Drowners by Butch HoganLast time we heard from Drowners, they were trapped in a twisted relationship depicted on the track “Cruel Ways." The eerie guitars alongside lead singer Matt Hitt’s melancholic tone only intensifies the desolate conditions of this doomed and desperate romance. It's a track that helps set the tone and subject matter for the band's second record On Desire (out on June 24 via French Kiss Records). Confusion, relationships, miscommunication, longing, lust, power, angst—these are the record's recurring themes. With the help of producer-engineer, Claudius Mitterndorfer (Weezer, Arctic Monkeys) On Desire melds their usual punk-tinged Britpop with a sonically sinister twist."We set out to write a dark pop record and I think, with the help of Claudius Mittendorfer, we achieved that," explains Hitt. "The songs were written over the course of a year and lyrically they're a bit darker and more complex than the first record. We toured the first record for so long that when it came time to write this one we had a lot of back logged ideas that were ready to become songs. Hopefully this one is a little easier to dance to."It is. The heavier use of synths and songs like the frenetic, punchy pop of "Someone Else Is Getting In" attest to the band's newly minted vision. He might be a NYC transplant, but you can't fully take the Welsh boy out of Mr. Hitt. Key example: on the perky (synth)pop of "Pick Up the Pace" he sings "I have searched all the terraces for you." Such a Brit. No one even knows what terraces are in America, but anyway. Equally, their sonic reference points remain heavily influenced by that grey isle—The Smith-sian bop of "Another Go," the Cure-like guitar on "Trust the Tension" (with added motorik beats), that bass line on the thoroughly excellent "Don't Be Like That." All in, this is a much more focused and original record from the foursome: sharply observed indie-pop gold.Listen to On Desire, in full below.
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On Desire is out on 6.24 via French Kiss Records