DRINKS is the pairing of singer/songwriter Cate Le Bon and White Fence’s Tim Presley. The duo came about naturally, as Le Bon started playing with Presley’s live band White Fence, and they formed the duo from then on. Both releasing solo albums of spaced out, psychedelic indie rock it is of no surprise the two coupled together creating something along the same thread.
Hermits on a Holiday was formed based on improvisation. Each song was brought to their studio session unfinished and definitely not lacking in guitar. Song to song, the album is an experiment. If I could compile all of the performance art i saw throughout my career at art school, I swear DRINKS new album Hermits on Holiday would be the musical equivalent. The only exception being, Hermits on Holiday is way less rehearsed and contemplated. Like watching performance art, some parts lack in content and excitement, while some tracks bounce and dance, but all of it is unexpected and ranging in obscurity and variety. Album opener, “Laying Down The Rock” is refreshing. As Presley grunts in the beginning and sticky guitar strings tap up and down, he sings, “I have a little broken bird that brought me back to life.” “Cannon Mouth” is scratchy and jingly as Le Bon’s lyrics sounds like she is underwater. On “Tim, Do I Like that Dog” it is literally Le Bon rambling on asking Tim just that. The whole album follows suit as the entire musical composition of Hermits on a Holiday is charmingly eclectic and equally as out there.
8.0/10
