Album Review: Local Drags – Keep Me Glued

Local Drags have been around since, well that’s something that eludes even myself, but then is this what the band are about?, being a little understated, that hidden gem, that when you do find it, it’s worth the hunt.

Just take a listen to their previous outing that was ‘Shit’s Looking Up’ and maybe it will all start getting rather interesting to those, who like myself are fans of power pop punk, but seem to trawl endlessly for something that isn’t just a rip off from a time gone by.

So when this album dropped in my lap, it was with a little trepidation I hit the play button, and from the first few bars and possibly even the first half of the first song ‘Springfield Discount Cemetery’, the foot got to tapping along, the head was nodding, but still thoughts were of all the disappointments that follow the initial euphoria.  In this case the whole experience was worth the nervous but short wait, by the time ‘Give A Shit Anyway’ came bombing into the headphones with its thunderous drum beat and choppy guitar riffs, hooks that have every right to be there and then a vocal that could hold its own at any pop/punk convention (do they even exist, hope not!).

By now you might get that feeling of something fresh and individual has finally landed itself among the throng of bands still doing this for a living.  No it doesn’t break ground, it doesn’t try to reinvent anything, but yes there is always a place for music that feels like a comfort blanket, brings a smile to the eyes and ears, and yet still stands out from the crowd.

What follows are a full ten tracks that quite frankly never lose you, they don’t just drift off into background music, as can so easily be the downfall of any an aspiring band.  To rubber stamp this ‘Keep Me Glued’ is a worthy title track, with hints of Tom Petty sloshing around within its straight up lyrical punchiness, later on comes, ‘Thought You Could’ which musically wraps its Alkaline Trio esque riffs around a powerhouse of a song, then almost at the end ‘My Skull’ possibly the jewel in the crown of the album hits back of the net, a dreamy keyboard melody that might normally of killed the moment and left you feeling sick, but no, Local Drags can even weave this in so cleverly with heavier overtones that it feels almost Stranglers.

Power to the pop, is what we say, yes you can have all the thrash hardcore punk you want, and still be allowed your fix of what is essentially a warm blanket in comparison, or a sip of Gin after all that Whiskey.

You can Pre-order the album which is out on 12th March via Stardumb Records (EU) HERE

For UK Pre-Orders try HERE

And for The USA HERE

Find them on Bandcamp too