The Drums (album)

Last updated
The Drums
The-Drums-album-artwork.jpg
Studio album by
the Drums
ReleasedJune 7, 2010
RecordedNew York
Genre Indie rock, indie pop, post-punk revival, new wave, surf rock
Length43:15
Label Moshi Moshi/Island
Producer Jonathan Pierce
The Drums chronology
Summertime! EP
(2009)		The Drums
(2010)		 Portamento
(2011)
Singles from The Drums
  1. "Best Friend"
    Released: March 28, 2010
  2. "Me and the Moon"
    Released: May 31, 2010
  3. "Let's Go Surfing (reissue)"
    Released: August 12, 2010
  4. "Forever and Ever, Amen"
    Released: December 12, 2010

The Drums is the debut studio album by American indie pop band The Drums. It was released June 7, 2010, on Moshi Moshi and Island Records. The album contains the singles "Let's Go Surfing," "Best Friend," "Me and the Moon" and "Forever and Ever, Amen" as well as "Down By The Water," which had previously been released as part of the band's Summertime! EP.

Contents

Recording

The album was recorded in Jacob Graham's apartment in Florida, the band's apartment in New York City, and in a shack in Woodstock, New York.

Reception

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.0/10 [1]
Metacritic 73/100 [2]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [3]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [4]
The Independent Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]
Mojo Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [6]
NME 8/10 [7]
Pitchfork 7.5/10 [8]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [9]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [10]
Spin 8/10 [11]
The Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [12]

The album has had positive reviews. Jamie Fullerton of NME said, "The Drums have proved... there's still a hurricane of heartsore life in guitar pop." It also highlighted "Book of Stories," "Down by the Water" and "Skippin' Town" as particularly good tracks. [7] BBC music critic Si Hawkins noted how the band utilizes influences from the Manchester music scene (Morrisey, Phil Spector, Peter Hook) for its tracks and encapsulate them through lyrics reminiscent of John Hughes films, saying they "skillfully conjure[s] a time long before credit crunches, when the most important thing in the world was your current squeeze." [13] Q gave the album 4 stars, saying that "The Drums provide its steadiest beat in years" when referring to the album's impact on the indie music genre. [9] Paul Neeson from The Skinny said of the record, "whilst at times as deep as the proverbial puddle is wildly infectious in its vivid sense of carpe diem," concluding that "They may well turn to vapour and disappear in the dawn of 2011; however, for now, as a guilty indulgence or otherwise, score your summer to the sound of The Drums." [14]

Andy Gill of The Independent praised the band's new wave-inspired musicianship and Pierce's vocal performance but was wary of their "brittle artifice" and "disingenuous innocence" throughout the track listing, concluding that "they probably needn't worry about coming up with enough material for That Difficult Second Album; but next time, they might try polishing the songs a bit more." [5] The Guardian 's Dorian Lynskey admired the band for attempting to recapture the innocence of 80s indie music but criticized their musical charm for being spread thin and coming across as a formulaic imitation, concluding that "the Drums confuse sincerity with banality, and sweetness with sap, and end up recalling a less flattering label from alternative music's faltering adolescence: indie schmindie." [4] Jon Dolan of Rolling Stone commended the band's concept of post-Ian Curtis New Order making Beach Boys songs, highlighting "Best Friend" for bringing "genuine gloom" to the proceedings, but felt "the forlorn-bubblegum formula feels vapid stretched over an album." [10]

Singles

Track listing

All tracks are written by Jonny Pierce, except where noted

No.TitleLength
1."Best Friend" (Jonny Pierce, Jacob Graham)3:26
2."Me and the Moon" (Pierce, Graham)3:12
3."Let's Go Surfing"2:56
4."Book of Stories"3:38
5."Skippin' Town"3:22
6."Forever and Ever, Amen" (Pierce, Graham)4:24
7."Down by the Water"3:33
8."It Will All End in Tears"3:44
9."We Tried"3:45
10."I Need Fun in My Life"3:27
11."I'll Never Drop My Sword"3:43
12."The Future" (Pierce, Connor Hanwick)4:09
iTunes bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
13."When I Come Home" (Bonus Track)3:41
14."Best Friend" (Music Video)3:33

Personnel

Adapted credits from the media notes of The Drums. [15]

Charts

Charts (2011)Peak
position
Ireland (IRMA) [16] 29
Belgium (Ultratop) [16] 44
Norway (Norwegian Albums Chart) [16] 30
France (French Albums Chart) [16] 100
UK (The Official Charts Company) [16] 19
US (Billboard Top Heatseekers) [17] 17

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [18] Gold100,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bloc Party</span> English indie rock band

Bloc Party are an English rock band that was formed in London in 1999 by co-founders Kele Okereke and Russell Lissack. Their first four albums all featured Gordon Moakes (bass) and Matt Tong (drums), who have since left the band. Their current lineup also contains Louise Bartle and Harry Deacon. Their brand of music, whilst rooted in rock, retains elements of other genres such as electronica and house music.

<i>Up All Night</i> (Razorlight album) 2004 studio album by Razorlight

Up All Night is the debut album by English indie rock band Razorlight, released on 28 June 2004. The album was mainly recorded at Sawmills Studio and mixed at Sphere Studios by John Cornfield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fell in Love with a Girl</span> 2002 single by The White Stripes

"Fell in Love with a Girl" is a song by the American rock band the White Stripes, written by the band and produced by Jack White for the band's third studio album, White Blood Cells (2001). Released as the album's second single in February 2002, it peaked at number 21 on both the US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart and the UK Singles Chart. It was also the band's first single to reach the U.S. Alternative Songs chart, peaking at number 12.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Everyday I Love You Less and Less</span> 2005 single by Kaiser Chiefs

"Everyday I Love You Less and Less" is a song by English indie rock band Kaiser Chiefs. It is the opening track on their first album, Employment (2005), and was released on the B-Unique label as the album's third single on 16 May 2005. The song peaked at number 10 on the UK Singles Chart, their second top-10 single of the year. Outside the UK, the song peaked at number 52 in the Netherlands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Au Revoir Simone</span> American indie pop band

Au Revoir Simone is an American indie pop band from Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2003. The group is composed of Erika Forster (vocals/keyboard), Annie Hart (vocals/keyboard/bass) and Heather D'Angelo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luke Steele (musician)</span> Australian singer-songwriter (born 1979)

Luke James Steele is a New Zealand born musician, singer and songwriter. Steele is the vocalist and primary songwriter of the alternative rock band the Sleepy Jackson and is a member of the electronic music duo Empire of the Sun.

<i>Pull the Pin</i> 2007 studio album by Stereophonics

Pull the Pin is the sixth studio album by Welsh rock band Stereophonics, released by V2 in the UK on 12 October 2007. A Stereophonics newsletter released the Pull the Pin album artwork to subscribers. The cover was also shown to Myspace users that had added the band in a bulletin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Late of the Pier</span> English dance-punk band

Late of the Pier was an English four-piece dance-punk band from Castle Donington, signed to Parlophone. Their debut album Fantasy Black Channel, produced by Erol Alkan, was released in 2008 by Parlophone.

<i>Velocifero</i> 2008 album by Ladytron

Velocifero is the fourth studio album by English electronic music band Ladytron and their first to be released by Nettwerk. The album was first released digitally on 19 May 2008, followed by a physical release on 2 June in the United Kingdom and on 3 June elsewhere.

<i>Luna</i> (The Aliens album) 2008 studio album by The Aliens

Luna is the second album by the Scottish band The Aliens. It was released on Monday 29 September 2008, preceded by a new single, 'Magic Man', on Monday 22 September. Both releases came out on the band’s own record label, Pet Rock Records. "Boats" is reworked version of a song by the same name on the Lone Pigeon 2004 album Schoozzzmmii. Besides being more hi-fi, the Alien's arrangement is also more filled out and slightly more up tempo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kiss with a Fist</span> 2008 single by Florence and the Machine

"Kiss with a Fist" is the debut single by indie rock band Florence and the Machine, taken from their debut studio album Lungs (2009). The single was released through Moshi Moshi Records on 9 June 2008 in the UK and was then released four months later on 6 October 2008 through IAMSOUND Records in the US. The B-side to "Kiss with a Fist" is a cover version of the Cold War Kids song "Hospital Beds".

<i>Lungs</i> (album) 2009 studio album by Florence and the Machine

Lungs is the debut studio album by English indie rock band Florence and the Machine, released on 3 July 2009 by Island Records. After working on various projects, Florence Welch formed a band which included Robert Ackroyd, Chris Hayden, Mark Saunders, Tom Monger, and former collaborator Isabella Summers. The album features production from James Ford, Paul Epworth, Stephen Mackey, Eg White and Charlie Hugall, with additional production by band member Isabella Summers. The album has been reissued several times: an expanded version titled Between Two Lungs (2010), a digital EP subtitled The B-Sides (2011), and a Tenth Anniversary Edition (2019).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Drums</span> American indie pop band

The Drums is an American indie pop band from New York City. The band was initially formed by Jonathan Pierce and Jacob Graham as Goat Explosion, and later added Adam Kessler and Connor Hanwick. Graham exited the band in 2016. Since then, the band has operated as a solo project of sole remaining member Jonathan Pierce.

<i>Butterfly House</i> (album) 2010 studio album by The Coral

Butterfly House is the sixth full-length studio album by English indie rock band The Coral. The album was produced by John Leckie, whose previous collaborators include The Stone Roses and Radiohead. and was recorded at RAK studios in London as well as Rockfield in South Wales. It was released on 12 July 2010 to great critical acclaim. The album was recorded through a two-year span where the band road-tested the material. This is The Coral's first album without Bill Ryder-Jones, who departed in 2008. It peaked at #16 in the UK Album Charts but has since been a consistent seller for Deltasonic Records. The single, "1000 Years", reached #188 on the UK Singles Chart.

<i>Credo</i> (The Human League album) 2011 studio album by the Human League

Credo is the ninth studio album by English synth-pop band the Human League, released on 21 March 2011 by Wall of Sound. It was their first studio album since Secrets (2001). It was produced by fellow Sheffield act I Monster.

<i>Pala</i> (album) 2011 studio album by Friendly Fires

Pala is the second album from British alternative dance band Friendly Fires. It was released in the UK on 16 May 2011, and charted at number 6 on the UK Albums Chart. The album name comes from Aldous Huxley's final novel Island, which tells the story of a journalist shipwrecked on the fictional island of Pala, which supports a utopian society. The scarlet macaw photograph was chosen from the private collection of Norwegian fashion photographer Sølve Sundsbø.

<i>Skying</i> 2011 studio album by The Horrors

Skying is the third studio album by British band The Horrors. The album was released on 11 July 2011 in the UK and on 9 August 2011 in the USA on XL Recordings.

<i>Portamento</i> (album) 2011 studio album by The Drums

Portamento is the second studio album by American indie pop band The Drums. The album was released in the United Kingdom on September 2, 2011 through Moshi Moshi and Island Records and was preceded by the release of lead single "Money" on August 19, 2011.

<i>Birdy</i> (Birdy album) 2011 studio album by Birdy

Birdy is the debut studio album by English musician Birdy, released on 4 November 2011 by 14th Floor Records and Atlantic Records. The album includes the singles "Skinny Love", "Shelter", "People Help the People" and "1901".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashton Irwin</span> Australian drummer

Ashton Fletcher Irwin is an Australian musician, best known as the drummer of the pop rock band 5 Seconds of Summer. Since 2014, 5 Seconds of Summer have sold more than 10 million albums, sold over 2 million concert tickets worldwide, and the band's songs streams surpass 7 billion, making them one of the most successful Australian musical exports in history.

References

  1. ↑ "The Drums by The Drums reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Reviews for The Drums by The Drums". Metacritic . Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  3. ↑ Phares, Heather. "The Drums – The Drums". AllMusic . Retrieved July 14, 2011.
  4. 1 2 Lynskey, Dorian (May 27, 2010). "The Drums: The Drums". The Guardian . London. Retrieved July 14, 2011.
  5. 1 2 Gill, Andy (June 4, 2010). "Album: The Drums, The Drums (Moshi Moshi/Island)". The Independent . London. Archived from the original on January 22, 2012. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  6. ↑ "The Drums: The Drums". Mojo (200): 94. July 2010.
  7. 1 2 Fullerton, Jamie (June 7, 2010). "Album review: The Drums – 'The Drums' (Moshi Moshi)". NME . Archived from the original on June 11, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2011.
  8. ↑ Berman, Stuart (June 8, 2010). "The Drums: The Drums". Pitchfork . Retrieved July 14, 2011.
  9. 1 2 "The Drums: The Drums". Q (288): 134. July 2010.
  10. 1 2 Dolan, Jon (September 14, 2010). "The Drums: The Drums". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on September 14, 2010. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  11. ↑ Kornhaber, Spencer (August 23, 2010). "The Drums, 'The Drums' (Downtown)". Spin . Archived from the original on January 20, 2012. Retrieved July 14, 2011.
  12. ↑ "The Drums: The Drums" . The Times . London. May 28, 2010. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  13. ↑ Hawkins, Si. "Review of The Drums - The Drums". BBC. Retrieved July 14, 2011.
  14. ↑ Neeson, Paul (June 1, 2010). "The Drums – The Drums". The Skinny . Retrieved July 14, 2011.
  15. ↑ The Drums (media notes). The Drums. Moshi Moshi. Island. 2010. 2736909.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 "The Drums - Albums Chart". αCharts.
  17. ↑ "The Drums - Charts and Awards". AllMusic .
  18. ↑ "British album certifications – Drums – The Drums". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved May 28, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.