The Drums show how to keep a band alive

graphic by Eric Zhong In the late 2000s, the New York-based indie-pop group The Drums was one of the most talked-about acts in the indie music world. After a rough period in its career, the musical project — now a solo act by frontman Johnny Pierce — has released their fifth album “Brutalism,” out April 5. The band, which takes heavy inspiration from early 1980s pop and alternative as well as surf music, originally consisted of four members, with the majority of the creative influence coming from its co-founders: vocalist Johnny Pierce and multi-instrumentalist Jacob Graham. They served as the main songwriters for a number of records, including their EP “Summertime!” (2009), acclaimed debut album “The Drums” (2010), the sophomore effort “Portamento” (2011), and follow-up “Encyclopedia” (2014). But as time went on, the love The Drums show how to keep a band alive

they received started to fade. The sound they were going for did not really differ from song to song, nor from record to record, and people began to get bored with their style. The critical acclaim sank as their career moved forward. Two years after the release of “Encyclopedia” and the relatively well-received single “I Can’t Pretend,” Graham left the group. Tensions within the group had already seen the departure of guitarist Adam Kessler and drummer- guitarist Connor Hanwick. As the last remaining member, Pierce made do and worked with very little outside influence. Sticking with the project’s name, he decided The Drums was ready for a new chapter. After moving from New York to Los Angeles, Pierce personally wrote and recorded everything on the band’s fourth album “Abysmal Thoughts” (2017). This record definitely did not get the same amount of negative feedback as the group’s previous album. The overall sound did not change much. While the catchiness of the songs was still there, there was surely room for improvement. Fast-forward two years, and the new record from The Drums is here: “Brutalism.” Even from the late 2018 release of the lead single “Body Chemistry,” one could tell that something was different and that Pierce was going to lead the album in a new and adventurous musical direction. He made use of diverse electronic instruments rather than relying heavily on guitars. Stringed instruments pop up in songs here and there, but they do not carry the main melodies like in previous albums. Instead, they’re used more like musical enhancers that are layered behind the main melody. The other instrumental aspects, with unexpected effects and unique sounds appearing every so often, add an innovative layer to their sound. It’s certainly The Drums’ most colorful and somewhat pop-esque record to date. But it’s not only the instrumentation that feels different — it’s Pierce himself. This album feels like his most personal. He’s always talked about relationships and emotions in other tracks, but on “Brutalism,” it finally seems like he means it. Upon the announcement of this record, Pierce stated that the themes of the album would be centered around self-care. This definitely shows in his song lyrics’ focus on trying to better himself: “626 Bedford Avenue” focuses on a failed relationship with an insecure significant other, and thinking that he can’t resist repeating his pattern of emotional vulnerability even while being aware it’s not his fault that he can’t reciprocate. “Kiss It Away” sheds light on his feeling that his personal issues need to be absolved by someone else in a romantic relationship, even if the relationship may just be a physical distraction rather than true resolution; and “Blip of Joy” focuses on the healing ecstacy of love, even if it’s possibly transient and fragile. The Drums show how to keep a band alive

“Brutalism” is a solid release by The Drums. It shows effort, care, and improvement on all fronts, with the melodic beauty of past material retained. It’s an indie-pop joy with each track having its own character. It’s bubbly, punchy, and passionate. It’s safe to say that Pierce has dug The Drums out of the hole that its moniker has fallen into. This album isn’t the last of Pierce — and it hopefully won’t be the final chapter of The Drums.