So I read several blogs and sites about music, as you might imagine. On several of them from the U.K. last year a band named Drenge was mentioned as a contender for Top of a few 2013 lists. I mentally noted it.

One day as I fell into the rabbit hole of YouTube, I came across a Drenge video. Just 2 kids, brothers, playing guitar and drums. Simple. The video I saw was for the song “Bloodsports”.

It was GOOD.

I watched a couple others from their album and was sufficiently stoked about it to order their CD.

Now let’s put this in context. Aside from used resale shop CD’s, I think the last physical full price CD I purchased was “The Black Keys – El Camino”. So this was saying something and to boot I had to order it from the U.K.

Look Abbey! Royal Mail!

This album is fantastic. Driving guitar rolls and tumbles and just enough angst to make you shout it out while you play it in traffic. You should check out their YouTube appearances. There are a bunch where they are recorded in radio studios and on TV shows that show them playing the songs a bit different, with more fuzztone and speeds. Fun stuff. I highly recommend.

During that same rabbit hole session I stumbled onto another new band for me. Against Me!

The fist song I watched on YouTube was their song “Thrash Unreal”. The song was amazing. I was immediately intrigued and watched a few more. I didn’t know what date order I was watching them in, but the lead singer went through quite a few different looks. The “Thrash Unreal” video has him in a very short haircut. The next one I watched he had long hair, then short hair, then really long hair and he was in sort of ambiguous clothes. Then another video had him in a dress and longer hair still. Then I checked out a few interview videos with him and got the whole story. He is transgendered.

I checked out a range of other videos of Against Me! and settled on the “New Wave” CD that had the first song that hooked me on them, “Thrash Unreal”. Another physical CD order. Another one that had to come through customs.

The plastic jewel case was in pieces, but the CD was intact and it has blown me away. The entire album is awesome. Every single song. I could not possibly recommend this more.

I had to use a stock photo instead of a real photo because in fact I have already lent it out to my friend Dan. I have it on my phone though and it has been played daily since I got it.

They have a bunch of albums and there are several live performance videos from concerts on YouTube to check out. Go watch some.