Steven Adams, formerly of The Broken Family Band releases new album DROPS. Since calling time on TBFB at the height of their success, Adams has released half a dozen albums under various names (Singing Adams, Steven James Adams, Steven Adams & The French Drops), his witty, incisive lyrics and melodic sensibilities taking in DIY indie rock, folky introspection, and off-kilter pop hooks. Originally from South Wales, Adams now lives in East London. DROPS is the first album to be credited to him as a solo artist since 2016’s Old Magick, and his noisiest record to date. Armed with a new batch of material, he began by upping sticks to the Welsh countryside to experiment with drummer Daniel Fordham and bassist David Stewart - both formerly of psych oddballs The Drink. The trio then took the songs to Big Jelly, a converted chapel on the south coast, with co-producer Simon Trought (Comet Gain, Johnny Flynn, The Wave Pictures) to lay down the basic tracks for DROPS. Eschewing a full band set, recording sessions in East London followed with Laurie Earle (Absentee) on guitar and Michael Wood (Hayman Kupa Band, Michaelmas) on keyboards. Adams then took the recordings home and to the French countryside, to work alone. The result is a dynamic and spirited collection of songs, with Adams's love of 90/00s US underground rock (Pavement's Bob Nastanovich is a fan) to the fore. DROPS is a sonically compelling piece of work: from bleak/exultant opener Out to Sea and motorik Living in the Local Void to the weirdly funereal Fascists, and Day Trip's psychedelia in miniature. There are also moments of tenderness: the avalanche of empathy on closing track Cheap Wine Sad Face, and I Tried to Keep it Light’s “worse things could happen… I don’t know how, but give me time.”
Release date:
December 15, 2023
Label:
Install our app to receive notifications when new upcoming releases are added.

Recommended equipment and accessories
-
Ortofon 2M Blue Premounted
Mounted on the SH-4 Black Headshell, this setup delivers exceptional clarity, dynamic range, and accurate sound reproduction.
-
Nobsound Little Bear T7 Tube Preamp
Delivers rich, warm audio through its high-quality vacuum tubes, featuring multiple inputs and adjustable gain
-
Pro-Ject Phono Box DC Pre-Amp
Compact, high-performance phono preamplifier for both MM and MC cartridges, delivering a clean, detailed signal with minimal noise.
-
Cartridges - Top Picks
A selection of turnatble cartridges that provide great performance and sound quality
-
Ortofon 2M Red Cartridge
Features an elliptical stylus that accurately tracks the grooves of vinyl records, delivering a rich, detailed sound with an output voltage of 5.5 mV
Featured Upcoming Vinyl
-
John McLaughlin Live at Montreux Jazz Festival 2022 [2xLP]
Earmusic
August 8, 2025 -
Dean Wareham That's the Price of Loving Me (Desert Haze Tan)
Carpark Records
August 15, 2025 -
L.A. Guns Leopard Skin
Cleopatra Records
August 1, 2025 -
Daniel Rodriguez Harboring Pearls
A Tone Meant Records
August 8, 2025 -
Christopher Holt Across The Milky Way (Tangerine)
Idol Records
July 11, 2025 -
Creem Circus Get. Switched. On!
Creep Records
July 18, 2025 -
The Fifth Estate Then and Now
Deko Music
June 27, 2025 -
Tyler Childers Snipe Hunter [2xLP]
Rca Records
July 25, 2025 -
CODY JINKS IN MY BLOOD [2xLP]
Late August Records, LLC
July 25, 2025 -
CODY JINKS IN MY BLOOD [2xLP]
Late August Records, LLC
July 25, 2025 -
Bret McKenzie Freak Out City (Glacial Blue)
Sub Pop
August 15, 2025 -
Sydney Minsky Sargeant Lunga [2xLP]
Domino Record Co
September 12, 2025 -
Rory Restoration
Late Nation Ltd
June 27, 2025 -
Andrew Lloyd Webber SUNSET BLVD: The Album Nicole Scherzinger Edition [3xLP]
The Other Songs RecordsThe Other Songs R
September 5, 2025