Rain City Drive
Things Are Different Now – Thriller Records
‘Pop’ is not a word to be feared. ‘Things Are Different Now’ (an album title and a handy proverb) is not 80’s style shove a shuttlecock down yer shorts Wham pop. Nor is it 90’s dodgy boyband pop. Rain City Drive’s new release is post-hardcore with a delightful dose of pop, fit for 2024. Perfect for playing in all situations thanks to its soft, echoey melodies, bold choruses and emotionally raw lyrics. The band are named after wet weather conditions in Manchester (where they met – despite being Florida-based). But musically this album is a massive ray of sunshine, albeit with lyrics that hit hard in the feels. Matt McAndrew’s earnest, vulnerable vox is at the forefront of every track and the only place to hide from it is in the part ethereal, part punch in the stomach, always hefty doses of tuneful umph. You’re not gonna dissect a couple of tracks for us Jo? Nope. They’re all absolute beauts. The instruments will get you in the gut, but the lyrics will slap you in the soul.
Review by Jo Wright