Winter Drones - Blood In The Coffin

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5...according to our Brett on Wed 01 Dec, 2010.

Winter? Don't talk to me about bloody winter, man from Hush Arbors. I just spent two-and-a-half hours driving the twelve miles to my house; cars, snowballs and bodies flying around me all the way. Literally mental.. Total 'there's a horse in the hospital' type insanity. Anyway, I don't know if its the comfort of my new found warm surroundings but this record's sounding great - and far from the glacial dronefest the band name might suggest. In fact, there's a very palpable indie sensibility to it, evident in the fact that it often brings back pleasant memories of both My Bloody Valentine's 'plane taking off' moments as well the drifty 'ambient pop' of Cryptograms-era Deerhunter, especially on the tracks that chuck vocals into the mix. I guess it's hard not to think of various other Kranky types too, as so much stuff on the label has exlored similar intersections down the years. Ooh, this 'Stiff Wizard' tune's a bit tidy.. All grainy and fuzzy and noisy but possessing a prettiness too, largely contributed by some bleeps that seem to have taken a wrong turn from 'Maps' by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. I'm keen.

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    Leon Dufficy is primarily known as guitarist in the hippie-jam outfit, Hush Arbors but now, he steps into his own as the driving force behind Winter Drones. Sounding like the perfect combination of fuzzed-out ambient drift, shoegaze swirl and propulsive pop sensibilities, Winter Drones have slowly gained attention in their native UK with a handful of obscure CDr/cassette releases and compilation appearances. Earlier this year, the band's debut album, BLOOD IN THE COFFIN, came out as a limited-edition tape on UK micro-label, Sexbeat Records.

    While legions of artists are mining the ambient style, Dufficy stands out because of his ability to develop his soundscapes, infusing them with a touch of melody to impart a sense of emotion. Songs like the lead-off track, "Watch Your Eyes", set the mood perfectly while "Bongs Dream" shows Dufficy's intuitive understanding that the perfectly weighted note/chord can add tremendous emotional resonance to an atmospheric piece.

    But Dufficy isn't some common Nu-Age denizen and the album really shines when the drums come in and the band rocks out. "Winnie Cooper's Bones" and "Two Long Weeks Part 2" find Dufficy perfectly capable of crafting memorable songs that stick with the listener. The album's centerpiece, "Stiff Wizard", serves as a thesis statement for the entire album. Over 10+ minutes, the track starts with flanged/fuzzed guitars swishing about and sounding like jet engines on a runway. As the piece builds towards take-off, a simple radar-like melody begins pinging and the song takes flight when the drums and driving guitar chords launch in -- a perfect microcosm of the whole record.

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