“Background Music For Family Arguments” is a debut full-length album by Drug Store Raid, a superb Finnish group based in Helsinki. Heavily promoted with “I Wanna Be A Hipster,” “Vi Är Finnjävlar,” and “Your Mother,” three excellent standalone singles that vividly showcase what you might expect from the remainder of the album, these experienced musicians delivered a comprehensive collection of catchy, memorable, engaging tracks that will immediately grab you by the collar and refuse to let go long after the last notes and beats end. For those who somehow missed our previous writings about these folks, Drug Store Raid nurtures such a specific style, achieved by stacking the fundamental elements of several different but complementary music genres. Post-punk reigns supreme in this sonic equation, but don’t be surprised if you stumble upon if you stumble upon some of the finest properties borrowed from art-punk, art-rock, garage rock, noise rock, slacker rock, indie rock, and punk rock. The way these highly skilled musicians implement these styles and arrange these songs goes beyond comprehension so many times throughout the entire album, proving that post-punk music as a longevous genre can still sound fresh, unique, diverse, versatile, and exciting. Therefore, “Background Music For Family Arguments” is a must not only for all those die-hard post-punk fans but for anyone looking for exciting new music entirely stacked with some of the best sonic maneuvers written and composed in recent years.
This marvelous album commences with “Prologue,” a noisy, experimental, cinematic ambient track that focuses on lyrical content. It prepares your listening apparatus for what’s about to come next, but it also has that pleasant tension, like waiting for a change in dynamics and ambiance, which arrives with “I Wanna Be A Hipster,” a perfect showcase of their boundless creativity and musicianship. This song strikes hard with all those jangly, generously distorted guitar works, delicate synths, notable brass section maneuvers, and a powerful rhythm section that keeps the entire band together. The vocals stand out with all those melodic shouts that perfectly match the song’s atmosphere. Drug Store Raid channels some Talking Heads vibes with “Phar Mac Is T,” a composition that continuously levitates between post-punk and art rock aesthetics. Still, the band demonstrates their fresh, unique, and innovative style through nearly funky, sharp chord progression and intricate basslines. These interplays perfectly match all those keys and brass, pointing out their complex yet unrestricted sound. “Fashion Fashion” continues in the same tradition but with more subtly sonic maneuvers that suddenly burst into a powerful crescendo during the pre-choruses and choruses. It’s an incredible composition and one of the standouts of this material.
Drug Store Raid sails much darker waters with “Sicko Zone,” a dark, eerie, nearly gothy post-punk song. You’ll notice how the band channels some Bauhaus and Joy Division vibes here, yet in their highly recognizable, signature style. You’ll notice how the excellent vocal performance commands attention and guides the listening apparatus through each segment while the impressive vocal range seamlessly balances low, mid, and high notes. The song gradually builds a heavy and dense atmosphere where each instrumentation contributes to a sonically rich atmosphere. It’s such a marvelous composition and another standout piece worth repeating over and over again. Once again, Drug Store Raid goes much more darker, cinematic ambient waters with “Rebirth Of Plasticity,” a multilayered sonic experience that could serve as a prelude to “Suzy,” another magnificent post-punk track that follows the tradition of “Sicko Zone.” This style suits Drug Store Raid well, as the entire band feels comfortable performing those angular, jangly, groovy, punchy sonic maneuvers. This is one of those tracks where each band member shines in the limelight, demonstrating tremendous creativity and talent.
“Who Knows Jack Shit About Mental Health,” “Gutter,” and “Vi Är Finnjävlar” bring back those noisy post-punk maneuvers to the table. You’ll solely enjoy those heavily distorted chord progressions, gritty basslines, and dynamic rhythmic patterns while the brass section and keys elevate everything to new heights. These songs also showcase Drug Store Raid’s creative usage of various vocal arrangements. You’ll stumble on many back vocals and singalongs, which add more depth and power to an overall ambiance. “Americana” is a much calmer composition, demonstrating their ability to tastefully blend alternative, indie, and slacker rock elements. This epic sonic journey ends with “This Is Not A Drug Song,” a perfect art-rock composition, empowered with many synth and krautrock elements. It evokes the late seventies and early eighties nostalgia in such a beautiful and creative way. Drug Store Raid has created a post-punk masterpiece with their debut album. “Background Music For Family Arguments” is a comprehensive collection of catchy, engaging, memorable songs, demonstrating all the versatility and uniqueness of this incredible band. Their experience, creativity, and talent shine from each vocal, sonic, and rhythmic maneuver, proving that they’re one of the finest modern post-punk bands you’ll stumble upon in the contemporary music scene. “Background Music For Family Arguments” is available on all streaming platforms. Don’t miss it!
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