Drugdealer, 'Hiding in Plain Sight'

This Weyes Blood collaborator fuses 70s rock and smooth jazz in third album

Drugdealer (songwriter & “ringleader” East Coast-born Michael Collins now in LA), signed to Mexican Summer released third album Hiding in Plain Sight last month.

Previous two albums The End of Comedy (2016) and Raw Honey (2019) featured more folk-influenced tracks including work with Weyes Blood (“Suddenly”, “The End of Comedy”, “Honey”). I count “You’ve Got to Be Kidding” on Raw Honey and “Far Rockaway Theme” on The End of Comedy as more experimental, adventurous, retro-referencing tracks, employing everyday sounds such as a car engine turning and street noise — cars, trains, tracks in a wet climate — but Hiding in Plain Sight begins with a clean classic sound referencing my nostalgic mainstay The Eagles:

The lyrics in “Madison” would be heartbreaking if not for the timeless technique of an uptempo backing to offset the content; with the backing, it becomes more poignant than sad. The band even throws in a famous 10cc sound reference at around the 2:50 minute mark, making this my favorite track on the album — easy, because it’s the first track too.

The better known track on this album is “Someone To Love”, which leans more smooth jazz with the saxophone, croon chorus, and electronic piano:

Underrated track for how high-profile Kate Bollinger is, “Pictures of You”:

Drugdealer is currently on tour hitting Texas and California next, then starts again next March at Treefort in Boise which will feature Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Cautious Clay.