ALBUM REVIEW: Today My Friend You Drunk the Venom

The Drin - Today My Friend You Drunk the Venom

If you like the relentless energy of early Strokes albums, the gothic kickdrums of Molchat Doma, and the monotonous vocals of Fontaines D.C., this album is worth a listen. It’s good if you like repetitive music – which I really do love! A more generous term for the category is trance-like, hypnotic even. I’ve long said that the Strokes are the most genius, most universally beloved pop band to ever exist. So if you give this album time, it’ll earworm its way into your brain. The more you listen to it, the more these sonic waves will weave grooves into your brain folds and you will smile at their familiarity. 

One thing about this release is that it is necessary to listen to this album in order, at least for the LEGENDARY transition between the first two songs. It’s like if you made music about the most uncomfortable moments in Twin Peaks Season 3. In both, there exists a constant thrum of tension that sits there and escalates slowly, but it remains captivating enough to keep you watching. It’s just a bit arthouse -- so anti-cliche that it’s interesting. These songs should be about worse content than they are – maybe they’re just dark sounding for the sound of it? They don’t carry the weight of self-pity. There’s a tinge of wackiness - contemplative-sounding dark rock. A bit like how Berliners wear black all the time but go to the farmers market on weekends. Different songs wear different influences. They’re a band worth getting into for a month, maybe more. 

Notes of Interest:

Track 3: The accent leans a bit like King Krule, while the anguished, discordant chords that flare out throughout the arrangement are very #TheOoz.

Track 4: As a teen, I had long wished to be born early enough to be a college sophomore listening to Interpol’s latest release, Turn on the Bright Lights in my dorm in the early aughts. This song gives me 5/8ths of that feeling.

Track 10: Has got that lovably craggy sound that is undeniably British. Think of Mick Jagger’s distinctive speaking voice. Funny since they’re from Cincinnati, Ohio. 


- Lillian Murtonen
 

Genre: Wizard Post-punk, Occult Rock
Recommended if you like: Warmduscher, Turnstile, Protomartyr, Joy Division, shame
Recommended tracks: Venom, Walk so Far, Peaceful Easy Feeling
FCC: clean