New York City’s Lame Drivers began kicking up dust in the mid-2000s, but it’s been far too long, nearly a decade in fact, since they released a full length record. With the release of Become an Island, the band puts the kibosh on that discographical gap, working up a fine batch of tunes blending power pop with old school indie and shades of punk and new wave in the mix. It’s out now, with Portland, OR’s Jigsaw Records handling the compact discs and San Diego, CA’s Bleeding Gold Records pressing it up on vinyl in a limited edition of 100 copies. That’s ten tracks on the wax and four on the accompanying download.
Consisting of Jason Sigal on guitar and vocals, Joe Posner on bass, and Jeff Wood on drums, Lame Drivers conjure a sound that’s been called “slacker-core indie rock.” It’s a tag that effectively reinforces a seeming collective desire to make music that pleases them rather than streamline their songs in an attempt to momentarily grasp that big brass ring of widespread success.
With its opening title track tapping into the eternal fount of Big Star, flaunting similarities to Teenage Fanclub, the assorted bands of Paul Chastain and Ric Menck including Velvet Crush and even the terribly undersung Burke, VA outfit Poole, Become an Island displays no signs of rust after a long sabbatical; especially nifty is the revved-up pace in the song’s back half.
Lame Drivers’ range is quickly apparent in “My Problem,” as the cut’s melodic rock core sports a punky edge, late ’70s style. This is fitting for a band that has covered (and played with) Midwestern punk royalty The Gizmos. Lame Drivers has also covered Wire, Mission of Burma, and notably, “Drugs in My Pocket” by The Monks (the ’70s spoof punk UK band of ex-Strawbs, not the ’60s proto-punkers), the latter part of a 2023 WFMU marathon premium compilation CD Next Stop, Nowhere: 100 Percent Authentic Fake Punk, just to establish the band’s good taste and knowledge base.
“Professional Volunteer” adjusts to a power poppish model a la the Nerves and early Cheap Trick, while “State of Mind” is a solid mid-tempo showcase for guitar (jangle, strums, crunch) and vocal harmonies, and then “Temple” spreads out and leans deeper into the heftier side of the pop-rock equation, late ’80s-early ’90s style, with Teenage Fanclub again an audible but not overstated influence.
“Spring” throws back to the early ’80s with a highly poppy new wavy/post-punky and bass heavy thrust delivered at a pace that’s fitting for a big mass pogo. Next, “Change Agent” is harmony laden post-dB’s jangle action with bold choruses and flashes of keyboards. From there, “Sealed” is a speedy rocker with a punk edge that’s distinct from “My Problem.”
“Runnin’ Scared” is another bold move, connecting like a mid-’80s radio hit, specifically the kind that was huge on college stations and then spilled over onto more commercial rock playlists. Radio is a big part of Lame Drivers’ background, as Sigal has DJed at numerous stations including WFMU, and furthermore, the band’s stylistic inspirations harken back to the era when a song could take off organically, building momentum gradually through consistent airplay and grassroots support to become a regional hit and then maybe more.
It’s in “Throwing Stones” that some later period Guided by Voices flair shines though (GBV producer Travis Harrison helmed Become an Island). The tidy “This Pattern” follows, kicking off another punky stretch that rolls into “International Strength,” where the sound isn’t too far from something the Adverts might’ve cooked up. Lacking affectation or a calculated retro feel, “Winners Game” is edgy power pop that could’ve been released (or distributed) by Bomp Records back in the day.
“Fade” ends the album with energy by dishing one more vaguely Menck and Chastain-ish swing for the fences. Adjacent to the left-of-the dial radio angle, Lame Drivers fit pretty snuggly into the “record collector rock” category; it’s plainly obvious they love listening to music. With Become an Island they’ve assembled a strong record for those who share their passion for sounds.
GRADED ON A CURVE:
A-
