Sunday, August 13, 2006

CD Review:
The Drams’ Jubilee Dive

BY SEAN MOORES (HICKORYWIND.ORG)

When you find a formula you like, it can be hard to accept its change. Though I rarely have one anymore, I enjoy the taste of an ice-cold Coca-Cola. But, and I freely admit that this might merely be nostalgia talking, I enjoyed the taste of Coke even more back when it was commonly found in glass bottles. So far, that’s how I’m feeling about The Drams.

Formed in the wake of the breakup of ragged-but-right Texas alt-country band Slobberbone, The Drams comprise three of Slobberbone’s four members: Lead singer/songwriter/guitarist Brent Best, lead guitarist Jess Barr and drummer Tony Harper. One thing is still the same: Best still writes the material. The big changes to the previous formula are the subtraction of Slobberbone bassist Brian Lane and the addition of singer/bassist Keith Killoren and singer/keyboardist Chad Stockslager from Dallas band Budapest One. Adding two new musicians (and one instrument) to the equation noticeably changes the dynamic. What the new band is doing is fine, but in a way it just makes you long for the band you were used to that much more. So my apologies in advance to those readers who are more receptive to change, because the S-word will come up again.

What the new band is doing on its debut, Jubilee Dive, is changing its focus from alt-country or even country-rock to primarily rock with a splash of pop (in the good sense of that word). It’s a formula that, while different than Slobberbone, might ultimately prove to be more successful for Best & Co.

The personnel changes give The Drams vocal capabilities that Slobberbone never had. And the addition of organ to the mix gives the music that cool, shimmering undercurrent that has been the backbone of many of anthemic rock’s practitioners, Tom Petty prominent among them. For some, the changes will be welcome because they potentially give Best a better chance to have his songs heard. Others will be happy to get new material from a band that retains three-quarters of Slobberbone. Others still will find themselves missing the gritty alt-country of that former outfit. The good news for all is that each of those camps will find something enjoyable in the 14-song, nearly 70-minute Jubilee Dive.

Those most willing to embrace change will notice it at the start of the opening track, “Truth Lies Low,” which comes bursting out of the gate with some familiar heavy guitar but also with a power-pop sheen. It has something to offer the other factions as well, with a typical solo from Barr and lyrics from Best that take dead aim at a society obsessed with technology and consumerism. That’s not only more ambitious/socially conscious than the average power-pop, but it’s the familiar honesty that made Best’s previous band great.

Another holdover from Best, Barr and Harper’s former band is Barr’s thick, twang-meets-hard rock guitar tone, which always came from the intersection of the Old 97's and AC/DC. Though the guitar is scaled back at times in favor of keys, there still are ample opportunities for Barr to solo, such as on the first single, “Unhinged.” Stockslager is a skilled player, too, and shows repeatedly that he’s earned his ample share of the new sound.

The Drams aren’t only expanded in size. Nearly half of the songs on Jubilee Dive exceed five minutes, and four of them top the six-minute mark. There’s a diversity of influences, too. With its 12-string and lighter subject matter, “Fireflies” sounds like something that would fit nicely on a Rhett Miller disc. “You Won’t Forget” has a classic California sound. “September’s High” is sunny, too, and in its latter stages even shows a hint of a Beatles influence. The closer, “Wonderous Life,” is a hazy, stream-of-consciousness meditation on said life.

On the other hand, some songs really don’t sound much different. “Hummalong” sounds like Slobberbone might have with keyboard backing on a richly deserved arena tour.

Alas, that tour was not meant to be. And the remaining pieces have been reassembled to crank out an album of FM-ready rock. That sound has been good to a good many legit rock stars, such as Petty and Bruce Springsteen. As a fan of their former incarnation, I wish The Drams success and sales. They certainly have put together a great first effort.

I still miss Slobberbone, though.

Review originally published on HickoryWind.org.

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