Emo-country. There, I labeled it. Emo-country. Which bands come to mind? Well, ok, consider Drive Til Morning the pioneering emo-country outfit then. The brain child and solo effort of Francis Garcia (ex-Pop Unknown, Yuck), Drive Til Morning serves as a "change of scenery" for Garcia where humble country chord progressions and drawn-out emo vocals may coexist in harmony. The self-titled, debut release displays Garcia's versatility as a songwriter considering his primarily punk upbringing. The instrumentation is polished and well-produced, featuring such traditional country instruments as pedal steel, banjo, violin, and viola, along with soothing synthesizer effects. Garcia’s deep monotone voice, often times reminiscent of Jay Farrar’s, is tiresome and forced. Although the musicianship is flawless, the album is decent at best, lacking any true substance. A few songs are catchy, including “Orange and Tweed,” a pleading love song which would fit quite well in an episode of The OC. The album also includes two instrumental tracks titled “The First Day of Summer” and “Like Trees in November.” Both contain some pretty interesting acoustic guitar picking, yet sound very similar and last no longer than two minutes. It’s hard to keep your attention on Drive Til Morning due to the lack of variety and energy. However, it would be a good album to listen to if you were, let’s say, driving all night long in the middle of nowhere, thinking about that really hip chick who works at your favorite coffee shop. Yet, you’ve never talked to her because you think she’s cooler than you are, so you just imagine how life would be if you were dating her. Oh yeah, you have to be doing all of this while driving in the middle of the night.
1. Palm Trees Sway
2. Orange and Tweed
3. By Scenic Highway
4. The First Day of Summer
5. The Pipe Bombs Bursting in Air
6. At the Center of the Universe
7. Minutes Turn to Miles
8. Stompers
9. Like Trees in November
10. Bring the Single Digits On
More about: Drive Til Morning
