Top Of The World
Schoolkids
2018
Rating: 7 changed minds out of 10
I had somehow missed that our local record store chain here in the Triangle, Schoolkids, was now also a label, but here we have the latest 6 String Drag offering “Top Of The World” as proof. Since they’re a local band and I at least moderately keep up with the scene I knew that they had reformed, but I’d be lying if I said I’d given them much thought since the late nineties when they were part of the alt-country scene that dominated Raleigh (Whiskeytown being the best known act of that era). The thing is – despite the very country-sounding name, despite a smidge of twang in the guitar here and there…6 String Drag are a pop band. “Adult pop” as I call it, very much in line with the likes of Elvis Costello or Big Star or Elvis Costello or Pernice Brothers or…I mean, this record really, really, REALLY sounds a lot like Elvis Costello. Guess what, you know what is an awesome compliment for any artist? You sound like fuckin’ Elvis Costello! Of course I say all that and the best song here, “Small Town Punks,” sounds the least like Costello – an organ driven bar rocker that’s probably a hoot live. “Every Time She Walks On By” might as well be from Costello’s “This Year’s Model” though. This is a quality pop record that hopefully folks give a listen and don’t just write off as post-reunion garbage (like so much post-reunion music is, unfortunately).
Bonus points for using the locally infamous Dorton Arena in their cover art...the first structure in the world to have a cable-supported roof! It looks like a space ship! I saw Superchunk there once!
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