Become An Island is the follow up to Lame Drivers album Chosen Era that came out in 2015, the band are not in any hurry. Chosen Era had fabulous cover art by Kazimir Malevitch, this time around Mariah Robertsons artwork still has a Futuristic edge but is a bit more muted. The band are currently Jason Sigal, Joe Posner and Jeff Wood who earlier this year were lucky enough to play a show with Fly Ashtray a band I'd love a chance to see again. The album is produced by Travis Harrison.
The album opens with the paisley dappled title track Become An Island that feels like a long-lost Rain Parade song, it has a chilled edge to its psychedelia, finding the concept of being isolated during the pandemic a jolt to the system, by the time they freak out its clear they have been locked in in for far too long.
My Problem is just what to put around that bassline, some soaring
guitar steady drums, some football chant clapping played on the drums, as they go down that hall trying to escape all the horror before them.
Professional Volunteer may have taken a turn or two down at the Manufacturers, as they begin to jangle in earnest. State Of Mind has a slight slacker edge to the queries they have about your State Of Mind.
Temple has harmonious vocals urging us to go visit a Temple, while you try to figure out which Close Lobsters single this most sounds like, or is it Stone Roses Sally Cinnamon, they worry about the never-ending cycle of floods and drought.
The ambient rumble heralding the arrival of Spring jumping around, transmitting messages through bass vibrations. Change Agent is about a friend from Chicago and how they claim to be a Change Agent, they are not sure if this is a good thing.
Sealed buzzes along a frazzled jangle pop edge while getting more insistent as it goes on. Running Scared is a natural state in the 2020's, this sounds like a classic Trouser Press America's Underground style tune, the building guitar freak out central to what draws me in.
Throwing Stones is hazy lazy laid-back good vibes, the kind of stones they want to throw only mess with your mind. This Pattern drives home the need for repeating patterns.
International Strength is it a good thing or a bad thing, this short sharp post punk rumble might drive you into an iceberg trying to figure it out.
Winners Game has them claiming all they want to do is Win, but not in a sappy soul way like Dave did, this is about walking off the pitch and just getting on with having a cool life, the guitars go all squiggly third wave mod pop.
The album closes with Fade a choppy indie pop shamble towards figuring out just how messed up everything is, so you may as well play catchy indie music instead.
Find out more at https://lamedrivers.bandcamp.com/album/become-an-island???https://lamedrivers.com/blog/ https://www.facebook.com/lamedrivers
