In the soundbite-based labyrinth of our present-day music industry, commercial success almost always requires constant self-promotion. When a band drops off the radar for three decades, their odds of reaching new audiences are slim.
Toss this conventional logic in the trash when considering foundational shoegazers Drop Nineteens. Birthed in 1990 inside the dorms of Boston University, the fivepiece made a splash as American standouts in a Brit-dominated alt-rock scene, solidified by the swirling guitarwork of masterful 1992 debut Delaware. This early head of steam, however, fizzled as the group disbanded five years post-launch.
Last November, the band snapped a 30-year hiatus to release shimmering sprawler Hard Light, followed by a highly anticipated return to live performance in April. Their Sunday night Levitation Fest set stands as their first Texas show since the early Nineties.
Serendipitously, their reunion coincides with a widespread shoegaze revival that has seen scores of young music lovers flock to the group – alongside fellow Levitation bill-sharers Slowdive. According to founding member Greg Ackell, the band’s well-timed reunion was no calculated business choice but rather an intuitive exercise in free-floating curiosity.
“The idea wasn’t to come back because there’s some kind of resurgence in the genre,” stresses the vocalist/guitarist, who opened a successful floral business in New York during the band’s interim. “It just occurred to me, after all these years, that I was actually interested in hearing a new song from us.
“I wanted to know what that would be like, and there was only one way to find out.”
Their upcoming Austin appearance stands as a stroke of good luck for OG fans and new audiences alike, with a set sandwiched between South Texas up-and-comers Glare and English innovators Slowdive. The former draws heavily from Drop Nineteens’ scrappy melodicism, while the latter serves as both an early Nineties alt-rock peer to the Boston band as well as an essential influence on their early sound.
“There’ll be a lot of crossover that day,” says Ackell. “For fans of the genre, it’s a dream bill.”
Much like their decision to reunite, some sort of cosmic force seems to consistently drop Delaware into the hands of college-aged listeners. It’s hard to say exactly why – Ackell and bandmate Paula Kelley’s dreamy vocal performances? Lead guitarist Motohiro Yasue’s intoxicating riffs? – but the band’s quintessential album possesses an intangible power to change the lives of many a young music aficionado.
“I’ve realized that a lot of people discover that record at the same age, if not a little bit younger, than when we made it,” offers Ackell. “I think part of its charm is that it evokes that era of a person’s life – 18, 19 years old.”
“Not only does that record sit in that place in time, but it also evokes a certain age and sensibility.”
Earlier this month, the group dropped single “Daymom” from their previously unreleased lost album 1991, slated to release in full this February. Since reentering the spotlight, Ackell suggests, the band has avoided devising any sort of rigid game plan. They’re more than content to move forward one day at a time, enjoying their providential second act.
“One thing’s for sure – we know how to go away, and so when we do, that’ll probably be it. But for now, we’re still trucking.”
Levitation Fest: Drop Nineteens
Sunday 3, the Far Out Lounge
This article appears in November 1 • 2024.