:: The Drones - Havilah

The Drones

Havilah is The Drones' third album but you’ve probably heard little about them. The Melburne band has been singing its own style of dark and poetic rock for years yet they still languish in virtual obscurity. Now if the macabre themes or Gareth Liddiard’s freakishly strong Australian accent don’t have you running in the opposite direction, then Havilah might be your kind of thing. Good isn’t the right word to describe what The Drones have created here. Havilah isn’t necessary a good album and it sure as hell isn’t your mainstream Australian rock. You either love it unreservedly or you absolutely hate it, but either way you can’t help but be mesmerised by it. Much of the album’s charm comes from its many contradictions. Opener “Nail It Down” begins in a mellow country feel similar to fellow Australian Slim Dusty and you’re thinking ‘they seem like a nice, typical, home grown band.’ Suddenly track two, “The Minotaur”, explodes into a vicious scream of vocals and electric guitar and its difficult not to be shocked. Liddiard sounds seriously pissed off as he sings about the failings of mankind. And then with almost breathtaking ease the next song, “Drifting Housewife”, comes on and all that anger fades into a soft-toned ballad. This constant merry-go-round of ear-busting rage and heartbreaking sadness makes for very engaging listening. You get caught in the pain-filled lyrics and in the ups and downs of Liddiard’s disillusion for modern society and for himself. But this also makes Havilah a very challenging album to like and one which requires an open mind. First time round it sounds like a mess of out-of-tune instruments and vocals, the second time you begin to hear the subtle beauty in the songs and by the third listen you might just start to like it.