If you weren’t told that The End Of Comedy was just released, you’d swear you were listening to a forgotten album of the 1960s – and a great one at that.
The LA-based Drugdealer has created an album with searing guitar riffs that could be right out of a Beatles song, and textures borrowed from a classic dream-pop record. Rather than derivative, this throwback sound is instead entirely refreshing.
It comes as no surprise when you realise the collaborations that went into making the record, including Ariel Pink, Danny James and Natalie Mering of Weyes Blood, as well as “a bona fide who’s who of Collins’s mates”, including members of bands like Regal Degal, Holy Shit!, Sheer Agony, The Mild High Club, Mr. Twin Sister, The Memories, and even some members of Mac DeMarco’s band.
To give us an insight into this pleasant surprise of a debut record, Drugdealer has taken us through each track. The End Of Comedy is available now.
Theme for Far Rockaway
Wrote this one in Far Rockaway on the screened in porch at Mac and Keira’s house. I stayed in the that porch for a while (some would call it a Florida room) which had a beautiful drop-off view of the bay out there and the JFK airport landing strips. One of my most peaceful spaces to create I’ve ever had in New York. Definitely inspired by films like taxi driver and legendary soothers like Bill Evans.
The Real World
Wrote it first day staying at friends house in Los Angeles before I ever lived here. Came into empty house straight from the airport to house sit for a few days and ended up eating some liquid “god’s molecule” and writing this tune. The sentiment was that even in moments of extreme psychedelia and euphoria, the only thing that ever really matters is reality and everything that comes with it. It was also the moment that I realised I was finally going to move away from the east coast cities which had made up my home forever.
Suddenly
Like many of the albums progressions I had been vaguely messing around with these chords for a long time. One day, in Oakland, I started singing over theme and writing lyrics. In my mind, only Nataly could actually deliver it in the right way. I waited for her to come through to play a show together and then we recorded this one at night afterwards. She was a bit lucid and tired from touring but somehow it seemed to work out beautifully. She added so much to the melodic contraction of the song. It’s really one of my favourite moments I’ve had so far in making music.
Love The Beatles?
Get the latest The Beatles news, features, updates and giveaways straight to your inbox Learn more
Easy to Forget
I had a part of a chord progression and ended up trying to figure it out at Ariel’s house and he really pushed the idea into an entire ballad. He wrote the lyrics down on a receipt at first and we went from there. Alex Brettin, from The Mild High Club came over the next day and worked out some amazing lead guitar parts over what we wrote. Then months later, in Vancouver, my associate Joseph McMurray recorded a bunch of drum takes.
Were you saying something?
This one is kind of a lament on the passivity of communication in youth culture today. Maybe a bit of a jab towards apathetic routes of constant, yet somewhat diluted conversations. A modern take on yatta yatta. I wrote it with my long time collaborator Sasha Winn in the room and he nonchalantly harmonised with me as I worked it out. I was inspired by Pete Dello at the time, and I think thats probably showing here.
Theme for Alessandro.
Alessandroni – the session whistler for Morricone – is so incredibly underrated and unknown. He did loads of other film scores at the time and they are my favourites. This song is simply a transition into the second side of the record, with nods to blaxploitation soundtracks as well. The foley sounds were meant to evoke someone working in an office on a rainy day, looking out their window, and walking home to their flat in the evening.
It’s Only Raining Right Where You’re Standing
Its a song about being constantly heart broken. People let you down, you let yourself down looking for things, etc. I love the left bank and all the baroque acid pop bands and that music was really bringing me back to life. I recorded this one in Vancouver as well in the rainy season. Its really about depression and how it can follow you around – however when you’re traveling you’re still bringing your world around with you.
The End of Comedy.
The record’s concept revolves around being an artist searching for meaning in this period. A lot of the art today revolves around ironic gestures and clever joking. I wanted to take a look at that in my own work and ask a few questions about it. For one, why are some people so obsessed to make others laugh with their artwork? The recording of this one took place at Nataly’s house in Far Rockaway, and like many other things I did for this album we basically sat down and finished it. Her harmony parts are gorgeous. This session was yet another that really affirmed what I was reaching for.
Sea of Nothing
This is the oldest song on the record. It’s about having a friend that keeps looking to you and others around for direction in an obnoxious way. Its about using every excuse to not look into yourself when you need to the most. I’ve experienced this with someone I care about deeply. It is a dead end road simply looking to everyone around you in hopes to find out who you really are. I recorded it as a cautionary tale and also a letter to my friend. Multiple people who knew what the song was about warned me to never release it.
My Life
In keeping with a concept album construction – this is in some ways the death song. Looking back at everything you’ve done and wondering – was this life of humour and cheekiness worth anything? I recorded this song with Danny james the day I met him in Oakland. He is one of the most talented songwriters I know and the process of working with him was organic. His album “pear” is the best thing Burger Records has put out, I reckon.
The End
The last scene? The Credits rolling?
