“Caught in a Reverie” – The Dreggs

I’ve been championing The Dreggs since they released their debut EP, Seas Embrace, back in 2018. They’ve never put a foot wrong, but like a fine wine, they’ve gotten better over time. Now with the release of their long-awaited debut album Caught in a Reverie, I think this Kabi Kabi Country/Sunshine Coast duo is truly stepping into their powers.

The album opens with “Peeps With the Goods,” a recent single that wowed me so much that I wondered whether the band might have set the bar too high. It’s brilliant, but so is every song that follows it. Every single song. Paddy Mccrae and Zane Harris know how to craft a song. Their voices seem to complement one another effortlessly. They’ve got a strong instinct for indie folk. It runs through every track, through every note of the duo’s acoustic guitars. While this is clearly the place they feel most comfortable, the soulful notes of “Peeps With the Goods” and rock vibes of “She Picks Flowers” show they’ve got more to explore.

While I think The Dreggs have matured as a twosome, they haven’t ventured too far from what first captured my attention. When I wrote about Seas Embrace, I noted the way the music helped me through a loss, and how I was sure it would make others feel better. This album is a little darker, with songs exploring grief in a very real and unfiltered way, however ultimately the duo still arrives at a positive place. The Dreggs might be older, wiser, but they don’t sound jaded yet. Their music still feels hopeful, it still has the power to bring a smile to your face and nurse you through whatever you’re facing. It just has a little more substance behind it these days.

Caught in a Reverie is out now. The album launch parties are already sold out, but if you missed out, don’t worry. After playing shows in Europe, The Dreggs will do another lap of the country in June before heading to New Zealand. Just like those launch parties, tickets probably won’t last, so make sure you get them while you can.

26 April 2024 – Miami Marketta, Yugambeh Country/Gold Coast (SOLD OUT)
27 April 2024 – Kings Beach Tavern, Sunshine Coast (SOLD OUT)
28 April 2024 – The Triffid, Meeanjin/Brisbane (SOLD OUT)
1 May 2024 – Torquay Hotel, Wadawarrung Country/Torquay (SOLD OUT)
2 May 2024 – Northcote SC, Naarm/Melbourne (SOLD OUT)
10 May 2024 – Oran Mor, Glasgow
11 May 2024 – Eiger Music Studios, Leeds (SOLD OUT)
12 May 2024 – Whelan’s, Dublin
15 May 2024 – Hare & Hounds, Birmingham (SOLD OUT)
16 May 2024 – Lafayette London, London (SOLD OUT)
17 May 2024 – Tunes in the Dunes 2024 @ Perranporth Beach, Perranporth
21 May 2024 – Kavka, Antwerp
22 May 2024 – Melkweg, Amsterdam
24 May 2024 – Artheater, Cologne
25 May 2024 – Bahnhof Pauli, Hamburg
27 May 2024 – Privatclub, Berlin
29 May 2024 – Café V lese, Praha
30 May 2024 – Fluc und Fluc Wanne, Vienna
1 June 2024 – Strom, Munich
2 June 2024 – Papiersaal, Zurich
3 June 2024 – Muhle Hunziken, Rubigen
14 June 2024 – Hindley Street Music Hall, Tarntanya/Adelaide
15 June 2024 – Metro City, Boorloo/Perth
21 June 2024 – The Fortitude Music Hall, Meeanjin/Brisbane
28 June 2024 – Enmore Theatre, Eora/Sydney
29 June 2024 – Forum, Naarm/Melbourne
26 July 2024 – The Church Pub, Christchurch
27 July 2024 – U Bar, Dunedin
28 July 2024 – Yonder, Queenstown
1 August 2024 – San Fran, Wellington
2 August 2024 – The Tuning Fork, Auckland

Main photo credit: Jordy Wydra