Drift is the debut album by the Irish band the Devlins, released in 1993.[1][2] It was delayed due to organizational changes at Capitol Records; a rerelease campaign also followed in 1994.[3][4] The first single was "I Knew That".[5] The band supported the album with a North American tour that included shows with Sarah McLachlan.[6][7] Drift was a modest commercial success.[8]
| Drift | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1993 | |||
| Label | Capitol | |||
| Producer | Malcolm Burn, Robert Bell | |||
| The Devlins chronology | ||||
| ||||
Production
editThe album was produced primarily by Malcolm Burn; it was his second credited album production, and he was chosen in part due to his inexperience.[5][3] Robert Bell worked on one of the tracks.[9] Drift was recorded at the Devlins' home studio, Kingsway Studio, and AIR Studios.[6] Although the band didn't think there was much of an "Irish quality" to the album, they were influenced by the sound of Van Morrison's Astral Weeks.[10] Most of the album's songs were written by singer Colin Devlin.[11] The title track is about feeling detached from people.[12] "I Knew That" is about a failed romantic relationship.[13]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [14] |
| Chicago Tribune |  [15] |
| MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide | [9] |
The Kitchener-Waterloo Record deemed the album "primarily acoustic music, of a folk-rock nature, and the Devlins' songs cohere nicely to the strengths of that genre ... the true strength here might well be lyrical rather than musical."[16] Rolling Stone wrote that the band "capitalizes on singer-songwriter-guitarist Colin Devlin's precocious pop sensibility, opting for the lithe arrangements that allow the group ... to experiment with different textures while still giving the melodies room to breathe."[17] Stereo Review opined that "the rhythm section, bassist Peter Devlin and drummer Sean Devitt, gives these tunes a crackling energy reminiscent of Mick Fleetwood and John McVie."[18] The Chicago Tribune determined that the Devlin brothers "try too hard to be like U2 and INXS."[15] The Times Colonist praised the "bright, pop sensibility, glorious sibling harmonies, and strong, surprisingly mature lyrics."[19]
AllMusic wrote that "hushing vocals carry the entire 11-song set list and make Drift an ethereal beauty."[14]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Knew That" | |
| 2. | "Every Time You Go" | |
| 3. | "Turn You 'Round" | |
| 4. | "Drift" | |
| 5. | "Almost Made You Smile" | |
| 6. | "Alone in the Dark" | |
| 7. | "Someone to Talk To" | |
| 8. | "Necessary Evil" | |
| 9. | "As Far as You Can Go" | |
| 10. | "I Don't Want to Be Like This" | |
| 11. | "Until the Light Shines Through" |
References
edit- ^ "The Devlins Biography by Craig Harris". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
- ^ "Picks & pans – Drift by The Devlins". People. Vol. 40, no. 7. Aug 16, 1993. p. 26.
- ^ a b Burliuk, Greg (31 Mar 1994). "Kingston concert a memorable one". Entertainment. The Kingston Whig-Standard. p. 35.
- ^ Weiler, Derek (7 Apr 1994). "Drift". The Kitchener-Waterloo Record. p. D6.
- ^ a b "Album Reviews". Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 20. May 15, 1993. p. 54.
- ^ a b Applefeld, Catherine (Jun 12, 1993). "Developing Devlins". Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 24. p. 17.
- ^ Saxberg, Lynn (31 Mar 1994). "McLachlan receives warm welcome home". Ottawa Citizen. p. E2.
- ^ Morse, Steve (1 July 1994). "Devlins Shine". Arts. The Boston Globe. p. 58.
- ^ a b MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1996. p. 199.
- ^ Muretich, James (15 May 1994). "Timeless Atmosphere Spurs the Devlins". Calgary Herald. p. B7.
- ^ McDonald, Sam (15 July 1994). "Devlins Get Their Due". InRoads. Daily Press. Newport News. p. 17.
- ^ Schulman, Sandra (10 Apr 1994). "Devlin breathes, weaves". Sun Sentinel. p. 3F.
- ^ Semon, Craig S. (24 July 1994). "Dublin's Devlins explore the many moods of love". Datebook. Telegram & Gazette. p. 10.
- ^ a b "Drift Review by MacKenzie Wilson". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
- ^ a b Webber, Brad (9 Sep 1993). "Recordings". Tempo. Chicago Tribune. p. 9.
- ^ Randall, Neil (13 May 1993). "Drift The Devlins". The Kitchener-Waterloo Record. p. D9.
- ^ Gardner, Elysa (Jun 10, 1993). "Recordings — Drift by The Devlins". Rolling Stone. No. 658. p. 70.
- ^ "Popular music – Drift by The Devlins". Stereo Review. Vol. 58, no. 9. Sep 1993. p. 94.
- ^ Blake, Joseph (17 May 1994). "Wednesday night at the Royal Theatre...". Times Colonist. p. 1.