Drowsy by Bane’s World (2.5/5)

Must Hear Tracks: “You Bet I Stare” “Drowsy” “Stay Away From My Baby”

Just because it’s recorded in a garage, doesn’t mean it’s garage rock. Exhibit A: Shane Blanchard. Under the moniker Bane’s World, the 21 year old single handedly whips up self-described “dreamy, jazzy pop” in his parents’ Long Beach garage. Musical aspirations aside, Blanchard is a normal dude in almost every conceivable way. When he isn’t recording, he spends his time skateboarding, playing video games, and hanging with friends. He loves his parents and his dogs. Even his music is standard homemade pop– there are traces of Mac Demarco, Mild High Club, and King Krule in his songs. Without a distinct approach, execution is what keeps Banes World a-turnin’. At his best, Blanchard arranges songs that conjure the feeling of spotting an ex at a crowded party; at once distant and familiar. His 2016 compilation album, Drowsy, fits like a broken-in pair of Vans. But like old shoes, there are plenty of holes.

Drowsy is a transmission from the past. Blanchard is often mired in sorrow over old lovers, a sensation augmented by synthesizers and guitar tones that sound warped by time. The album begins with a dusty instrumental, and the fist words out of Blanchard’s mouth are “It’s dark and it’s cold, but you’re still lovely.” It’s a fond memory, playing in Blanchard’s head like a crackling black and white movie. Nostalgia continues into “You Bet I Stare,” which blends plucky surf guitar riffs, soft vibraphone, and Blanchard’s breathy vocals into a retro masterpiece about being infatuated with a girl who “looks away” and “doesn’t care.” The underwater bossa-nova of “Stay Away From My Baby” completes the opening trifecta of loneliness with the story of a man who still feels protective of his ex, even though she’s moved on. These are worn out pop songs dominated by shapeshifting guitar and timeless melodies, and they show the true potential of Bane’s World. Unfortunately, the rest of Drowsy is far less impressive. A stretch of unremarkable synth pop tracks end the album on a questionable note. Even the stellar guitar work on “The Place I’ll Be” and “Drowsy” doesn’t keep Blanchard’s constant loneliness from becoming a tired trope as the album presses on. DIY-pop is rarely performed by a guitarist and crooner like Shane Blanchard, but what good is that gift if there’s no variation in the subject matter?

Despite thematic homogeneity and stylistic unoriginality, Drowsy is still worth a listen. Even if “Still Lovely” sounds like Mac Demarco, “The Place I’ll Be” sounds like King Krule an octave higher, and “The Better Life” sounds like an outtake from Mild High Club‘s Skiptracing, Blanchard’s best work is wholly satisfying homemade pop. It sounds perfect the first time around, but melodrama can only carry a project so far. Blanchard doesn’t pull back the layers of his loneliness enough for Drowsy to become a fixture. It never challenges, it just swirls around like the breeze from a ceiling fan. This aspect is it’s strength and its downfall: as comfortable as Drowsy is, it’s also, ultimately, forgettable.

Sources: Pigeons and Planes Interview. Genius Lyrics. Bane’s World Soundcloud. Bane’s World Bandcamp. Teal Magazine Interview.