Album: Drenge
Released: 2013
Drenge have long been one of those bands that people have recommended to me, but in my lazy, uninspired state, I continue to fall back into the welcoming arms of my favourite bands. I managed to catch a tiny portion of them at Leeds Festival, but ended up being sidetracked by whatever band I had planned to see prior to that. From what I know, they're a two-piece band of brothers who are desperate to revitalise grunge, but they bring along a touring bassist for the ride as well to add to their noise. You may think a bass guitar isn't as vital to the sound of a band, but let me tell you, it contributes more than you think. Hold on, I'm tipsy when writing this, so bare with me...
The first two tracks on this record encompass around four minutes of this debut album, and as catchy as they are, they're nothing to shout about, and I find myself hoping there will be more impressive moments around the corner. I Want To Break You In Half begins with a filthy guitar line carried on through the verses along with the angsty lyrics from Eoin Loveless that you wouldn't expect from any other duo act out there, and when the song explodes into its outro, you find yourself wishing it wasn't the end. Bloodsports, one of the better known tracks, kicks things up another gear with more complex guitar work and aggressive drumming, and at this point is just about the highlight. There's something quintessentially British about these boys, and yes, even though they are British, it wouldn't have taken a genius to work it out. The lyrics of Loveless are filled with anger and discern, and are delivered with the kind of accent that would make Alex Turner sound like he was from Jamaica.
Backwaters picks up from where Bloodsports left off, and the guitar keeps getting louder and weirder. These guys know how to tick the boxes with me, it seems. Gun Crazy recalls early Feeder with its fuzzy guitar tone, and delivers rolling punches to the eardrums with pulsating drum work from Rory Loveless - there is a real QOTSA feel to this track. Having pleasured myself so far with the brand of rock n'roll that Drenge are delivering, I defy anyone to put them in the category of "indie"; they just fucking aren't, so don't categorise them with The Libertines or The View.
I find myself humoured at Drenge's attempt to pay tribute to Muddy Waters' hit I Just Want To Make Love To You through it's antithesis I Don't Want To Make Love To You, which is a nice touch, but I thought may have fit as more of a B-side. Bye Bye Bao Bao takes up about half of it's running time with gruelling, yet delectable feedback, but then you realise it is more of an interlude to segue into what follows.
What does follow is Let's Pretend, an eight minute developing thunderstorm which calls to mind the melodic intensity that Radiohead used to treat us to. Violent screams kick in halfway through and then suddenly, the pace slows down in an attempt to rebuild what has been built. The raw element and cheap-sounding guitar pedals make the record sound less tampered with, and this less refined sound even manages to make something like Let's Pretend not sound dull. Onto Fuckabout, which I thought was Pixies at the time, and is the closest that Drenge get to a lighters-out anthem. It's a curveball of a track to finish the record on, but definitely one of the best.
There will be a new Drenge album this year, and if their lifestyle of relentless touring and a wider experience in the music industry gives them a more cohesive sound, I think they will vastly increase their fanbase, but they have certainly won my attention. In a world of infamous rock duos such as The White Stripes, The Black Keys, Royal Blood and Death From Above 1979, Drenge stick out like a sore thumb, and I think this is because there is true hate in this record, and I believe every word that Eoin Loveless sings. The instrumentation may not be groundbreaking, but there is a passion in here that is missing from some of the aforementioned acts.
Rating: 8/10
Recommended songs: Bloodsports, Gun Crazy, Fuckabout
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