Some bands have a name that pretty much everyone recognizes without being too familiar with their body of work.
For me, that was the Lowdown Drifters and I’m here to tell you… it’s time everyone gets to learning.
Cause these guys rock.
Formed in Stanwood, Washington, the 5-piece band came together through a love for songwriting and has made quite the name for themselves in the Northwestern part of the US by touring hard and putting out songs that come from a full-lived life and the scars that come with it.
The tagline above the bio on their website sums it up beautifully.
“Last Call For Dreamers”
Tattoo that on my forearm, cause these guys live and breathe this mentality in all of their songs and live shows.
Their debut album came in 2016 and contained their most popular song to date, “Fire In Her Eyes,” a siren song of sorts about one of those women you know is a bit of trouble, but you’re just too enamored with to care.
Since the first time I’ve heard this one I can’t get enough.
The entire album is fantastic, with “We Three Kings” and “Last Night In Denver” being two other standouts for me.
Since the debut album they’ve released some singles, including “Alright”, which actually almost brought me to tears hearing front-man Big John Cannon sing it acoustic at Gordy’s HWY30 Fest, but for those wanting a new album, the wait is no more.
Last Friday, The Lowdown Drifters released Chapter 1 of their upcoming album “Cheating On A Memory” and, spoiler alert, it’s shaping up to be a great one.
It leads off with the title track, “Cheating On A Memory” which is a rock song, pure and simple. The lyrics are straight to the heart, mixing regret with the rage that comes from knowing what you let go should have been held onto. John’s vocals boom and truly drives that ire through you.
“Now I’m cheating on a memory
Making promises I can’t keep
To a ghost locked in my mind
Holding keys to all my dreams
I won’t say I sleep alone
But this house won’t be a home
Til I can break the curse that’s holding me
And stop cheating on a memory”
The second track, “Crazy Pretty Hell”, is my favorite from the first chapter. Written in the same vein of “Fire In Her Eyes”, speaking of an irresistible woman who messes you up, but makes you fall that much harder because of it.
The fourth and final track on the EP is titled “Rock N Roll” and tells a beautiful story of growing up, getting out and making life happen, regardless of anything thrown in the way.
Because that’s rock ‘n roll, baby.
Chapter 2 will be available in late July/early August with the final Chapter coming in September. Pre-orders for vinyl and CD’s of the entire project are available now on their website.
If you’re not already listening to them, get on it.
It sometimes seems hard to find music with something behind it, but every song The Drifters put out carries their life experience, good and bad, with it.