Drenge’s 2013 debut was a welcome anachronism, the Loveless brothers’ heavy riffs and gory lyrics at odds with the prevailing tide of polite indie. And yet in the wake of the continuing successof kindred spirits Royal Blood, a second dose of Drenge’s nihilistic take on the blues now seems somehow timely. Undertow certainly opens well, Running Wild and Never Awake showcasing an improved grasp of dynamics and tension. Favourite Son, meanwhile, reprises the energy of their debut. However, some of the longer songs, most notably Standing in the Cold, find them erring on the side of ponderousness. A solid follow-up rather than any sort of great leap forward.
