The Drums - Days

Hey, everybody, it's a new single by The Drums. Isn't that neat?

I don't know about you, but I love it when a band gets famous for having a certain sound, and then continue to replicate that said sound throughout all of their future material. It just makes having to listen to music more enjoyable. I mean, if I like a sound, why would I want it to change? Why kill a prize horse, right? And what's with all these silly, pretentious musicians trying to push themselves artistically or do that thing where they completely alternate their sound between albums.? I mean, who wants that? Losers.

In the looped-like "Days", The Drums keep their hazy, downbeat sound and bittersweet vocals. But the vocals are slightly stronger and cleaner. ARGH. I FEAR CHANGE. I'm going  to have to listen to the first album constantly for a few days just to feel right again. Also, what's with the death metal album artwork? I liked it when they just had their name on the cover. That was good enough. Arty farty shits.

Eliot Humphreys

The Drums Live @ Portsmouth Pyramids 06/12/11

First up were The History Of Apple Pie – cool by name, cool by nature. Cool fringes, cool look, and even cooler songs. Single ‘Mallory’ was a personal highlight; however the rest of the crowd seemed slightly distant and unengaged. I also spotted Connor from The Drums watching from near the bar. Singer Stephanie Min may have been somewhat inaudible at points, but the catchiness of the dreamy noise-pop these guys create made up for it. 

Australia’s Cloud Control drummed up a bigger crowd, with more head-nodding and word-mouthing than expected, with ‘There’s Nothing In The Water’ being the most visibly known amongst the Portsmouth folk. Cloud Control were slow to start, but they connected with the crowd, albeit by asking the cliché support-band question ‘so are we all looking forward to The Drums?!’  The last song was played with passion – pieces of drumstick flew around the stage from the sheer enthusiasm of the drumming. There was a good reaction to Cloud Control but nothing near that of The Drums.

Jonathan Pierce is a true frontman. The dancing, the conversation, the charm, the looks, the voice. He really has it all, and he sure knows how to work an audience. Arriving on stage after the rest of the band started, Jonathan began the show in style, prompting a euphoric reaction from the crowd. The Drums started with ‘What You Were’, an excellent opener, immediately getting everyone moving. They flitted between songs from their self-titled debut and ‘Portamento’, and even included old favourite ‘Best Friend’.  Girls went crazy for Jonathan as he leant in towards the crowd, holding hands and standing to bask in the volume of lyrics being shouted back at him. His trademark moves were reminiscent of Beat Happening’s Calvin Johnson and his dancing, relentless. Recent single ‘Money’ had a tremendous reception, as did ‘Forever and Ever Amen’. Pierce introduced the lesser-known live members of the band – Connor’s brother on guitar, and Drummer Danny ‘all the way from Australia!’ before stating ‘and, well… you know the rest of us’. It’s hard not to know The Drums, but it’s for all the right reasons.

The gig had its upbeat points – ‘Money’/ ‘Me and The Moon’ / ‘Best Friend’, however, during ‘Down By The Water’, there was a spectacularly uniting atmosphere. It was almost haunting, the loud drums contrasting Jonny’s tender vocals. Lighters were waved, lyrics were shouted, and even a couple of cheeky kissed were shared. The encore consisted of an unexpected rendition of ‘Baby, That’s Not the Point’, followed by an equally haunting and modest ‘Searching for Heaven’. Jacob fiddled about with keyboards in the background for a while, before leaving Jonny in the spotlight. He moved with a possessed nature before modestly ending the song by just placing the microphone on the floor and leaving the stage. It was such a stunning ending that no one applauded, everyone just stood, before looking at their friends in disbelief.

I don’t think anyone expected The Drums to be as good as they were. The record does not match up to their live performance at all. The Drums are definite showmen.


By Hannah Bettey

The Drums - Portamento

Portamento is a mixed album to say the least. At points there are songs which are some of the best The Drums have ever written but parts of it are dire and almost embarrassing. The departure of Adam Kessler is not obvious but it is clear that the now three-piece have tried to take a new direction on the follow up to their eponymous album, with Portamento sounding a lot darker than their previously slightly twee work. 


At first it appears The Drums are simply going to do what they do best, by writing jangly indie pop tunes. ‘Book of Revelations’, the opening track, does just this with Jonathan Pierce in his element, acrobatically falsettoing and crooning “I believe that when we die we die/so let me love you tonight”. ‘Days’ has the nonchalant sadness that has become the bands trademark, and one of the reasons why they prompt so many comparisons to The Smiths, while the single ‘Money’ is a song that lingers as Pierce continues to show off his impressive vocals over pulsing guitar. 


It is in the middle of the album that things start to fall down. ‘I Don’t How To Love’ sees Jonathan Pierce wallowing in self pity and ending up sounding slightly self obsessed and ‘If He Likes It Let Him Do It’ sounds creepy but not in a good way. ‘Searching For Heaven’ is the worst with a synth part which could have been taken from a video game and Jonathan sounding nauseating.

Fortunately the remaining tracks pull the album back up. ‘I Need A Doctor’ is light relief and contrasts to ‘In The Cold’ with dysfunctional harmonies putting the song on edge. The loneliness and coldness seems to seep through. ‘How It Ended’ finishes the album in a similar style to how it started with catchy rhythmic ‘uh’s proving that The Drums can still do what they do best very well.


It’s much better for a band to at least attempt to move on their style and when The Drums manage to pull off the edginess they yearn to swathe this record in, it’s brilliant. But at points it absolutely crashes. We can only hope that in the future The Drums will be able to make the transition into a new style with more fluidity and ease.


7/10
By Jessy Parker

The Drums - Money

‘Money’ is the first single off The Drums’ forthcoming album ‘Portamento’ and, despite lacking original guitarist Adam Kessler, it does not lose any of the trademark sounds which many associate with the band. Jonathan Pierce’s falsetto vocals cut across the pulsing drum beat and repetitive guitar part as he croons ‘I want to buy you something/but I don’t have any money’. The addition of some sing along ‘oohs’ mean that the song will linger in your head for at least the rest of the day.

Arguably it would have been more impressive to see The Drums develop the sound away from the Summertime EP and eponymous debut album but if you are still looking for catchy guitar music it is clear that ‘Portamento’ is going to easily live up to the standards the band have already proven they can reach.

Portamento is available on 12^th October

By Jessy Parker