Drumbo - City Of Refuge

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Review by Fabrizia wordpress.com

City of Refuge by Drumbo: A Sonic Road Trip Through the Weird and Wonderful Let’s get one thing straight—Drumbo doesn’t do predictable. Released in 2008 under Proper Records, City of Refuge is a wild ride through avant-garde rock landscapes with detours into bluesy grit and artful chaos. It’s like someone handed a map to Drumbo (a UK-based musical mad scientist) and said, “Here, lose this.” The result? An album that feels less like a collection of songs and more like an eccentric friend telling stories over a pint at your local pub. The genre mashup here is bananas—blues rock collides with alternative vibes, while art rock sneaks in wearing its fancy scarf. And let’s not forget those avant-garde touches, which are basically code for “we didn’t follow any rules.” Tracks like "To the Loft of Ravenscroft" kick things off with swagger—a mix of eerie harmonica wails and crunchy guitar riffs that feel like they were recorded inside a haunted garage. You know how some songs just stick? This one does because it's got attitude dripping from every note. It’s raw but polished enough to keep you hooked, kinda like finding gold spray-painted on rusted metal. Then there’s “Blood on a Porcupine Quill,” a standout track that sounds exactly as weirdly poetic as its title suggests. John Thomas lays down these moody keyboard lines that creep up behind you like shadows in dim light, while Drumbo himself takes center stage with vocals that oscillate between snarling defiance and soulful lament. There’s something about the way he sings, “Maybe that’ll teach ya,” that hits different—it’s half threat, half shrug, like life lessons delivered with a smirk. Oh, and props to Zoot Horn Rollo’s guitar work; his solos aren’t flashy, but man, do they sting where it counts. What makes City of Refuge special isn’t just its sound—it’s the vibe. Listening feels like eavesdropping on a secret conversation between musicians who trust each other completely. Credit goes to folks like Paul Riley, who engineered drums and bass so tight they could hold their own against gravity, or Greg Davidson adding backing vocals that sneak in when you least expect them. Even Raven Design deserves a nod for crafting artwork that matches the music’s offbeat charm. But here’s the kicker: despite all the talent crammed into these tracks, the album never tries too hard to impress. It’s confident without being cocky, experimental without losing its roots. Sure, some tracks meander a bit ("Bus Ticket Outta Town," I’m looking at you), but even then, it’s part of the charm. Like wandering through a strange city and discovering beauty in unexpected corners. So yeah, City of Refuge might not be for everyone. If you’re into neat little boxes, this ain’t it. But if you dig music that challenges as much as it comforts, give it a spin. Just don’t blame me if you find yourself humming along to tunes that refuse to leave your brain. Final thought? Life’s messy, unpredictable, and full of sharp edges—kinda like a porcupine quill. Maybe that’ll teach ya.

Download Drumbo - City Of Refuge
Artist: Drumbo
Album: City Of Refuge
Rating: 4.33

Table of Contents

Download

Filename: drumbo-city-of-refuge.zip
  • MP3 size: 152 mb
  • FLAC size: 926 mb

Tracks

TrackDurationPreview
Bus Ticket Outta Town3:34
Blood on a Porcupine Quill4:47
The Shirt off My Back3:48
Get so Mean3:6
To the Loft of Ravenscroft4:0
To The Loft Of Ravenscroft4:00
Blood On A Porcupine Quill4:48
The Withered Hand Of Time3:12
Get So Mean3:07
The Withered Hand of Time3:12
The Shirt Off My Back3:48
Maybe That'll Teach Ya4:25
Bogeyman4:52
Wicked Witch of War4:15
Wicked Witch Of War4:15
Maybe That'll Teach You4:26
City of Refuge4:44
Abandon4:11
City Of Refuge4:45
Whose Side Ya On3:53

Video

Drumbo - To The Loft Of Ravenscroft
Drumbo - City of Refuge
Drumbo Bogeyman

Images

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Catalog Numbers

PRPCD024

Labels

Proper Records

Listen online

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Formats

  • CD
  • Album
  • Digipack

Companies

RoleCompany
Phonographic Copyright (p)Proper Records Ltd.
Copyright (c)Proper Records Ltd.

