Review BY Glen Parkes
After the critical success of I Don’t Belong Anywhere in 2022, October Drift returns with their latest album Blame The Young, a reflective and emotionally charged record that showcases their continued growth. Retreating to the serene Somerset Levels for recording, the band—comprised of Kiran Roy (vocals/guitar), Alex Bispham (bass), Chris Holmes (drums/vocals), and Dan Young (guitar)—found the perfect environment to explore the passage of time and craft a soundscape both intimate and expansive after say one of my albums of the year.
Opening with the title track, Blame The Young, the album immediately sets a haunting yet anthemic tone. The spaciousness of the Somerset setting is palpable, with reverb-soaked guitars and brooding melodies that mirror the sense of isolation and reflection that defined the recording process.
Demons follows, delivering one of the album’s rawest moments. Kiran Roy’s vocals cut through with intensity, backed by a powerful rhythm section that pulls you into the internal struggle the song conveys. This track exemplifies the band’s ability to balance vulnerability with strength, something fans of their previous work will recognize and appreciate.
Nothing Makes Me Feel (The Way You Do) shifts the mood slightly, offering a more contemplative energy. Its melancholic lyrics explore themes of longing, while the instrumentation gradually builds into a cathartic crescendo, marking it as one of the standout moments on the record.
The mid-album track Wallflower introduces a more understated, introspective tone. With its stripped-back arrangement, it feels like a sonic breather, allowing the listener to sink deeper into the album’s emotional landscape. The lyrics here paint a vivid picture of feeling unnoticed and overlooked, a theme many listeners will find relatable.
In contrast, Don’t Care picks up the tempo with an infectious drive, and Everybody Breaks brings a raw and urgent energy to the album’s flow, tackling emotional fragility with an unflinching honesty. These tracks highlight October Drift’s knack for crafting songs that are both intensely personal and universally relatable.
Borderline and Tyrannosaurus Wreck continue the momentum, with their heavy guitar riffs and soaring choruses, showcasing the band’s talent for dynamic, arena-ready rock anthems. These songs feel destined to be crowd favorites at their live shows, adding a sense of urgency and excitement to the album.
As the album draws to a close, Hollow and Heal bring back the introspective mood. The slower tempos and delicate instrumentation provide a moment of reflection, as Roy’s lyrics delve into themes of recovery and renewal. There’s a quiet power in these songs that resonates long after they end.
The album closes with Not Running Anymore, a fitting end to the journey. The track captures a sense of resolution, as if the band has finally come to terms with the weight of the past and is ready to move forward. It’s a perfect encapsulation of the album’s overarching theme of reflection, growth, and letting go.
With Blame The Young, October Drift has crafted an album that is both deeply personal and universally relatable. The band’s ability to balance introspection with explosive energy is on full display, and it’s clear that their time in the Somerset Levels allowed them to create something truly special. This is an album that solidifies their place as one of the most exciting rock bands on the scene today, and with their biggest live show yet at London’s Scala on the horizon, 2024 looks set to be their year.
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