hey yall! for this, or, rather last week’s weekly review (oops!), we’re checking out a band that’s completely new for me, with Umphrey’s McGee’s Anchor Drops, from 2004.
Umphrey’s McGee is a fully new band for me, and man the guitars on the opener, Plunger, is really fucking good – both the more metal guitars early in the track, and the acoustic guitars later (and the places where they play off each other near the end). it is just a really great way to kick things off and start the album right. theyve got a really fun jam band style, with plenty of other fun influences throughout, from Bullhead City’s country or folk sounds to the more electronic instrumentstion on Robot World. Uncommon even feels a bit like a pop punkier song.
while the title track, Anchor Drops, has sone jazzier elements to it, i think the track after that, In the Kitchen, is my fave song on the record. its got a tense kind of energy to it that matches the confrontation and realization being described lyrically.
the instrumental songs here are particularly really fun – Miss Tinkle’s Overture is an extremely fun, blisteringly classic rock guitar ledsong. huge fan of this one too! the Robot World track mentioned before is a fun listen, and i like Jajunk, Pt. I, even as im less a fan if Pt. II or the way its broken up by 13 Days.
and like, i think as much as songs like Bullhead City are neat, i lean a lot more towards the jammier songs on the record, and it feels a bit odd when they’re staggered like that. that being said, i appreciate the thematic cohesion here, with many of the songs musing on home and belonging, where one might find their anchor drops, haha. really fun album!
faves – Plunger, In the Kitchen, Miss Tinkle’s Overture, Uncommon, Jajunk Pt I, Walletsworth
dislikes –
Anchor Drops – 7/10
i’ll be back next week with a review of the Kink’s Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One – in the meantime, please let me know what album you’d like me to review below!