"hard to get through" (Drenge - Undertow)

Drenge
Undertow
why you'll love it: zero fucks blues rock
why you'll hate it:  one note, slogs after 20 mins

Here is your classic sophomore jinx in full effect.  Undertow is an unapologetic grunge rock album.  The lyrics are ice cold, and the the guitars are sludgy.  Drenge succeeded in creating a more atmospheric and moody second effort.  Problem is, it's not as striking as their fiery debut.

While it will forever exist under the shadow of their self titled debut, Undertow has a life of its own.  The moody introduction track bleeds into "Running Wild" in such a satisfying way. (I love albums with a good flow).    "Never Awake" chugs along with the kind of pace and stone cold fervor that makes you want to raise your beer high in the air and rattle along to it.

Of course the real breakout song on this album is "We Can Do What We Want".  It has raucous punk rock energy, and just about the catchiest vocal hook of 2015.  It's the perfect soundtrack to all the crazy things you'll never do in life (get chased through a crowded market / smash up a antique shop).  Its catchy riff and universally understood chorus makes it inevitable to end up in film trailers some day; or even worse, something like a credit card commercial ("Shop where you want!  Do what you want!  With American Express!").

The first half of Undertow rides high on the one-two punch of it's moody introduction and hard hitting tracks.  Not much changes in "Favorite Son" and "The Snake", as Eoin Loveless finds new and creative subjects to accompany his raspy delivery.  Although, it starts to become obvious early into the second half of the album that not much about it is going to vary, and there isn't going to be another "We Can Do What We Want" to stir up energy again.  "The Woods" is the only standout track in the last half of the album.  It has a wistful tone, and fitting (yet hammy) religious nursery rhyme chorus; delivered somewhat like Ian Curtis.  There is a post-punk tinge to Undertow that I appreciate.  If more was done with it, perhaps this album would not have run out of gas so early.


The last two tracks are what really slow things down to a crawl.  They take up over a third(!) of the album, and leave on a whimper.  With the way Undertow sputters into the finish line, it's no wonder fans were disappointed.  Drenge's maudlin delivery has personality, but just doesn't hold a lot of interest, unfortunately.

One quick aside; I LOVE The album cover.  If Undertow's final songs were as evocative and vaguely foreboding as that image, they would be a lot more interesting.  Like a horror movie that shows too much of the monster, Drenge spells it all out in the lyrics and piles on the grunge.