Sometimes it would be nice if a band names did not dictate a certain stereotype. For example, 'Dead Drive Fast' brings to mind a group who like to rock (preferably shouted 'RRROCK!'). Images of big burley men wearing black trench coats and heavy duty army boots swim into consciousness as do thoughts shouting, head banging, and pain. Lots of pain. And lots of shouting. And guess what? You'd be right in thinking exactly that.
But wait. It would be brash and foolish thing though to dismiss a band purely because of their name (or would it??). Surely one should first give their album a couple of listens and then reject them whole heartedly without a second glance! 'Genius' I hear you cry- except that this is easier said than done.
The self titled debut from St. Louis band Dead Drive Fast is a
grower. The first time I heard it, it was distinctly unimpressive. It screamed 'We want to be Pearl Jam' and left me feeling cold. Yet later for some reason it was all I could do to not hum the chorus of 'So Long For This' with its catchy guitar riff and memorable lyrics. I hated myself for doing it, but I couldn't stop.
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With the second listen, songs on the album that first time round seemed bland and unoriginal were seen in a new light. Yes Dead Drive Fast still sounded at bit too much like Pearl Jam for comfort but it isn't such a bad thing as it was before. And there didn't seem to be as much shouting on the album as there was the first time. Heavy bass drum and angry guitar strumming was in abundance, but so were heartfelt deep manly vocal harmonies as in the case of final track 'Until It Goes Away' and 'Jakob'.
This is a band who underneath the anger and the scary goatees are not without a sensitive side. They wear black, sing about beautiful women who don't love them/are no longer around and can express their feelings succinctly in a guitar solo. They are most defiantly Rock with a capital R but this is not a bad thing, in fact it is part of their charm, and their album is defiantly worth a second, third and fourth listen.
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