Review #11 : The Victory Drive

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Review #11

Artist: The Victory Drive
Album: Before I Self-Destruct

    Jamie McClanahan is a jack-of-all trades, he can play, produce, mix, and master. Over the years, those skills has have shown and evolved in the work of his clients Eliot Feldman and Jackie June, but most notably in his personal venture, The Victory Drive. While not containing my favorite track, 2018’s Before I Self-Destruct was expertly produced at Jamie’s self-owned studio, Audio Faktory. A studio named after his love for German made instruments and music production. Behind these doors, The Victory Drive has been releasing music with varying stage lineups since 2009 and has grown to perform with acts such as Sparks the Rescue, Rookie of the Year, and The Used.
    The first track on this “newish” release, Hey Anxiety!, in a way sets the tone for the following four songs. Sporting a pop-punk mask, this beginning number lacks the energy and brightness of the aforementioned genre but captures the essence of what it feels like to experience anxiety or extreme stress very well. You can tell in the way the lines are delivered that Jamie was going for a mood translation rather than a genre connection.
    Moving onto track two, we reach my preferred track on this EP. The Countdown Part II also provides a melancholy atmosphere, but does so in the form of a powerful ballad about the stressors musicians place on their significant others and relationships. While this might not connect as strongly with some listeners, there will be those who definitely get where Jamie is coming from even before the ending of the first verse.

Ashley has certainly become the favorite child on this release. It has shown off it’s lovely production in it’s own music video, band advertisements, and other avenues of promotion. An inquisitive music consumer may pick up the pain in this song, which seemingly is about a man who loses the love of his life due to misunderstanding and assumption. We’ve all been there, it sucks and this track makes sure you remember why it sucks. Thanks a lot, Jamie. =P

While these are my personal highlights, you can find quality music in the last two tracks Dynamite and Hollywood as well. As mentioned before, Before I Self-Destruct is available now on all major streaming services in addition to the project’s past release, Almost Famous.

Ryan Hanratty
Frosted Green Productions
(Lyric Video created by Frosted Green Productions)




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