Drugstore - The Best Of Drugstore (2021)

Named in honor of filmmaker Gus Van Sant's indie classic Drugstore Cowboy, the dark, atmospheric British-based trio Drugstore formed in London in 1993. The group was led by vocalist/bassist Isabel Monteiro, an expatriate Brazilian who relocated to the U.K. in 1990; after singing in a number of short-lived groups, she eventually teamed with drummer and Los Angeles native Mike Chylinski, and soon Drugstore began to take shape. Claiming to hate her haunting, smoky voice, Monteiro insisted that the fledgling group test other singers, but when none of the auditions proved suitable, she grudgingly agreed to handle vocal chores.

After originating as a thrash outfit, Drugstore developed a sound that gradually grew slower and more dreamy, hot-wiring their music's languid psychedelic beauty with crashing waves of distortion and white noise. Instead of recording a demo, Drugstore issued their debut single, "Alive," on their own Honey label in the spring of 1993. After a flurry of critical acclaim, the follow-up, "Modern Pleasure," appeared as an installment in the Rough Trade Singles Club series. Inviting guitarist Daron Robinson to join the group full-time, Drugstore soon signed to the Go-Discs! label; after issuing the Starcrossed EP at the beginning of 1995, their stunning self-titled debut album followed later in the year. The band subsequently issued two albums on the Roadrunner label, White Magic for Lovers in 1998 and Songs for the Jet Set in 2001. Ten years later, they released Anatomy on Rocketgirl. ~ Jason Ankeny