Fourth studio album from The Drums following 2014's Encyclopedia. Abysmal Thoughts is the first Drums record written solely by Jonathan Pierce (co-founder Jacob Graham left the band as a full-time member, but contributes synth and guitar to the album), and the result is a decidedly more stripped-down effort. If Encyclopedia sounded like The Drums on a world tour, Abysmal Thoughts is a Bushwick house show. Pierce’s voice sounds like a synthesis of Morrissey and Nico, or perhaps a more sarcastic version of Wild Nothing’s Jack Tatum. His bleak lyrics about modern-day life in gentrified north Brooklyn (“rich kids, you make me sick kids, a bunch of dickheads”) are draped over a bed of expertly-produced pop that exists squarely in indie tock territory while tastefully incorporating synth basslines and subtle drum machine rhythms here and there. This heavyweight 180g clear vinyl pressing is housed in a gatefold sleeve and comes with code for free digital download.

• indie-exclusive clear vinyl edition
• (180g double vinyl pressing
• gatefold sleeve
• poly-lined inner sleeves
• digital download included
• music label: Anti- 2017

reviewed by mayor of hounslow 06/2017