Album review: The Drums -- The Drums

Better late than never, eh?
HYPE can either make or break a band. In the case of four-piece The Drums, the hype machine has gone into overdrive.
Luckily for us, it’s done little to alter their ability to make refreshing, joyous music.
Last year’s superb Summertime! EP showcased The Drums as perfect pop-making machines and gave us some of the songs of the year in Submarine, I Felt So Stupid and breakthrough hit Let’s Go Surfing.
The EP, though released in October, propelled UK listeners to a warmer place and now the summer’s actually here, let’s see if their debut long player matches the standard they’ve set themselves.
Sadly and surprisingly, there is no place for Submarine or I Felt So Stupid, but the fantastic I’ll Never Drop My Sword and Me and the Moon make a much-welcomed appearance.
Album opener Best Friend is arguably one of the best pop songs of the year. It’s drenched in Morrissey-esque melancholy - lead singer Jonathan Pierce wails in his distinctive vocals “you’re my best friend, but then you died” - with a rolling, infectious drum beat and the most simple of guitar riffs. Its charm is in its minimalism.
Throughout the album, most of the songs revolve around the theme of love.
Me and the Moon tells of a stressful and turbulent relationship that keeps on rolling because of the undying love for one another and the majestic Forever and Ever Amen shows The Drums at their fullest, with Pierce triumphantly declaring that he and his love are unstoppable - it's going to last “forever and ever and ever and ever.”
There is a downside to the album, for all its high points. We Tried seems rushed and should have been titled We Tired. It could easily have been replaced with, say, a meatier cut like Submarine.
It Will All End In Tears is the album’s stand out track. It’s not quintessentially Drums-y. It’s strained rather than airy pop and shows Pierce at his most vulnerable, fearing the death of a relationship. The music is reminiscent of Joy Division, (think Closer), and early New Order and without doubt takes strong influence from their 80s counterparts.
The album concludes with The Future, the album’s biggest and most layered effort.
It’s an ideal way to round things up but ultimately leaves the listener wanting more.
Pierce’s vocals climb higher as the song progresses and the jingling glockenspiel in the background shows the band isn’t afraid to tap into its creative side. It's also the only song on the album that's co-written between Pierce and Conor Hanwick, so hopefully we can look forward to what Hanwick has to offer in, well, the "future". It’s another highlight.
But this leaves us asking what’s next for The Drums? Surely another album of summery pop isn’t going to work? The worrying aspect is their lifespan. How can they progress from this? It’s an interesting question and if they’re going to want to obtain longevity, they’re going to have to tap into originality. They’ve admitted themselves they’re not an original band, just trying to bring music back that shouldn’t have gone away in the first place.
This is ideal for the time being, but isn’t going to “last forever and ever and ever and ever.”
Now though, Pierce and co have the world at their fingertips and there's no sign they're going to let that slip.

Let's Go Surfing:



Best Friend:



Forever and Ever Amen: