The Drones - any good (also Tropical Fuck Storm content here)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21bEUXmM2OM

another great single and new album Braindrops is out August 23

tracklist:
Paradise
The Planet of Straw Men
Who's My Eugene?
The Happiest Guy Around
Maria 62
Braindrops
Aspirin
Desert Sands of Venus
Maria 63

the appropriately nightmarish cover art is on apple music

I like "Paradise" but it feels like a step back into Dronesland, hoping they push the synths + drum machines further along as well (as indicated by "Happiest Guy Around")

despite the incredible recent live show my expectations for this record aren't so high based on the three songs i've now heard, but hopefully there will be some bangers

i don't see any reason to be worried, "Patience" is more trad-Drones for sure but it still feels like a step above a lot of Drones songs in that vein in the way it builds and dissolves into noise, it's more like a longer "You Let My Tyres Down" really. "The Planet of Straw Men" was excellent too

it would be cool if there was a track where Gareth wasn't on lead vox this time around

(nothing against Gareth, it's just they could use their own "Work For Me" style showstopper)

anything more in the vein of the stayin' alive cover would be extremely welcome and is what i want from them more than anything else

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88do5cmxHsI

Simon gets his wish but this one kinda drags until the bridge which manages to redeem it

slinky!

this is def more the direction I wanna hear them go. Now very curious about the back half of the new record, the first four tracks are just as all over the place as the first record was.

Goddamn I am in love with that guitar and bass sound!

album is out there a lil early

Title track an obvious highlight, a funkier sequel to "Rubber Bullies"

"Paradise" remains a baffling, plodding opener/single and the album would be better off with it lopped off

There's potential in the slower numbers but the songwriting is no longer on point throughout. I like 'Paradise', though.

yeah feels like it could have used a little more time in the oven (what was the rush?). "Maria 63" is gorgeous, tho

Yeah, 'Maria 63' is the album highlight for me.

yeah but it still goes on a tiny bit too long

album is *nowhere near* as good as the last one, they should have really taken longer

Paradise is by far my favourite track off the new one.

"Who's My Eugene" has really grown on me, I think it's one of their best songs tbh

Only listened to the new album once but generally agree that the two previously released tracks are the strongest, the title track is fantastic and the opener is a bit plodding. But will need further spins to dig deeper.

I'm really too fond of knee-jerk rearranging of album tracklists but this I'm perfectly happy with this: Braindrops / Planet / Eugene / Maria 62 / Happiest Guy Around / Aspirin / Maria 63

That plays to me like a satisfying quickie followup freeing them up to take a stretch their legs a bit on the next one. (Still v stoked to catch them live this fall)

i still don't get all the complaints about "paradise", it's one of the highlights for me. it's a great melody and i wouldn't mind if they did a whole album of drones-but-noisier tracks like it, they really push things to a level the drones rarely reached.

the new version of "the happiest guy around" (https://famousclass.bandcamp.com/track/the-happiest-guy-around is the old version) is much stronger and noisier and "who's my eugene" has grown on me a lot.

overall i agree it's a slight step down from the debut but i still like it a lot. the only weak spot for me is "aspirin"/"desert sands of venus"

the new version of "the happiest guy around" (https://famousclass.bandcamp.com/track/the-happiest-guy-around is the old version) is much stronger and noisier

I just did an A/B comparison and I don't think they're different takes, but the LP version is mixed slightly louder. Either way, it's a good'un.

yeah it is the same take i think but that guitar or synth line is mixed louder & has more distortion i think? that really makes a big difference for me

this is growing a little on me this time around

paradise was always good imo

Seems like maybe the new songs have fewer hooks, and are more in dramatic storytelling mode.

These guys will be playing here in a few weeks, probably going to go.

Y'all had me a little concerned but I like the relatively amorphous, splodgy bits in the middle section ("Maria 62", "Desert Sands...", "Aspirin") just fine. And you can add me to the "how is "Paradise' not a highlight?" column too.

Paradise is probably their hugest, noisiest track overall. It hits really hard.

Argh they’re playing in LA next week but I can’t make it. They’re on a very short list of bands I’d actually make time to see live.

Definitely catching them here next month. They're playing my favorite, teensiest local venue, too.

I've now listened to this all of one time. Anyone who is disappointed in this is massively wrong. It's great.

Hard to say yet if it has highs as high as Tyres, Soft Power, or Rubber Bullies. But it's solid all the way through and I think if this was the first thing you'd ever heard by them you'd be properly impressed.

I like how the backing vocals have become more harmonized

Will be seein dem in NY

I feel like I might need more distance and listens to make up for the fact that almost the entire first half was released in advance. I do agree that the vocal harmonies are more impressive on this one, just don't think that extends to the songwriting as a whole.

Got my ticket to the Austin show.

I guess I'm glad I didn't hear any of it before today. It sounded pretty damn good. The first one may well be better, but not by a lot.

I feel like I might need more distance and listens to make up for the fact that almost the entire first half was released in advance. I do agree that the vocal harmonies are more impressive on this one, just don't think that extends to the songwriting as a whole.

― Simon H., Saturday, August 24, 2019 bookmarkflaglink

I get that. The only advance track I really spent time with was Planet of Straw Men, which does stand out from the rest of the album for now. But I’ve been playing this incessantly since yesterday slams a lot of the other songs are getting better and better with more familiarity.

I love that "Who's My Eugene?" is (at least allegorically) a love song about the Brian Wilson-Eugene Landy relationship.

Listening to both albums a lot in the last few days. My very favorite songs—Tyres, Antimatter Animals, Soft Power, and Rubber Bullies—are on the first record. But I realize that I spend the other tracks biding time until these big monster tracks hit. Whereas on the new album I think the whole thing flows much better from beginning to end. I’m
Never bored or distracted on the new album.

The Happiest Guy Around is a jam. Almost like some kind of skronk disco.

Also, I like seeing the goofy junk robot from The Black Hole popping up on the cover

ILM having very little discussion about songs like "Paradise" ITT while that balloon song is raised to instant meme status is one of the all time low points of my experience on these boards.

I don't have a ton to say other than this album is really good all the way through.

i agree that the album is great that that i i don't have anything to actually add beyond that. i never have anything more to say other than "i like this" so i ain't really mad

haven’t seen the Drones since abt 2006, if ppl say TFS should be seen this tour I will go on Tuesday

I like seeing the goofy junk robot from The Black Hole popping up on the cover

Ha! I was struggling to remember why that was familiar. Nice.

"Paradise" is huge and dope

Feels like TFS is finally "breaking" on this tour - lots of energy, people know the songs. Been a fan of The Drones since '06 or whenever, lovely to see them getting their due. The live chemistry is truly great. "Rubber Bullies" is just an unbelievably great song.

haven’t seen the Drones since abt 2006, if ppl say TFS should be seen this tour I will go on Tuesday

as i've probably said already, tfs are one of the best live bands i've ever seen

Saw them at a small club last night, they absolutely blew the doors off. Huge energy throughout. One live element that doesn't come across on the albums is just how fucking hard the drummer pounds the drums, just completely non-stop. I have no idea how someone maintains that much energy.

One slight disappointment was that they only played 3 songs from the new one.