Drug Church
Hygiene


4.0
excellent

Review

by deathofasalesman USER (11 Reviews)
March 22nd, 2022 | 54 replies


Release Date: 2022 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Here's what I learned living under my rock

I will say from the jump that Hygiene is almost better than CHEER, the previous Drug Church album. I’ve listened to both enough times to know that, but there’s still this inkling that in a few years I’ll finally admit that this one is top-dog. It’s a tough call because, with each repeated listen, the album consistently delivers new surprises, whether it’s the unwieldy distortion that begins and ends each song or an insightful lyric that breathes new meaning. At the same time, it feels like the band doesn’t take enough chances and overall feels a bit short. That’s not to say there isn’t some risk-taking involved here. The LA-NY punks double down on their pop tendencies with bouncy riffs and layered vocal effects. Meanwhile, lead singer Patrick Kindlon furthers his brand of off-beat honesty, covering topics like the emotional bitterness we create for ourselves and the way people judge others. The instrumentation feels tighter than ever with a delicate mix of grungy punk riffs, heavy drumming, and intricate melodies that stick to your brain like hot glue. Whether all of this is better than what we’ve heard before remains to be seen, but what’s on display is exceptional nonetheless and worthy of multiple playthroughs, especially for fans of the Pixies, Black Flag, and more recently, Turnstile. See the band live too if you can, it just might click.



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user ratings (125)
3.6
great


Comments:Add a Comment 
deathofasalesman
March 22nd 2022


8634 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

Stayed up to finish this. Something needed to be said cuz this thing rocks



Links:

http://www.purenoise.net/releases/pne322-hygiene/

https://drugchurch.bandcamp.com/album/hygiene/

https://music.apple.com/us/album/hygiene/1591287027/

https://open.spotify.com/album/7o7dfudZfiankIzcfXXamT?si=hKklBzB3TM6Iuk87lUM5wg/

Purpl3Spartan
March 22nd 2022


8536 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

Nice short rev for a solid release

ian b
March 22nd 2022


2175 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

oh SHIT a deathofasalesman review??? is this a dream? either way just shredded my draft of this because this is a wonderful review, agree with most points and reads very fluidly. hope it gets featured and that you start to write a lil bit more !!!

cold
March 22nd 2022


6721 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

This is probably gonna be my AOTY

nicktheman1
March 22nd 2022


112 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

Thanks for the rev. Agreed with pretty much everything said.



Dont find this one as captivating as Cheer was for me when it came out (and still is), but then again I didnt listen the singles into the ground before that one came out.



Seeing them tomorrow. First show since the pandemic started. It will be healing.

SteakByrnes
March 22nd 2022


29751 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

album owns

nicktheman1
March 22nd 2022


112 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

Detective Lieutenant is the Weed Pin of this record, dont @ me. Shame they might avoid playing it live cause the lyrics got people butthurt

deathofasalesman
March 22nd 2022


8634 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

Thanks for the kind words people



I've been wracking my brain over a separate review in progress, and this one was surprisingly fun to write as a distraction. So many rewrites though

Sunnyvale
Staff Reviewer
March 22nd 2022


5854 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Good little writeup, glad to see this get a review at long last.

Sowing
Moderator
March 22nd 2022


43943 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

I enjoy the sound they created here but I feel like it wears thin. Better to experience it as a track here or there rather than a front to end album, but maybe that's just me.

deathofasalesman
March 22nd 2022


8634 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

This trending at #1? Nice



I feel like the album flows well, but I do agree that separately the tracks have a tendency to sound better.



Top 3 tracks for me: Detective Lieutenant, Tiresome, Super Saturated

nicktheman1
March 22nd 2022


112 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

''Top 3 tracks for me: Detective Lieutenant, Tiresome, Super Saturated''



Agreed 100%.



I think Plucked and Piss & Quiet might become skippers for me...they aren't bad songs, just not great DC songs.

cold
March 22nd 2022


6721 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

Fun's Over>World Impact>Super Saturated

SteakByrnes
March 22nd 2022


29751 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Tiresome and World Impact are my favorites

Jamdbz
March 22nd 2022


1523 Comments


The first track is so fun, ironically enough

MrGlass
March 22nd 2022


605 Comments


Detective Lieutenant is my favorite song they've ever put out. Didn't know about the controversy around the lyrics, although considering it's got a 'separate the art from the artist' theme I could see why.

nicktheman1
March 23rd 2022


112 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

Basically alot of people interpret the lyrics as Pat Kindlon's pre-emptive defense for some thing(s) he's done in the past that he expects to get canceled for, but I think it's a stretch. Not like the guy hasnt written lyrics or said controversial shit in the past.

MrGlass
March 23rd 2022


605 Comments


ahhh. thanks for filling me in. sounds like a stretch to me too

deathofasalesman
March 23rd 2022


8634 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

He's already been "cancelled" but it turned out to be a lie. He talks about it many times on the podcast I Don't Care If This Ruins My Life (appropriate title)

Pajolero
March 24th 2022


1421 Comments


Pat's been nothing if not consistent on these topics over the past decade that I've been following him, so anyone arguing that he's afraid of being cancelled is either new or an absolute moron. It's just that the lyrics in Detective Lieutenant feel especially topical given today's political/social climate.



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