It’s been a strange time for Drive Thru Records as they’ve downsized, lost some bands, changed their distro and gone through a period of relative inactivity. At least that’s how it seems. Socratic are a band who the label has stuck by and this is their brand new album; it’s a record that’s not a DTR classic and doesn’t live up to the standards the label set in it’s golden era, but it’s a decent listen nonetheless.
‘Boy in a Magazine’ gets things off to a gentle start and the record picks up the pace as the album progresses. ‘Janis Joplin Hands‘ has some nice dual vocals, while the album’s title track is a really solid effort. The record is glossy and the production impressive, but the band have a pretty stripped down feel with often just a guitar and vocals taking the spotlight. Socratic have written and recorded a good, solid album that isn’t quite great – there’s certainly pleasant summer listening to be had if you give it a bit of time.