The Drums are back with abysmal thoughts. The follow-up to Encyclopedie (2014) is their fourth album and the first album without guitarist Jacob Graham. It is also their first album released under Anti record label. It was just a matter of time when this Brooklyn band will get signed to an established label.
Two childhood friends are not in the band anymore, but The Drums have managed to pull off their most complete record yet. To be more precise, Jonny Pierce pulled it off, as he is the author of all the lyrics and all the music here, with a bit of help from Jonathan Schenke (Parquet Courts, Mannequin Pussy).
The music energy of the band remains unchanged, inspired by indie pop of the 80s (The Wave, Beach Boys, The Smiths). Abysmal is radiating sunny, surf rock melodies that hide confrontation with topics more serious than we are used from them. The Drums have made a step forward from teenage problems, while revitalization of 70s and 80s legends is a syndrome we are accustomed to.
The unique connection of happiness and sadness, and light and dark, graces the sound of this band, yet Abysmal is the first time they dive deeper into these dichotomies. It took them eight years to incorporate complex themes into their music and offer details that force listener to return in order to process them fully. To record a dance indie-disco hit was never a big problem for them, and they are rich in catchy melodies (it is interesting that The Drums are most shazamed band), so I am super stoked that they are finally making their content more substantial. The sprinkle of full blooded humor and the absence of cynicism makes them sound mature.
The best examples of all the above written are promotional single Blood Under My Belt (I know very well that I have blood under my belt) that is also the best track on the album, and painfully candid Head Of The Horse. Another gorgeous ballade is If All We Share (Means Nothing), while title track Abysmal Thoughts closes the album and explains the hints in the album title.
Although this is their most personal record yet, you will still be able to quickly meet its ideas and concepts (both lyrically and instrumentally), so it might become tedious over short period of time. Among twelve songs, there are some fillers, and there is also an issue of predictable arrangements and structures. However, The Drums have polished their style and made it a bit more challenging for the listener. Encyclopedia might have been a mishap in their discography, but Abysmal Thoughts compensates for it.
