Dramatic and impassioned, The Drives’ new single “All This Boredom” is anything but boring: A rush of energy and ennui fighting for control of a dark narrative.
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Stream: “All This Boredom” – The Drives
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No matter how many years pass since the birth of rock n’ roll, the dynamic sounds of an overdriven guitar and propulsive drums done right remain evergreen. It’s a freshness unlike any other musical footprint – one defined not by the exhale, but by the inhale: How far the instrumentalists are willing to go to foster tension, before they relinquish themselves to that rewarding relief. The Drives are new to the alt-rock scene, but their sound is as familiar as it is refreshingly new: Dramatic and impassioned, the band’s new single “All This Boredom” is anything but boring: A rush of energy and ennui fighting for control of a dark narrative.
Everytime
I see you I don’t want to
Cuz it breaks my mind
To see you in my rear view
If we decide to stay too long
Then things will surely come back
So I’m begging you to play along
And move these heavy objects
Released November 13, 2020, “All This Boredom” follows mid-October’s “OCD” as The Drives’ second single of the year. The Highland Park, Los Angeles-based trio of singer/guitarist, Andrew Levin, producer/songwriter, Casey Chen, and drummer Geo Botelho, The Drives sound like California’s response to Catfish and The Bottleman, albeit a few years delayed. Since debuting in 2016, the trio have polished their garagey sound and steadily nurtured a cinematic pop/rock quality that makes every song feel intensely intimate and cinematic at the same time.
“This song was inspired by the state of mind I was in directly following the end of a long term relationship,” the band’s Andrew Levin tells Atwood Magazine. “I knew ending this relationship was the right decision for me but it was still incredibly overwhelming and dark during this transitional period of my life. As a result, I spent a lot of time waiting for these feelings to pass. No matter what I did during this time, I couldn’t shake the anxiety and sadness but I knew it would eventually pass. So essentially, this song tries to capture the boredom and desperation of waiting for time to pass so that you will feel better. It’s probably not a very healthy reaction to what I was going through but it’s what I decided to do for better or for worse.”
Essentially, this song tries to capture the boredom and desperation of waiting for time to pass so that you will feel better.
Basically, you know that hole in your heart is going to sew itself up – but you have to wait for that to happen organically. “All This Boredom” is both an acceptance and a relinquishing of power; it’s somewhat an admission of helplessness and surrender, but more than anything, it’s a mature recognition that our emotions can and do rule over us – that they can color every inch of our lives, and determine how every day is remembered. The Drives display self-awareness and control in their verses and bridges, relenting to a more feverish pitch only when the time is right – and that time is, naturally, in the chorus:
But I’m too tired to pretend
So these days I just stay in
All this boredoms killing me
As I begin to atrophy
Measured but nonetheless exciting and energetic, The Drives’ latest release is a respite from the doldrums: An invitation to rock out and let loose for three propulsive minutes. Having already made some waves online, The Drives are set for great things – and if they can translate their big sound to the stage, we wouldn’t be surprised to see them swooped up by one of the majors in due course.
For now, this charmingly indie band have all the makings of an alternative, underground hit on their hands. Stream “All This Boredom” out now, and be sure to follow The Drives for more on this up-and-coming artist on the rise.
You call me up
For answers but I have none
Now my coffee’s cold
And the television’s still on
And I’m trying real hard to stay
Healthy as I can be
But lying here alone all day
My brain is really bleeding
But I’m too tired to pretend
So these days I just stay in
All this boredoms killing me
As I begin to atrophy
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Stream: “All This Boredom” – The Drives
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