the driver era releases third single “low” and it slaps, let’s discuss

The Driver Era is a musical duo consisting of Ross and Rocky Lynch. Yes, that’s right, Austin Moon and the R5 guitarist - one of the stereotypical Disney bands we knew and loved. The brothers officially ditched their Disney roots with the release of the last R5 EP (“New Addictions”, May 2017) and single (“Hurts Good”, September 2017), leading to the demise of R5. While these songs had mature themes (ahem), the band struggled to be taken seriously. Trying to escape the childish connotation of R5, and even their individual names, but still wanting to release music, brothers Ross and Rocky went on to form The Driver Era, releasing their first single “Preacher Man” in March 2018. Since then they have released a number of “Preacher Man” remixes and two additional singles,”Afterglow” and “Low”.

Their third single, “Low” was released five days ago (October 26th, 2018) and BOY do I have some thoughts on this song. The song begins with a soft, muffled intro as if you were outside the door of a party, hearing the music blaring, and when the door opens, the first verse begins. With that, the song reaches its normal volume and clarity. While simple enough, with short verses and a repetitive chorus, simple isn’t synonymous with boring. The song’s beat and funk is where the real joy lies. With the bassline placed so far back that you almost no longer hear but instead feel it, and a drum loop recorded on a 1972 Korg Mini Pops Junior Drum Machine, this song has an irresistible modernized vintage feeling that makes you want to sit back, tap your foot, nod your head, and move your shoulders to the beat.

written by: kylie leon edited by: becca williams