#3

The Drones
Gala Mill
(ATP)

The first time that I tried to describe this band to someone was a Dude at Ameoba records. I brought my selections to the register, two of which were Drones records, one as a gift, one for me. I usually stare at the discs or records that I’m getting, judging the reaction of the clerk out of the corner of my eye to see if he (it’s always he) is going to acknowledge my superior musical tastes. He did, but asked what the Drones sounded like. Shit. Now I have to defend my musical tastes and explain my advanced knowledge without sounding like a pretentious record store jerk-off. But what the hell did he want? Reference points? Some trippy genre name (loose nut country blues, BTW)? I stuttered, confused unsure. After all I’ve never heard anything quite like this group before. So: “Uh, they’re Australian so they kind of sound like Midnight Oil if they were totally nuts. Well, not really. Um, they have a lot of quiet parts that go into louder parts.” Jesus. “They’re a bluesy band that’s pretty unusual.” So yeah, I realized that I could do a bit better in this area.

While some of the ramblings that spewed out of my hole kind of make loose sense, there’s plenty more to the band that, by the way, have impressively advanced their craft on their new record Gala Mill. Virtually every song begins subdued serving as a counterpoint to their careening, explosive moments of rock borrowing from everything from country to blues to garage to surf. While it sounds simple, virtually every song begins fresh and sounds nothing anything I’ve heard. But as good their crusty, gritty rock ‘n roll gets, the crucial aspect is Gareth Liddiard. His voice is unlike anything I’ve heard on record, a complete ball of emotion – quiet when it needs to be, but a massive howl when the grips of passion and noise overwhelm. Although at times it’s a voice that seems to be having a transcendent moment, head in the clouds, feet unable to touch ground, somehow he reigns in the band and provides the Drones incredible direction and tone.

Now, while calling them a cooler Midnight Oil, probably won’t win them many fans, the Drones are a top band from a country that has a hell of a reputation for incredible rock and roll – from Radio Birdman to AC/DC to the Birthday Party. You can add another band to the list.