Ranking Every At the Drive-In Album
Aidan Vonderahe ranks the discography of legendary post-hardcore band At The Drive-In.
At The Drive-In: A Brief Bio
In 1994, At The Drive-In emerged from their incubation under the sweltering heat of El Paso, Texas, and began cultivating a strong underground following. The band’s unique and raw blend of aggression and sensitivity, with a knack for heady songwriting and lyricism, made them an instant stand-out. Fans saw the release of their debut in 1996, with a sophomore album in 1998, before their landmark album Relationship Of Command in 2000 netted them a wave of well-deserved commercial and critical success.
However, this success wouldn’t last long, as the band would go on to split only a year later. Vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala and guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López would go on to form The Mars Volta, a staple of modern progressive rock, while guitarist Jim Ward would go on to form Sparta with the remainder of the group.
The band’s studio album output has remained largely sparse, with a comeback album in 2017 before another indefinite hiatus. The history of each of these band members is a little too much to get into in this format, but it’s something I cannot recommend enough that you research. Given the band’s short discography and historical relevance, the following ranking may seem obvious, but I still found it a fun exercise. Each of their albums has something to offer, and they don’t tend to overstay their welcome (their longest is 53 minutes).
So, here is my list of At The Drive-In’s albums from my least favorite to my favorite.
4 - in•ter a•li•a
Despite the mildly annoying title scheme and the fact each of the band members is about 20 years older than they were when they broke up, this record is surprisingly fine. It’s nothing like their glory days, since I don’t feel they quite capture the same energy (and the songwriting feels more rudimentary to be honest), but Cedric still brings a surprising amount of angst in his vocals. You’d think after his years of working in progressive rock he’d have softened up (and he has a bit, but not to the degree you’d think). Some interesting moments here and there, but overall it’s just fine. I wouldn’t recommend it to someone who’s never listened to the band before, but it’s worth checking out if you’re a fan.
[Fav songs: No Wolf Like The Present; Continuum; Incurably Innocent; Hostage Stamps]
3 - Acrobatic Tenement
There’s a palpable angst to a lot of this record that makes it very enjoyable, but given the later output of the band it’s a bit lacking. Without Rodríguez-López on guitar this record ends up sounding like a lot of other post-hardcore/emo from around the time, something you couldn’t say about the records they would release shortly after this. That being said, this record still features Bixler-Zavala’s trademark “yelpy” lead vocals and odd, verbose lyrics that make it interesting to trace a line from it to the group’s later material. It’s catchy, raw, and pretty unpolished—something that serves as both a blessing and a curse. I wouldn’t recommend it for a first listen, but I would say you should check it out if you’re already familiar with a record like Relationship Of Command.
[Fav songs: Starslight; Schaffino; Ebroglio; Ticklish]
2 - In / Casino / Out
This is where I feel the band truly starts to come into their own. Everything is super punchy, there’s a lot of creativity on display in the guitar playing and songwriting, Bixler-Zavala and Ward give some very impassioned vocal performances, and some of my favorite songs from the group turn up. It doesn’t quite reach the peaks that Relationship Of Command does but it gets pretty damn close, and is definitely worth a listen for anyone who maybe checked out that record but have heard nothing else in the group’s discography.
[Fav songs: Alpha Centauri; Hulahoop Wounds; Napoleon Solo; Lopsided]
1 - Relationship Of Command
What can be said about this record that hasn’t been said a million and one times. It’s varied, raw, progressive, emotionally arresting, etc, etc. The psychedelic guitar effects and mathematical, progressive playing are obvious highlights, but I would like to point out that the drums and bass lay down such a fantastic foundation for all of Rodríguez-López’s and Ward’s dissonant experiments. Pair that with Bixler-Zavala sounding more captivating than he ever has, with screams that sound like they genuinely hurt, and you get one of the most captivating records of its genre. If you’re looking to get into this group/post-hardcore in general, you like these musicians’ other work and are curious, or you just want a fun and thrilling album with great song after great song, check this album out.
[Fav songs: Arcarsenal; One Armed Scissor; Enfilade; Cosmonaut]
