Divorce may be the new kids on the block but the Nottingham four piece (vocalist and bassist Tiger Cowen-Towell, co-vocalist Felix Mackenzie-Barrow, drummer Kasper Sandstrom and lead-guitarist Adam Peter-Smith) are at home on their debut album, Drive to Goldenhammer. Whilst Goldenhammer itself is fictional, the idea of personal exploration and figuring yourself out is something which will resonate with the listener. The record tiptoes between yearning (on its second track ‘Lord’) and humourous (on its seventh track ‘All My Freaks’).
Drive to Goldenhammer eases you straight in, as laughter leads into opener ‘Antarctica’. The song blends a plethora of elements together without it becoming a clash, with lo-fi drum beats, country-esque instrumentals and sprawling vocals taking centre stage from the offset. It then slides into ‘Lord’, a broody country rock track with hints of indie-rock. Written about vocalist and bassist Cohen-Towells’ first queer relationship, there is immediate intimacy laced in the opening line “I can feel your heart through your fleece” and a charming, if somewhat odd, image in the chorus “I’m a seahorse / And I need a little sugar”. The record doesn’t hesitate from the start, captivating loyal followers and new listeners alike. Whilst they don’t stick to one signature sound, the opening tracks are just the start of the exciting journey the album takes you on.
‘Fever Pitch’ starts strikingly similar to the previous two tracks sonically, with gorgeous vocal harmonies, before synth pitches drive the track towards a louder, more grungy sound. This continues with ‘Karen’, which starts off softly before bursting into energetic, heaving growling sounds. Portraying a performer with their “back to the audience…”, the track feels tight and claustrophobic, a complete contrast to the previous softer songs.
Strain is echoed in the ‘Jet Show’ “draw my breath, puff out my chest / raise a glass of emptiness”. The album’s first half closes with ‘Parachute’, a track where Cohen-Towells’ and Mackenzie-Barrow’s harmonies address a real sense of vulnerability, something which is addressed through the lyrics “takes a lot to make a person / half as strong as you deserve them / I will try to be that person / every day I am alive”.
Whilst the first half of the album embraces a sensitive side, ‘All My Freaks’ draws on music celebrity, with references to jet skis and a pop sheen through the synth effects. ‘Hangman’ sees Mackenzie-Barrow take the lead on vocals, with a song inspired by his time working in the care sector. The track focuses on selflessness and has tender tones to it, the repeated use of the words “I wanna lift you up” reflecting a real sense of care and wanting the best for people – something you don’t need to be a rising star to understand. The longest track of the album ‘Pill’ sees Cohen-Towell take vocal lead, going from electronic glitches to guitar hooks and settling into a gorgeous piano melody.
Complete with fiddle, slide guitar, piano and an interesting opening ‘Old Broken String’ uses various harmonies to make up a somber but beautiful track. After the high energy offerings before it, this track is a stand out. After the high energy tracks before it, ‘Old Broken String’ is quieter but captivating – a moment where the listener can really appreciate everything that goes into crafting a song and take a moment to really listen. ‘Where Do You Go’ has soft rock riffs and an almost haunting vocal, at times a guttural scream, which commands attention much like the prior track.
The album concludes with ‘Mercy’, a semi acoustic track. Whilst they experimented with a grungier, rock flecked sound throughout their debut offering, the closing track sees the ‘drive’ come to an end and the band’s signature sound return. The drifting and harmonious vocals is Divorce at their best, rich without taking anything away from the rest of the album.
Music comes from the environment it is created and Drive to Goldenhammer is no different . The band took themselves to North Yorkshire to record this album, which has a real sense of nature and creation. In taking themselves away from the every day, the band has created something spontaneous and fun whilst not sacrificing their crowd pleasing sound.
Gathering plenty of momentum from support slots with the likes of The Vaccines and Bombay Bicycle Club, Divorce’s much-anticipated album is a genre-bending masterpiece; the band might not have their sound cemented down but there’s a real sense of joy in testing things out across the album.
Words by Jen Rose
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