Tulsa Drone: Songs From A Mean Season

Tulsa Drone
Songs from a Mean Season
Dry County
2007-05-08

Tulsa Drone isn’t from Tulsa. In fact, Virginia is their home. But regardless of their stomping grounds, Tulsa Drone are intent on making memorable alt.country-leaning songs that seem to fall somewhere between Wilco on their more experimental side and a laidback Singapore Sling. Beginning with the powerful and epic “Monongahela”, Tulsa Drone change gears throughout, giving it a healthy amount of flow. From there, thing settle into a cinematic Western feel with “Risk Guitar” — with the risk definitely reaping great returns. The band reaches their stride perfectly on the slow-building but alluring and haunting “We’ll Take Oregon Hill” which sounds like it would fit perfect on a mix tape between The Handsome Family and The National. However, perhaps the highlight or gem on the entire album is “Huntsman” which has a hook that sears into one’s mind instantly. Moody is another apt way to describe this album, with the murky, winding “The Catch” drawing you in the way The Cure would with any of their lengthy, legendary numbers. The fact that it concludes with some jazz sprinklings only adds to its luster. Falling short of this level but not bad is the unnerving “Mean Season” yet “Brace” is sheer beauty.

RATING 7 / 10