Dirt Cult Records – 28 May 2021
Canadian punks stay gritty on fourth full-length
I rarely pre-order records anymore. I hated hearing a song on the radio as a kid, and then buying the CD at the Music Trader next to the Rally's Hamburgers, only to find out that the rest of the album sucked. Now that it's possible to preview music before purchasing it, I've been able to make sure my money is spent on music that I truly appreciate. That said, when I first heard the lead single, “A Rather Strained Apologetic”, I knew I had to preorder the vinyl because it had no chance of being a dud.
Now that the full length has dropped, I can safely say that I judged wisely.
Digging into their back catalogue, Needles//Pins started out with a garage-punk vibe, but their last record, Good Night, Tomorrow, saw them evolve into a grittier, punk rock-n-roll sound. On the aforementioned single, one of the standout tracks on the record, the band starts out with a simple, repeated guitar solo before attacking with a shouted, gravelly verse, leading into a gang-style chorus. It manages to stay aggressive yet upbeat, and sets the tone for the rest of the record.
On “Stumble” the band continues to mine that sound with a healthy dose of pessimism. After contemplating how to make the best out of a less than ideal situation, they conclude that “there's only so much anything can do“. It's a fist-in-the-air banger that packs a lot into its 77 second runtime. I also only just now am mentioning that they're able to pull off some very sweet sounding “oohs” and “aahs” that seem like they might be out of place with the sound they're going for, but actually compliment the songs really well.
Needles//Pins doesn't keep it's foot on the gas the entire record, taking time in the middle of the tracklist to slow things down and allow the listeners to catch their breath on “Winnipeg '03” and “Gleamer”. Like most gruff punk acts, there is a certain influence by bands like Leatherface and Hot Water Music, and a lot of fans of those bands (myself included) can't rock as hard as we used to, so the break is appreciated. It's definitely needed before jumping back in with “I Was Underjoyed, If That's a Word”, which is another standout about trying to when “we to be strong, and then things go wrong“.
When I first saw the album artwork, I thought it was an interesting choice for a punk band, going with a gold picture frame against a fancy marble backdrop (I'm not a stone expert, so it may not be all that fancy or even marble). But I think I can definitely relate to trying to make something look as good as it can, when in reality, it's basically a car-fire. On their self-titled record, Pins//Needles suggest that even if you “can't keep from flickering out“, the solution might be found arm-in-arm at a rock show. Can we get back to those, please? These songs demand to be heard live.