The Drones - ATP Custom Made

I've had a weird not-sure-if-I-like-'em-or-not thing going on with The Drones. When I first listened to them I thought they were just a bit off an unimaginative Bad Seeds knock-off, maybe putting more effort in than most (or more specifically, the uber-Cave likes of Sons & Daughters), but still not doing much for me. However a few months after that they put on such a vicious and loud show at the Dirty Three curated All Tomorrow's Parties that they completely changed my mind. They were hot as shit can get, and I seem to remember a rather wasted friend telling me that they were 'too intense by half' and going off to do something else. Anyway so i'm a rather pessimistic fellow on occasion, so I figured that half of my enjoyment might have been down to the being-drunk-makes-everything-sound-good effect, but THANKFULLY this latest release has confirmed the fact that yes, they are fucking good. They've definitely got that Bad Seeds thing going on, but there's also a ballsy MC5/Radio Birdman style sense of rumbling rock styling going on, and even hints of Blue Oyster Cult/Blue Cheer-esque psych organ fuckery in the mix.

This new release, as you might have guesses from the lovely Michael Motorcycle artwork, is the first in a new series from the ATP Recordings part of the All Tomorrow's Parties foundation/society/whateveryouwannacallit (Mr Motorcycle is responsible for much of their tremendous artwork on posters, websites etc). Custom Made will be a series of double 7" vinyl releases in which their artists will present four songs; something old (an old song), something new (can you guess?), something borrowed (a cover) and something blue (a blues song, a song with the word blue in the title, etc). They're limited to a thousand a piece and from the looks of the artwork for this one as well as the excellent contents, they're gonna be pretty nice items to collect...other possible bands could include Bardo Pond, Death Vessel, Deerhoof, Fuck Buttons and Australia's own The Scientists. Here's a track from The Drones single; see if you likey. More info on the ATP site.

The Drones - Cockeyed Lowlife of the Highlands