Your Acting's Like The End Of The World

The Drones 

         The Drones hit Perth tomorrow night as part of their national tour in support of their latest album 'I See Seaweed'. It's one of their best albums by far. Given that one of their songs is also the namesake of my often neglected blog, I figured it was about time I created a top 15 list of my favourite Drones tracks. 

           The Drones continually vie to take the position as my favourite band - the only group they're wrestling against would be Gomez. They're easily my favourite Australian band. Alongside Something for Kate and Sarah Blasko, The Drones have some of the finest songwriting in Australian music. They are, without a doubt, one of the greatest live acts though. 

15. Six Ways to Sunday

Six Ways to Sunday is from The Drones first album and first EP. It's a killer song live and shows immensely how great Gareth Liddiard is as a lead. The way he spits out words is brilliant.

14. Why Write A Letter That You'll Never Send

As close to a dive bar ballad that you'll get from The Drones. The alliteration in this song is perfect, alongside the cutting social commentary - something Liddiard is a master at. 

13. Jezebel

The opening and closing tracks to The Drones albums are always intense and attention grabbing. Jezebel is no different. I came to Gala Mill late - I'd fallen in love with Havilah and Wait By the River before I came to Gala Mill. It still grabs you with Liddiard's brilliant lyrics 'I love you like a violin, I hurt you like an amputee'. 

12. I Don't Ever Want to Change

A mess of guitar noises and angry drums, this is a scorching song which feels to me like it talks about alcoholism and not wanting to get away from that. Whether that's the case or not, Liddiard's toddler like tantrum lyrics make this a great angry song.

11. She Had An Abortion that She Made Me Pay For

Quite possibly the most depressing song in The Drones catalogue. Through the cacophony of guitars is a disturbing and depressing song about drug addiction and the nature of what drugs are capable of making people do. 

10. Sharkfin Blues

The Drones most recognisable song is one of their best. It was voted by Australian artists as the best Australian song a few years ago - I would argue that it's a great song but not the best Australian song (currently that claim lays with Stolen Property by The Triffids). 

9. Locust

Locust is one of Liddiard's best use of a crescendo in a song. It starts off as such a small song and then builds into a heartache of a climax. 

8. River of Tears

The only song on this list not written by Gareth Liddiard. River of Tears is evidence that can turn an already great song into their own and still have a lot of respect for the origin of the song. Liddiard writes about colonial Australia quite a lot, but this cover bridges colonial Australia and modern Australia perfectly in a depressing true story.

7. Work for Me

The only Drones song where Gareth Liddiard isn't the singer. Fiona Kitschin has a great voice and even though she's the bass player, should really get a few more opportunities to sing on tracks. This is minimalistic but perfectly so. 

6. Cold & Sober

Havilah is my favourite album of all time. It's sat there for a while and I never tire of it. It's tracks like Cold & Sober that make it perfect for me. It's almost like the stark contrast I Don't Ever Want to Change. In fact, this track is for me one of the most Australian sounding and feeling tracks by an Australian act. 

5. Oh My

There really needs to be more songs about the apocalypse. The lyrics in this song kill me every time.

4. Nine Eyes

Liddiard's concern about the lack of privacy in Nine Eyes is refreshing and a great reminder why there's no such thing as privacy anymore. The line 'who's this asshole with this lime green commodore' is just perfect. 

3. This Time

This Time and Sixteen Straws are the last track on both of their respective albums. The mere fact that a band has the audacity to leave such perfect songs as their final songs is a sign of faith in their own music and a respect for the natural flow of an album. Too often an album will have the 'radio friendly' tracks early on and the crap near the end, but The Drones don't give a shit about that. This is one of the few tracks which feels like it should be a sing-a-long every time.

2. Sixteen Straws

I'd like to think that this is the song that The Drones will be remembered for. It's a riveting ageless song that has one of the best finishes I've ever heard. It's not a very manly thing to cry at a Drones gig, but dammit, every time Liddiard's pulled this out I've had to move to the dark spot in the room and hope nobodies looking.

1. Luck in Odd Numbers

Out of an album of perfect songs, Luck in Odd Numbers stands out as the best. It's a song which just gets under your skin and then grows into something perfect. For me the amount of emotion that Liddiard spits out with 'I'm an engine running, and I feel my heart is sinking' is more than any singer nowadays is able to reach in a ninety minute set.