The Drums' sophomore release, Portamento, was an album I was pretty excited for. The group's self-titled debut contained some of my favorite singles of last year, and I was hoping the same would happen with this release. Maybe my love of the last album lead to some unrealistic expectations, but at least some of them were met. Overall, this album feels a little more mature, and the recording is noticeably better. Plus, the band seems a little more confident in its style, sticking to a similar "twanged-out" sound for every track--with the exception of the synth odyssey that is "Searching For Heaven."
Unfortunately, this has lead to a group of tracks that just feel, well, the same. I never assumed the Drums' debut to have a ton of variation, but this album made me realize just how much it did. Together, these tracks, in my opinion, weaken one another a little bit.
What do you think of this album? Love it? Hate it? Why? What should I review next, eh?