It’s unseasonably cold up here in Minneapolis but I turned my heat off yesterday and I am not turning it back on. That being said, I blame any typos in this post on frozen fingers. Hopefully ‘I Ride Bikes With Robert’ by Drake Elliott will help warm me up!

I was swept off my feet as soon as the hazy guitars that start “Gloucester Guys” took over my speakers. There’s something fuzzy and, thankfully, warm about this opening song on this five-song EP. Drake’s vocals come across as clear while having a retro vibe about them. The instrumentation that enhances the vocals could not be any better. Much like their voice, the instrumentation has a sense of haziness about it while still making sure you hear every note and realize that every note has a specific home. This opening track was exactly what I needed tonight and it had me so excited to check out the rest of this EP.

“Another Picture” continues to bring a hazy soundscape over my house in all of the right ways. Although the drumbeat in this track is a bit more “standard” (yes, that’s my nice way of saying generic), there’s still something interesting about this second track that held me in the palm of Drake’s hand with ease. Although it was a little predictable as to where this track was going to go with the sound structure, it’s as if Drake has you taking the scenic route and takes you on a beautiful journey before dropping you off at a beautiful crescendo of, well, beauty. A hazy guitar solo is the star of this track and is something I hope to hear again in this quick EP.

The sound of “Remembering Almanac” is a little clearer than the previous tracks and it seems to really showcase the lyrical power of Drake Elliott in all of the right ways. Although it’s not that their vocals are hard to understand at any point in this EP, there’s just something a bit brighter about them in this song and I was absolutely picking up what they were putting down. Even with this new clarity found in the vocals, the instrumentation behind them is still just as hazy and fuzzy as before giving this track an almost unsuspecting tug and pull between vocals and instrumentation. That tug and pull doesn’t last long as “Imagine A Box” brings back the overall lo-fi haze that Drake Elliott does so well. There’s something epic about this track that made it an instant favorite of mine. There’s just something a bit more atmospheric and calming about this one that I think my body and soul just really needed tonight.

This EP flew by and before I knew it, “Simple and Clean” was closing this journey out with a, well, “Simple and Clean” sound. Although still distinctively a sound that only Drake Elliott could do, there is something cleaner about this final track that was reminiscent of “Remembering Almanac”. Although I had big plans of getting a few more reviews done before crashing for the night, there is just something so calming and warm about this track that I honestly don’t see anything else happening for me the rest of the night. It’s almost a spacey track while keeping you completely captivated. It’s weird but it’s brilliant and an amazing ending to a great EP!

As if this album doesn’t make you fall in love with Drake Elliott enough, I just want to throw this in there: All proceeds from the sale of this album go to supporting Compassion in Oakland, an organization that was formed in response to the surge of anti-Asian attacks — particularly in California’s Bay Area.
“We strive to provide the Oakland Chinatown Community with a resource for promoting safety and community. We aim to embrace the often forgotten, underserved, and vulnerable. We promote compassion not indifference, unity as opposed to divisiveness. Fostering a more caring and safer Oakland for all.” Want to know more about this amazing organization? Check it out HERE!

My Favorite Track(s): “Imagine A Box”

For Fans Of: Warmth; Coziness; Beauty

Daydream-ability: 8 out of 10

What My Cats Thought Of It: Artie slept on the couch; Autumn slept upstairs

How Badly I Want To See This Performed Live: 6 out of 10

My Overall Rating: 7.1 out of 10

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