With a supporting slot for Kings of Leon, national television appearances and an exquisite debut album of surf pop, The Drums exploded in 2010. Now, only a year and a half later, they make a somewhat premature return with Portamento, their highly anticipated sophomore effort.
The burning question is whether Portamento should be judged on its own merits or in the context of The Drums’ debut. Let’s first look at the former of these approaches (I’ll try to depart from the university essay tone as soon as possible). Undeniably, this album is a great pop record; full of sugary lover’s laments, dancy rhythms and captivating melodies. Considering the change of personnel - guitarist Adam Kessler left the band in September 2010, prompting drummer Connor Hanwick to take up guitar duties - their sound remains relatively unaltered. The catchy single-note guitar lines are still drenched in reverb and their signature bass twang still drives the songs forward, but the presence of synths is definitely more noticeable.
The album opens with 'Book of Revelation', a meditation on mortality cunningly disguised as a love song (or perhaps it’s the other way around). “I believe that when we die we die, so let me love you tonight," croons Jonny Pierce, sounding like either a starry-eyed lover, or a very skilful lothario. 'Days' is also an example of The Drums doing what they do best: capturing the kind of perfect guitar pop that Orange Juice produced in their early '80s heyday without straying into twee indie fare. At times, eschewing their usual naivety, The Drums also show their darker side on 'If He Likes It Let Him Do It', which explores more sinister themes; jealousy, bitterness and loss.
This brings us to the more sobering task of putting the album into context. Where The Drums’ eponymous debut evokes memories of some magical, romantic lost summer, Portamento feels like returning to the same place the next summer only to find that the some of the thrill has gone. It’s not necessarily that the songs are weaker, it’s just that they aren’t any stronger, and it must be conceded that there is little in the way of sonic or thematic development in their new material. It is perhaps only the sparser, more experimental sound of 'Searching for Heaven' that shows an insight into a possible new direction. The age old “difficult second album” syndrome has often proved to be an awkward obstacle to navigate, especially when the second comes so soon after the debut. Perhaps, in The Drums’ case, it may have been prudent to let the dust settle for another few months.
To end on a justifiable positive, The Drums have pop savvy and songwriting capabilities most bands would kill for. Even the less substantial songs on Portamento make for enjoyable listening and far outshine the best of the growing number of indie landfill bands. However, the question remains: Where do they go from here?