't Leave: the drums, bass, and guitar all come in and yeah the feel is still pretty slow and sad. the lyrics do speak of a girl and how the world would end and that the others dont stand a chance but they do or in other words most relationships would end but we wont. The music kinda helps that feeling grow. The bass is deep and sad and the guitars are happy but lonely. The song is about the fear that he will lose his girlfriend. The music may be a little sad but you can't deny that this can be danced to.
9. If He Likes It Let Him Do It: The album is just sad around these parts arent they? well the music is very sad and the vocals do seem disturbed and emotional. It is a really sad song isnt it? the lyrics are so sadsure the lyrics may not have much on the surface but the deeper you look the more you see that the song is about a relationship that has come to a trajic stop because one of them got bored.
10. I Need A Doctor: This song is more upbeat sure there is still small bits of sad reminants left in the song. the song is quite simply hard to describe without the lyrics. The song is about about a chick who pushes you to the limits you like the rush but the chick gets on your nerves for doing that. the lyrics also say that "you know i love you but i want to kill you" that kind of shocks me and im really bitter because of that. The music is very glowing and pretty sort of like driving around in the night after it rains and lights reflecting the pools of water from the stop lights.
11. In The Cold: Most of these songs are about a break up and yes they are sad and they do bum you out but that feeling of being down to earth and calm take over that sad lonely feeling. The song is sad yeah but dance that's what it was made for.
12. How it Ended: another upbeat song. The kind you chant to and clap to, the jumping drums and steady bass. They act like a good ground level song. At 2:22-2:44 are the best moments of the song. A great end to a great album and very down to earth.
BONUS ITUNES TRACKS:
13. Blue Stripes: the drumming seems off but its not to crazy insane. The bass enters and its another song about a girl. It seems to be related to book of revelation because of certain parts of the lyrics. Its actually a pretty great song and it should of been thrown into the original album.
14. What We Had: another vocally active song the song is really lo-fi and seems to be from a live show minus the cheering and occasional girl screaming "I love you Johnathan Pierce" the bass also seemed to have stepped right out of the lo-fi atmosphere into a very close mike and whistling is involved. Overall the song is very glorifed and its beaming.
Well im only going to complaint about the song time. There's no song on here that passes the five minute mark or comes close and most of the songs are around 4:25 or less and that's a shame since this band could make better songs like that but im sure they're just keeping to that pop style timings. The album should be a concept album titled "about girls" because mostly every song is about that. I do like every song and I do believe they lived up to the title of having not a single bad song. Buy the album but I recommend the iTunes one with the two bonus tracks and vids they are worth the money.
Thank you for your time and please vote on my polls and listen to my playlists they are good you know. :D
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