polaroids of androids

The Drones - Havilah

While on the surface The Drones' signature sound seems most comfortable lying naked in the dark woods, suffering under haunting tales of regret and self-pity, at other moments the music partners up with a drunken, confident swagger, beckoning challengers to try and be tougher than it. The way in which this two-headed beast wrestles it's way through the ten tracks of Havilah is not only the core factor that makes it such an enjoyable record, but also the key reason why The Drones are such an important Australian band.

This album basks in the violent and often abrupt shifts between these two paradoxes. On one side there is the aggressive style of tracks like The Minotaur, with the comical digs at the foolish nature of the modern world spat at the listener in a tone not too dissimilar to that of a bratty, mocking teenager. The confessional storytelling style of songs like Cold and Sober couldn't be further removed from this, balancing on a point between a carefree wandering melody and honest, fragile vocals.

The true beauty of this record is that while evoking very different emotional responses from the listener, both sides of the group's personality are equally as powerful. On several occasions these two styles are thrown into the ring together, with the vocals of Gareth Liddiard forced to ride through the rollercoaster of emotional shifts, acting as a gauge of the song's changing mood. This brings Liddiard's lyrics to the forefront, where they have always sounded best, and for the most part the music follows his lead, with his hyperbolic delivery often guiding the music's progression.

Above all, these continual changes in mood give the music a much more human presence. The group have successfully been able to make the listener feel like they are sitting alongside the band, instead of being merely a member of the audience.

The album is also strengthened by a large amount of variety. This is not only found in the group's ability to move songs down different paths at the drop of a hat, but also through a somewhat purposeful experimentation into different styles. The decision to close out the album with a more uptempo pop number is surprising, but also works incredibly well, with Liddiard's painfully delivered vocals pleasantly ripping apart the gentle acoustic glow.

In many respects Havilah is evidence of a band that have decided to take back the reigns of a beast that they have enjoyed watching run wild for some time. There is undeniably a greater sense of control this time around, which helps the group strike a more logical and natural balance between the conflicting elements of their sound, which have previously dragged them, somewhat unwillingly, in opposite directions.

The Drones have released some damn fine material in the past but this is as close as they have ever come to absolute perfection.