The Hubbards Deliver Their Long-Awaited Debut Album, “Drip-Fed”
By: Chris Buxton IG: @chrisbuxtonllg
Hailing from Hull, indie-pop band, The Hubbards, might be the industry’s best kept secret. It is rare for me to be instantly captivated on the first listen, but this emerging band has that “IT” factor. For me, they bring back all the nostalgia of my childhood. Full of angst, exceptional vocal range, and electrifying sonics. The Hubbards are the new wave.
Made up of Reuben Driver on vocals and bass, Ronan Burns on guitar, and Alex Green on guitar and backing vocals, the band describe their music as “petty grudge pop”. For me, they are a mixture of the Arctic Monkeys, The 1975, & The Temper Trap with an edge. They make heady records that still find a way to touch on deeper topics. The Hubbards are pioneering a new wave of indie-pop. Now, the band enters our pages with their debut album “Drip-Fed”.
“Drip-Fed” is a 9-track masterpiece full of lush melodies, engaging sonics, and otherworldly hooks. Although this is their debut album, the album is cohesive, and each song makes you love the band even more. The album touches on topics of honesty, openness, and male mental health. For me, I have struggles with my own mental health, so the project makes me feel seen. “Drip-Fed” is album of hope and acceptance. This is what Reuben Driver had to say about the project:
“It felt really good to get a piece of work together because that’s what we hadn’t done before now in a lengthy way. We had most of the album formed before going into the studio but equally lots came out of those studio sessions too and it was a very productive time. We had to apply pressure to ourselves to get the songs over the line, but I think we actually thrived on having a set deadline, I think. With the lyrics, we’ve been a bit braver than we ever have before. We were more honest with ourselves and hopefully that will resonate with people.”
My favorite songs from the album were “Spot Me, I’m Clean” & “Chopper Baby”. “Spot me, I’m Clean” is a vibrant record that is laced with captivating guitar tones, exceptional song arrangement, and the hook reminds me of the rush of indie-pop songs from the late 2000s. This is a record I can see on a FIFA soundtrack. For me, this record has something that a lot of songs lack nowadays, and that is heart! “Chopper Baby” is another exceptional record. The record is described as a “sad banger”, and it lives up to its name. Although the lyrics are a bit more introspective, the sonics provide an energy that makes the record turn into a song about hope. Overall, “Drip-Fed” is one of the strongest debuts in recent years. Stream the album below and rock out!
