October Drift - I Don't Belong Anywhere
Taunton’s finest hit new heights on their sophomore record, coming in bigger, bolder and brighter than ever.
Imagine this. You’ve formed a band with your mates who you’ve known since you were teenagers. It's a slow burn, you play gigs up and down the country and sleep on floors or, if you’re really lucky, a sofa. You take your time, finally recording and then releasing your debut album almost five years after you got together.
All good so far, right? Well what if I told you that said record (the brilliant Forever, Whatever) was released less than eight weeks before a lockdown that saw promotion and tours being halted and momentum coming to a shuddering halt. The frustration, the annoyance and anger would finish off most bands. However, for October Drift it proved to a driving force of inspiration.
Writing and recording in their own studio once restrictions were lifted proved to be a god send, the band have clearly honed their craft and with producers Justin Lockey (Editors, Mastersystem, Minor Victories) and Paul Gregory (Lanterns On The Lake, EERA) they’ve recorded a darker, grungier album.
Airborne Panic Attack launches the record like an F-16 fighter jet taking off. Some strong Captain era Idlewild and Fugazi influences as the guitars bleed through the speakers, turn the fucker up loud and you’re good to go.
Waltzer is a sing built for the stage. It’s ready made for an audience to scream the chorus back at the band 'I don't think I'm coming back' is already being sang in the Evans household, get ready to join in.
How an album flows is a big thing for me, this album gets it bang on. Bleed arrives at the halfway point, it’s brooding, evocative, a real grown up song. It absolutely points to a strong future and is better than anything Pearl Jam have released in the last decade.
The pandemic raises its ugly head but in a beautiful refrain during Webcam Funerals, a song written about a friend who had lost their battle with cancer during lockdown meaning that friends and family weren’t able to be there for the funeral.
Parasite is incredibly dark, some big In Utero vibes across this song, maybe some Smashing Pumpkins too, Ever After also has a lovely grunge feel to it, building up to a crushing chorus, it is going to be another song that soars when played live
Old And Distant Memory closes the record beautifully. It is mournful yet still full of hope, you can almost hear singer Kiran Roy’s heart breaking, stunning work ‘I’m an old and distant memory, I got cold and you got bored of me’
Two albums in then and October Drift aren’t drifting, they are flying. I Don’t Belong Anywhere? Nonsense, this album belongs EVERYWHERE! Go and buy it.
Out now on Physical Education Recordings.
10/10
