Having your music referenced in a resignation letter by a Labour PM is hardly the sort of endorsement a band goes looking for, but, that is exactly what happened to Castleton duo Eoin and Rory Loveless with their yet to be released debut album; the self-titled Drenge. Tom Watson may not have realized it at the time, but he got them national exposure; and all for free. Opening with People In Love Make Me Feel Yuck the brothers sound older than their tender years, less a song and more of an intro. With just a drum-kit and guitar in their arsenal, the duo make impressive head banging music. There’s anger here too, angst, unease and unhappiness. ‘I’ve never seen such beauty so maligned’ Eoin sings on Backwaters, a song reflecting the boredom of small town nothingness, his voice dipping into dreary territory, he could well be a singer in his forties; whilst brother Rory gives the song its pulsing heart with his furious drumming. Face Like A Skull is without doubt the stand-out track, the one that everyone will be singing down the pub when it comes on the sound-system; whilst head-banging into their pints.
I Don’t Want To Make Love To You continues the angry theme, the listener being left in no doubt that really the protagonist should just get a clue and f**k right off. Bye Bye Bao Bao is the most sombre song on the album and lyrically desolate; ‘I want to be on my own’. Lets Pretend follows and makes you wonder are these kid’s seriously depressed. ‘I’m always on my own/ I want to be your friend/ so baby let’s pretend run the lyrics before Eoin screams out in desperate anger. At over eight minutes long and with an almost drum solo for most of it, it’s a dance drunkenly whilst peering out from behind your long hair kind of tune. The album ends up being angsty without being preachy, an impressive debut from the two brother’s that will no doubt find an audience beyond insecure teenagers’. Some songs are a little on the short side but the sound as a whole is tight and mature. Without doubt a grower, one that will improve with each listen. Hell, maybe for the next album the Queen will be on board.
Debut album OUT Monday, August 19.