The Droves
Out of Herself
Eastern Spurs
After launching his career under a solo banner that identified him simply as C. Gibs, Christian Gibbs’ current trio, The Droves, advances his cause considerably by taking the music well beyond any preconceived parameters. The first offering of this Brooklyn-based band boasts both melody and mayhem in equal measure, while consistently keeping its listeners guessing as to its next detour. It’s interesting and inspired, but, as one might expect, somewhat off-kilter at times, especially on tracks like “Dying Fits of Laughter,” All Lies Begin With I” and “Tiny Skin,” songs which find the band drfting off track and veering into dissonance. As a result, the better offerings are those that find them holding together cohesively, especially the album opener “Mackenzie,” which boasts a ringing guitar refrain, and “Better Than You,” a rare acoustic interlude that allows for some much-needed rumination. “I’ve been wasted all night and I’m tired of these medications,” Gibbs confesses on “Wasted.” To the skeptic, that might explain a lot. However, for those who can appreciate Gibbs’ sense of adventure, such an episode would seem little more than a small distraction. – Lee Zimmerman
Lee Zimmerman is a contributor to a variety of publications, including Blurt, M Music & Musicians, New Times, Goldmine and Amplifier
This review appears courtesy of Amplifier, 50,000 Watts of Non-Stop Indie Rock http://amplifiermagazine.blogspot.com/
