Drug Church “Prude” album review

A man calls his mother and pretends to be held hostage so he can get money for drugs. A man is haunted by a bulletin board of missing children in a Walmart. A man watches videos of dogs working and is jealous of their determination. A man is shot while trying to rob a liquor store. A man scoffs at the freaks who surround him at a bus stop and tells himself he has nothing to do with them. Welcome to the world of Drug Church's new album Prudish.

In 2018 I was looking for anti-establishment punk and post-hardcore without the typical gimmicks or stupidity that comes with it. Drug Church's groundbreaking third album Cheer came as an obvious answer. As I walked through crappy retail and restaurant jobs with a vague sense of resentment toward everyone and everything, I shouted to Patrick Kindlon's proclamations in “Weed Pin”: “Fuck $12.50 an hour/ I could have with a chemical.” “Fire/I should have burned this damn place to the ground.”

The band – consisting of Kindlon on vocals, Nick Cogan and Cory Galusha on guitars, Pat Wynne on bass and Chris Villeneuve on drums – kept the hype going with 2022's “Explosive.” hygiene. Prudish takes them even higher.

If I listen PrudishI wonder if anything is stopping her from achieving Tunstile-level fame. It's loud, it's catchy, it's smart. Opener “Mad Care” encapsulates the energy of the beginning of a show: the wave of adrenaline rushing through the crowd, the push that sends people stumbling, the onset of euphoric madness, amplified by Kindlon’s infectious choruses: “This is yours situation/ This is your circumstances / This is your fork in the road / This is where the paths branch.

The best song ever Prudishand perhaps one of the best songs of the year, is the brilliant “Business Ethics”. It begins with Kindlon saying that his cousin faked his own kidnapping to get money from his mother for drugs; Then Kindlon adopts the idea when his boss doesn't give him time off from work. “Kidnap yourself/ You’re the hostage here,” he sings cheekily. Kindlon told Rolling Stone that it was based on his friend, and he explained why he found inspiration in it: “For a guy who never messes with drugs, I have a lot of sympathy for people who get deeper into something than they expected.” He makes light of the situation, especially by ending the anthem with a hilarious kicker: “My cousin's full of ideas/He needs money for drugs/He found a plan he can rely on/Working now.” he in finance.”

Prudish is bursting with the combination of energy and intelligence that makes Drug Church so addictive. The latter particularly stands out in the closing “Peer Review,” a portrait of a man who can’t morally get down from his high horse: “Shoulder to shoulder with total scum/Can’t they see that I have nothing to do with them?” The Drug Church was never here to preach, just to spread general frustrations. “You can’t feel superior to the people you’re with. These are your colleagues and you just have to deal with it,” concludes Kindlon, a refreshing position from a musician. Just as concertgoers jump on and off the stage during their performances, Drug Church are not on a pedestal above their fans, everyone is on the same level.

“The Bitters” is a call to the circle pit with fast-paced riffs and Kindlon's sardonic shouts. “Slide 2 Me” echoes with crashing guitars as Kindlon screams hoarsely about a liquor store robbery. But above all Prudish Is loudthat's all you can ask from Drug Church. But Kindlon also said that sadness is a big part of the album. On the tumultuous “Chow,” Kindlon expresses his disillusionment with interpersonal relationships, declaring in inferior intonation, “Don't break your neck/Jump into people's lives/There are rocks under the surface, but not much else/Hold yours.” Circle small, that's your way.” Save yourself.” As Drug Church proclaimed in their 2015 song “But Does It Work?”, Kindlon claims, “Nothing ever works.” It's true that people disappoint, but Kindlon Ultimately, he still wants the best for them, longs to understand them, and offers them Vulcan pieces of music to possibly provide relief. The does Work, thank God.

Prudish is released on Pure Noise with 10/4.