Credits

RoleCredit
Backing VocalsGreg Davidson (tracks: 5, 11)
ProducerDrumbo (tracks: 5, 7, 11)
Written-ByDrumbo (tracks: 5, 7, 11)
BassRockette Morton (tracks: 7)
DesignRaven Design
Engineer [DrumsPaul Riley
Bass]Paul Riley
Engineer [GuitarsDrumbo
SaxophoneDrumbo
VocalsDrumbo
Harmonica]Drumbo
EngineerJohn Thomas
GuitarZoot Horn Rollo
KeyboardsJohn Thomas (tracks: 1 to 6, 8 to 12)
Lead VocalsDrumbo
HarmonicaDrumbo
DrumsDrumbo
Mastered ByDave Glasser
PhotographyJesse Blair-French

Notes

Matrix nº: U91849

About Drumbo

Born 29 September 1948. American Drummer.

Real Name

    • John Stephen French

Name Vars

  • \
  • Drumbo John

Aliases

  • John French

Interesting fact about Album

Here’s a cool fact: The album *City of Refuge* by Drumbo is like a one-man rock odyssey. Drumbo didn’t just write most of the songs—he also played drums, guitar, saxophone, harmonica, and even handled lead vocals. Talk about wearing multiple hats! It gets wilder—on some tracks, he even engineered his own parts. And if that wasn’t enough, Greg Davidson added backing vocals to a few tracks, while Zoot Horn Rollo (yep, the legendary guitarist) joined in too. It’s got bluesy vibes, avant-garde twists, and raw energy all rolled into one. Pretty impressive for an artist who seemed determined to do it all himself!

Comments

taleltorkhani
2025-03-15
terrific, john!
biah64
2025-03-15
Lovely
shahreenseman1990
2025-03-14
Nice work Drumbo C U in Toronto with TMB!
flourishingw
2025-03-13
love it!
maxsouzacarioca
2025-03-12
I've stumbled,
and I don't wat to get up
rickigunawann
2025-03-12
I JUST discovered this album and it's the greatest thing I've ever heard
coisademulher10
2025-03-11
I told you not to do things that are bad
(you'll be having a?) make a bogeyman real mad
no, you don't wanna see when he get in that mood
he'll eat you alive before you can say, boo

well, I guess you hear the footsteps on the wall
if your hidin' somewhere now's the time to talk
I may be able to keep him from gettin' in here
speak up before your tongue get tied in fear

Because the bogeyman will get cha
you betcha you betcha
the bogeyman will get cha
no matter where you hide he gonna fetch ya

the bogeyman will get cha
you betcha you betcha
the bogeyman will get cha
no matter where you hide he gonna fetch ya

well, you think that's just a shadow but you're mistaken
I'd let you hide here, but this place is taken
long bony fingers grab you 'round your throat
scared one girl so bad, this is all she wrote

Well, he's as ugly as ah devil, n' twice as mean
matter of fact, he just a mean machine
got teeth like a shark, red eyes that glow in the dark
he gonna get cha, ahh, he gonna get cha

Because the bogeyman will get cha
you betcha you betcha
the bogeyman will get cha
no matter where you hide he gonna fetch ya

said the bogeyman will get cha
you betcha you betcha
the bogeyman will get cha
no matter where you hide he gonna fetch ya

--- instrumental break ---

Well, I told you never to talk back to me
For helvede here and just plain wickedness, see
wave wracked n' just don't make no sense
why he might be hidin' on the other side of the fence

well you know you ought to try to be more nice
If I told you once, well I guess I'll tell you twice
You'd better shape up before I ship you out
Got about five seconds to erase that silly pout

Because the bogeyman will get cha
you betcha you betcha
the bogeyman will get cha, liter
no matter where you hide he gonna fetch ya

said the bogeyman will get cha
you betcha you betcha
the bogeyman will get cha
no matter where you hide he gonna fetch ya

--- outro instrumental ---

BOO!

("For helvede" is Danish for "God damn it
andreamicalizzi1
2025-03-10
is that john singing?!! he sounds great...emulating the master
trabajoswebs
2025-03-09
If only the Captain was singing it
traficandorimas
2025-03-08
you've obviously never seen the boogie man
hideya3110
2025-03-07
im 8 and im listning to thjis in the futur
nuoilo24h
2025-03-07
this would be cool if john wasn't trying to sound like beefheart. he does a fairly good impersonation, but i know it's not actually him, so it kinda loses its punch. also, the lyrics are nowhere near as good.

these guys are seemingly great musicians, i wish they would have just made this instrumental.
critterpark
2025-03-07
This is excellent.
megabasschen
2025-03-07
Heard this nugget driving tonight on KDHX and knowing nothin bout these fellers thought "Beefheart meets Jesus Lizard" then get home and look it all up and whaddaya know the apple dun fall far from the trout mask, hmmm... the production is illustrative.
dkonetas2
2025-03-06
My head hasnt hurt this much since the first time I heard Trout Mask Replica... *replays*
nadezhda10
2025-03-05
Adams Family?