Can you spare 10 minutes? You’re busy, of course. You’ve got your main job, your evening job, your hobby that Instagram has convinced you to turn into a side-hustle. You’ve got a social life – when you can fit it in – and then somewhere among all that you have to eat and sleep and water your plants. Your day is stacked. That said…surely you can spare 10 minutes?
You can? Great! Here’s how you should spend it:
You should listen to ‘Tawny’, the brand new EP from US-based punk-rock agitators Drug Church. You should hit play on ‘Head Off’ and let the opening feedback and distorted drums fill your ears before the effects-drenched guitars and driving bass help usher in Patrick Kindlon’s signature half-sung, half-spoken vocal delivery. You’ll surely agree that his sardonic lyrics are as on point as ever, with standout lines such as, “Sometimes the collective wisdom of strangers can put a smart man squarely in danger”. God, that’s clever. Bet you wish you’d thought of that.
Following this, you should enjoy the Pixies-but-hardcore stylings of the EP’s title track, the sneering lurch of short-but-sweet ‘Bliss Out’, and a pretty faithful cover of ‘Remember To Forget’ by ’90s emo / punk / shoegaze trio Arcwelder, albeit with beefier production thanks to the wonders of modern technology.
There isn’t really much else to say about this short but undeniably solid record. This review has already taken almost three times as long to write as ‘Tawny’ takes to listen to. If you’re already a fan of this band then you’ll find that this EP feels like a natural progression from their stunning 2018 album ‘Cheer’, packing all the shimmering atmospheres, crunchy distorted riffs, propulsive rhythms and sarcastically poetic lyrics you’ve already come to love.
If, on the other hand, you’ve never heard Drug Church before…surely you can spare 10 minutes?
LIAM KNOWLES