Drainer - 'Ennui In Texas'
Drainer refuse to be stylistically pinned down on energetic new single, ‘Ennui In Texas’.
Drainer’s ‘Ennui in Texas’ is from their new album Creatures. If you like music to be pinned in boxes, I’m struggling a little here, but if you like heavy guitar music, you’ll probably like this. ‘Ennui in Texas’ opens with a discordant opening riff that is post-punk-esque and gives a nod to Sonic Youth and other 80s/90s US alternative bands. The chorus is catchy, and in its melody following a shout there’s a hint of Nirvana, particularly the ‘Bleach’ era.
However, what’s interesting about ‘Ennui in Texas’ lies in the instrumentation, structure and production. There’s a fascinating middle section which goes into a heavy half-time beat with wailing guitar notes. Again, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what style it is – is it post-hardcore? A bit of Alice in Chains or Dinosaur Jr? I don’t know, but who cares? Because it’s great. Plus you’re not quite sure what’s going on half the time, as the guitars switch between dirty noise then smooth lead lines. And the vocals are a bit muffled in the mix too, but I quite like that. It adds a DIY and raw edge. Therefore, Drainer’s latest single has a lo-fi quality that draws you in and makes you really listen to try and figure out what’s going on. And if you listen closely enough, you might hear something quite brilliant.
‘Ennui in Texas’ may be loud and heavy, but it’s an emotive and exciting track. Give it a listen, you might find something here that no other band have managed to evoke for you.
Words of Mathew Brocklehurst