The Drones - Wait Long By The River...

MINE

He does this all the time.  He buys music, and then says "Oh, I bought this and it sounds good" and then I never hear about it again.  Which is why we really needed this project.  Because here we are, almost at the end of the task, and I'm still finding albums I swear I've never heard of tucked away in the drawers.  Sheesh.

Anyway, this isn't bad.  It's not really my kind of music, but I wouldn't object if it was on. It's the sort of bluesy rock that gives YourZ a thrill, so I can see why it's here.  But I wouldn't grab the CD out of choice.

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN

YOURZ

I forgot about this band.  I seriously forgot.  

I bought this CD after reading about it and seeing lead singer/songwriter Gareth Liddiard on RocKwiz.  Wait Long By The River and the Bodies of Your Enemies Will Float By is uncompromising in its raw, passionate delivery, so much so its release in 2005 garnered the band best release at the inaugural Australian Music Prize that year.

But this isn't why I forgot about it.

I saw a snippet of the band doing this album in its entirety at the All Tomorrow's Party Festival in 2009 and the performance is pure, intense and massive.  I was totally blown away by the band.  The only comparison I have of this is seeing Nick Cave live at the Enmore many years ago.  Again, it is uncompromising in its raw emotion.  Watch a bit of here and you'll see what I mean.  

But this isn't why I forgot about it.

You see, I bought the CD, got it home, copied onto the iPod and then put it away.  With well over six and half thousand songs on it, I forgot about The Drones.  Completely...  Thankfully, Mine found it when doing the last scout through the collection to see if there was anything we missed.  

This is the sounds of a band happy in the mire, where the rest of us flounder.  This is a band comfortable putting everyone on edge, with stirring up the cobwebs and muck.  This is band making brilliant uneasy listening music.  It's not blues nor is it rock or punk.  What it is, is unforgettable.

And I forgot about it.  This won't happen again.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information go to http://thedrones.com.au/