Remo Drive have been making a name for themselves for the better part of the 2010s, getting their start in 2013 and dropping quite the quantity of releases ever since. The band signed to Epitaph in 2018 and keep gaining steam, leading to their upcoming album, A Portrait of an Ugly Man. This third full-length comes into the world on June 26th, but here’s a preview of what’s to come:
“A Guide to Live By” opens up A Portrait of an Ugly Man, with a driving verse riff, teeming with plenty of drum fills and guitar runs. It’s easily accessible and could sit comfortably in a rock radio queue. Leading single “Star Worship” is characterized by its snare hits every measure and mystifying vocals. The low-register guitar solo in the outro transitions into the album’s next song adequately.
“Dead Man” has emphatic chorus vocals from Erik as his brother Stephen implements a groovy bass riff in the verse. A compelling opening complements “If I’ve Ever Looked Too Deep in Thought” as it almost gives off a Western vibe. “The Ugly Man Sings” has really striking bass in its pre-chorus, which is layered over Erik reaching his impressive lowest pitch, and again caps the song off with a guitar solo.
The shift to major key in “True Romance Lives” threw me for a loop in a good way. This is a highlight song, with an urgency in the lyricism and the most explorative guitar work yet with a fancy piano closer. “Ode to Joy 2” almost sounds like a Wings song in the post-chorus, and “The Night I Kidnapped Remo Drive” (points for that song title) is a summer-soundtrack staple even at 5 minutes long with even more delicate guitars and elongated bridge.
“A Flower and a Weed” has the most entertaining vocal harmony on A Portrait of an Ugly Man within its chorus. Remo Drive wraps things up with “Easy as That,” which is unfortunately a bit of a forgettable album closer, usually reserved for one of the best tracks.
Remo Drive still has a lot of talent on display in A Portrait of an Ugly Man, but I found the same-y song structure and forgettability of some tracks to not make it stand out as much as previous efforts. The best moments are with “Dead Man,” “The Ugly Man Sings,” and “A Flower and a Weed,” but the rest didn’t leave as much of an impact. Nevertheless, this album’s worth a spin for fans new and old.
Rating: 7/10
A press copy of A Portrait of an Ugly Man was provided courtesy of Grandstand Media.
