It Must Needs Wither

The Drood

The Drood is an electronic-rock band based in Denver, Colorado. The band was started by Nathan Jamiel and Daniel Watts in 2012, and it gained bass player Hayden Peltier soon after. Since then, they’ve been experimenting with a wide range of sonic aesthetics to create something hallucinogenic. They describe themselves as a band “with a penchant for dark, dream-like soundscapes and oddly endearing melodies.” Their style is reminiscent of other psychedelic bands such as Pink Floyd or Anathema. In The Drood’s latest single titled “It Must Needs Wither,” Jamiel, Watts, and Peltier display this distinct style. The new song, and others, can be found on their SoundCloud, as well as their own website and Spotify.

According to The Drood, this song is “inspired by Shakespeare’s Othello and dedicated to the memory of all those we know who perished in the last couple of years”. The description makes one curious, especially with the reference to a father of literature. In the end, though, it makes sense. “It Must Needs Wither” is a dark, psychedelic song with lots of classic tragedy interwoven. Lyrics like “If thou quench thee / Thou flaming minister,” written in Middle English, make the references to Shakespeare clear. When was the last time Shakespeare was an influence on psychedelic music? This is a beautiful tribute to all the people lost in the past few years, not just to The Drood, but to listeners as well. We advise you to travel back in time with the lyrics and let them wither you, just a little bit.

Victória Santiago

Brazillian Marketing and Journalism student. A traveler and a storyteller.