The Dropzines – Celebration Of Sorrow

Three years down the line from Between Sheets And Walls, comes their second long player Celebration Of Sorrow. This builds on the foundations laid by the first album and then some.
Cigarette Sun is a great opener, it’s catchy and upbeat, but goes through a bunch of different emotions, blissful, joyous, angry and much more besides.
Now That I’m Aware is celebratory, ramshackle and reminds me of a crazy Decemberists, My Little Red Book is a faithful but wild cover of the Bacharach original and Denmark is more laid back to start with, but then turns into a gritty pop song.
Playschool Guitar starts off all elementary school song, but carries on in that vein lyrically, a bit like a feistier They Might Be Giants. Some Of Everything ebbs and flows beautifully like a light version of Buffalo Tom, All Quiets Down is at turns a drunken sea shanty and a lovely country West Coast tune while Dinner Pills and Dancing is reminiscent of the Levellers at their most celebratory. Take That Now! Is classic power pop, Come On The Run shakes and shudders, brimming with confidence, a classic swagger to its melody while Madeline, Caroline and Nembutal is another song that reminds me of The Decemberists, main vocally but also in the persevering, nagging music. To finish all this up Not Surprising is a rollicking way to close the album.

Celebration Of Sorrow is self released and out now.
You can buy the album from The Dropzines website, which is here.