undonesweater93
05/25/09, 12:24 PM
Drive A - Loss of Desire
Record Label: None
Release Date: May 19, 2009
Who?
Drive A is a punk rock band from Los Angeles, California, made up by lead guitarist/vocalist Bruno Mascolo, rhythm guitarist Jason Nott, drummer Terry Stirling, and bassist Chris Bowman. Their quick success is interesting to note, since none of the band’s members are over the age of 20. Drive A has already made a name for themselves in the scene by opening for bands such as Alkaline Trio, Saves the Day, the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, an opening slot on the AP tour, an appearance at Bamboozle, and many other festivals across the country. The band is set to open a few select dates for the Set Your Goals and Four Year Strong co-headlining tour in late July and early August.
How is it?
AbsolutePunk.net is a haven of all things musical, but it isn’t necessarily “Absolute Punk” anymore. Punk has become very much less of a musical style and ideological lifestyle and much more of a stereotype and an outlined stance.
In this way, Drive A’s album Loss of Desire is kind of a throwback, recalling the old structure of old punk staples like the Sex Pistols and the Clash, but the choice lyrics seem to be much more about being “Fuck You” songs than being “Fuck the Man” songs. Nearly every chorus on the album references a “you” in some way. As Drive A show their age, it really fails to bring a worthwhile “fuck you” anthem that these things sometimes need to do. The way these songs have been but together may not be the best; these songs are very much ready for radio, and this is obvious in both a great way and an awful one.
Lyrics aside, the album is quite enjoyable. Many of the songs work off a riff, but these riffs add to the experience instead of limiting the songs like many riffs sometimes do. It recalls very much stylistically of Dookie-era Green Day combined with the speed and attitude of Billy Talent. Sometimes it's almost ska-esque, similar to Blink-182 (the title track, "Smiling with Hate"), and on others, it just punches it and drives on a more straight ahead approach featuring full punk bombast ("Head Underwater", "Can’t Sleep it Off"), and this is truly where it reaches its peak. Surprisingly enough, the last thing that the album is, is forgettable, and every song has a decent lasting value and the production seems to be just enough to make the songs more satisfying without being overproduced.
The album is truly lacking maturity and unique songwriting, which is probably due to Drive A’s young age. I’d be excited to see what Drive A could do in the future; a maturity as human beings could lead to musical maturity as well. For now, a point of reference is early Green Day. Although it doesn’t necessarily sound like early Green Day, it is very much like it; somewhat immature and generic, yet still quite enjoyable.
Billy Talent, Rise Against, Green Day, Alkaline Trio
Can't Sleep it Off, Head Underwater, Out of Focus
Record Label: None
Release Date: May 19, 2009
Who?
Drive A is a punk rock band from Los Angeles, California, made up by lead guitarist/vocalist Bruno Mascolo, rhythm guitarist Jason Nott, drummer Terry Stirling, and bassist Chris Bowman. Their quick success is interesting to note, since none of the band’s members are over the age of 20. Drive A has already made a name for themselves in the scene by opening for bands such as Alkaline Trio, Saves the Day, the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, an opening slot on the AP tour, an appearance at Bamboozle, and many other festivals across the country. The band is set to open a few select dates for the Set Your Goals and Four Year Strong co-headlining tour in late July and early August.
How is it?
AbsolutePunk.net is a haven of all things musical, but it isn’t necessarily “Absolute Punk” anymore. Punk has become very much less of a musical style and ideological lifestyle and much more of a stereotype and an outlined stance.
In this way, Drive A’s album Loss of Desire is kind of a throwback, recalling the old structure of old punk staples like the Sex Pistols and the Clash, but the choice lyrics seem to be much more about being “Fuck You” songs than being “Fuck the Man” songs. Nearly every chorus on the album references a “you” in some way. As Drive A show their age, it really fails to bring a worthwhile “fuck you” anthem that these things sometimes need to do. The way these songs have been but together may not be the best; these songs are very much ready for radio, and this is obvious in both a great way and an awful one.
Lyrics aside, the album is quite enjoyable. Many of the songs work off a riff, but these riffs add to the experience instead of limiting the songs like many riffs sometimes do. It recalls very much stylistically of Dookie-era Green Day combined with the speed and attitude of Billy Talent. Sometimes it's almost ska-esque, similar to Blink-182 (the title track, "Smiling with Hate"), and on others, it just punches it and drives on a more straight ahead approach featuring full punk bombast ("Head Underwater", "Can’t Sleep it Off"), and this is truly where it reaches its peak. Surprisingly enough, the last thing that the album is, is forgettable, and every song has a decent lasting value and the production seems to be just enough to make the songs more satisfying without being overproduced.
The album is truly lacking maturity and unique songwriting, which is probably due to Drive A’s young age. I’d be excited to see what Drive A could do in the future; a maturity as human beings could lead to musical maturity as well. For now, a point of reference is early Green Day. Although it doesn’t necessarily sound like early Green Day, it is very much like it; somewhat immature and generic, yet still quite enjoyable.
Billy Talent, Rise Against, Green Day, Alkaline Trio
Can't Sleep it Off, Head Underwater, Out of Focus