Free Music February: Drive By Night

"Who do you think you're looking at, fool?!"

Greetings, all you brave readers on a qwest to dizcover muzik! I'm very happy to kick-off something I'd like to call Free Music February: this month, all of my Artist of the Day posts will feature a free download, be it a song, EP, or even an LP. So sit back, get your trigger finger ready, and prepare for the torrent of awesome headed your way!

Up-and-coming rock band Drive By Night, our first FREE artist of January, may not be a household name yet. If its debut is any indication, though, the band won't have to wait long. Its brand of straightforward, no-nonsense pop-punk is not only immediately catchy but also rousing and genuinely cathartic. Right out of the gate, opener "City Alight" comes out with a statement that will resonate with many listeners; "I won't live to just grow older," yowls lead vocalist Jake Germain in a display of defiance in the face of struggles, as the guitars and drums backing up his sentiments rise from forte to fortissimo to meet his intensity. The music is just as dynamic as the words here, delicate bass lines snaking through the verses; messy but beatific hits of electric guitar throbbing like sugar-addled heartbeats; and the drums offering brief pockets of room for introspection before crashing back into the fray. Furthermore, Germain proves himself to be a powerful frontman, twisting his delivery ever-so-subtly on the emotionally conflicted verses even as he fires off chorus after chorus (shining brightest on the sincere, anthemic "Home"). In the end, though, it's not any one element that's most impressive: the overall impression I get of Drive By Night is one of a band with a laser-sharp vision and the ambition to pull it off. The band is so confident that even its email address is a declaration to the world: we are not just a band. We are DRIVE BY NIGHT, goddamnit. At gmail.com.

Likewise, this post is not a recommendation but a command. I command you to get on the Drive By Night train right now. And if you still aren't convinced, the first ticket's FREE.