ALBUM REVIEW: The Drowns – Live At Rebellion (Pirates Press Records)
Over the course of three albums and a whole bunch of singles, The Drowns, from Seattle WA, have become a punk rock ‘n’ roll force to be reckoned with.
But it’s live where they really shine, with their shows always something to savour, not least at Rebellion Festival in Blackpool, where they’ve earned quite a reputation since their first appearance in 2019.
They announced from the stage at last year’s Rebellion that their set was being recorded. Here’s the resulting record, warts and all, just in time for their return to the Winter Gardens for a fourth successive year.
It’s an all-killer, no-filler 12-song set, and perhaps surprisingly the setlist doesn’t lean towards recent third album Blacked Out (reviewed here), with only three of its songs making the cut. It’s more of a ‘greatest hits’ set, with half coming from previous record Under Tension – many people’s introduction to the band.
After starting with two of its singles, Black Lung and the outstanding Wolves On the Throne, they drop in the first new song, Ketamine & Cola, and it doesn’t sound at all out of place among the old favourites.
The other new songs are Blacked Out, which has a great bassline that isn’t obvious on the studio version, and Just the Way She Goes, one of their poppiest songs, but played here with real bite.
In guitarist Aaron ‘Rev’ Peters and bassist Andy Wylie The Drowns have two very able and distinctly different singers, and with drummer Jake Margolis pounding out the beat, they make a formidable noise.
The three original members are joined for this show by new guitarist Christian Martucci (ex-Stone Sour/Black Star Riders). It’s just his second show, and he fits their high-octane style like a glove.
Sadly, only one track from first album View From The Bottom is aired, the still-potent Eternal Debate, and like everything else, it’s a little faster and a lot rawer than the studio version. Cue The Violins is fired out at breakneck pace, as are the likes of Hold Fast and Live Like Yer Dyin’.
As they approach the end there’s a cover of Sweet’s Ballroom Blitz, and they nail it, before finishing in style with Them Rats.
Rev reminds the audience The Drowns will always be an anti-racist, anti-fascist band – a timely message given that day’s shenanigans which saw punks face off with anti-immigrant protesters in the town centre and the venue locked down at one point.
If you’re looking for a favourite new band and have never heard The Drowns, give them a listen, then catch them live, either at Rebellion or on the September UK tour which follows. This is a great representation of what they sound like. 9/10.
- Live At Rebellion is available from Pirates Press Records HERE or direct from The Drowns in a number of eye-catching vinyl variants at Rebellion (they play on Thursday) and on the UK tour which follows.
