Brother duo Drenge’s debut Undertow is as ominous and threatening as the cover suggests. If you were going to drive your car straight into the woods, this would be the album that would be found in your CD player by the cops the next morning—all the songs make you feel like you want to break sh*t!
A few constants on the album are the solid, rhythmic bass and drums that are the backbone of each song; they give the album a sense of toughness and swagger (yeah, that’s a stupid word, but you get what I’m saying!) There are very few, if any, solos and instead the band focuses on their lyrics.
Each song seems very personal, but they are also coherent with the other songs and they form somewhat of a story. It’s a shame that “We Can Do What We Want” is a DNP because it is by far the best on the album (you can’t tell he’s saying “fuck”, but rules are rules…). Otherwise, “Running Wild” is my favorite; it’s the epitome of what this album is—strong lyrics, heavy bass and drums, 70s metal-esque riff.
Undertow is a little monotonous, but there are a handful of really great songs, and I definitely recommend it.
Recommended If You Like: Black Angels, Queens of the Stone Age, early Rush, some Nirvana, some Led Zeppelin, Arctic Monkeys
Recommended Tracks: 2 (Running Wild), 7 (Side By Side), 10 (Standing in the Cold)
Do Not Play: 4 (We Can Do What We Want), 5 (Favourite Son)
Written by Caroline Roe on 04/17/2015