Like Bonnie and Clyde, But Without Any Pride

Although Drenge is only a two-piece band, there’s plenty of sound in their songs to cover all the bases. The duo, brothers Eoin and Rory Loveless, get along just fine with Eoin on guitar and vocals and Rory on drums. Since forming in 2011 they have found plenty of fans and prominence, having played all of UK’s big festivals such as Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds. It wasn’t until this year that they made their U.S. television debut, even though they’ve already released two records, the latest being Undertow.

There are many similarities between Undertow and their first album Drenge. The self-titled’s single “Dogmeat” is a fair comparison to most of the tracks on Undertow, with a dark vibe and low-pitched sound. These elements can be heard in songs such as opener “Running Wild.” That vibe changes, however, in “We Can Do What We Want” with a faster, upbeat tempo and traces of punk rock, all the way down to the song’s title.

“Favourite Son” is interesting lyrically: “I wanna be loved by your favourite son / Don’t wanna be touched by a different one / I wanna be hugged and I wanna be kissed / I don’t wanna be fucked, I just wanna be his.” And of course, it comes off as even more interesting being that Drenge is a band of brothers.

“Standing In The Cold” is the album’s most romantic ballad: “I wait for you in dusky avenues / You wanted my heart for its little work / I was running away because I thought we were in love / Then I saw your eyes but they said it in awe / Standing in the cold / Trying to get back home.”

It’s not unfitting that Drenge plays all of the important UK festivals, but there is nothing terribly groundbreaking going on here. At the same time, it’s not fair to say Undertow is a sophomore slump, but the debut album was a bit spicier.