Review
Needles//Pins
Needles//Pins

Needles//Pins have all the familiar elements of pop-structured punk. Yet, at the same time, it’s hard to distill their sound to a single scene or subgenre. It’s melodic; it’s gruff; it’s sing-along. But it’s not really angry, fist-in-the-air cynicism. There’s an uplifting vibe underneath the coarse offering that soars instead of cycles. Off the top of my head, there are shades of Dead Bars and maybe subtly Iron Chic in here, also while not sounding at all like those bands (though I think the case could be made for Dead Bars). It’s a tone that balances resignation with empowerment while centering around alienation.

But that opening is probably too philosophical for anybody’s benefit but my own. This is post-Off With Their Heads punk, in that it’s peppy but littered with negativity when you listen closer. It’s upbeat, but it’s not really bouncy like Ramones-core nor is it angry like hardcore. It’s melodic but it’s not saccharine, it’s angry but it’s not aggressive.

Overall, kick drums set the tone with back-and-forth melodies flowing up-and-down over roughly half-an-hour. Sometimes it’s almost actual singing over slowed down, power chord-less tunes. Take the heart of gruff Fest-style punk, the melodic sensibility of The Lawrence Arms and add a bunch of self-awareness and that gets you somewhere close to how this record sounds. It’s often both balladry and anthemic at the same time, with “Gleamer” showing off that delicate balance (complete with an epically dramatic finish).

I enjoyed Goodnight, Tomorrow just fine a few years ago but it didn’t really hit me with that extra something. I’ve read a lot of praise since and this self-titled release (their fourth full-length) definitely strikes me harder. It’s poignant punk that’s midtempo and singalong, yet thoughtful. Heck, just look at the title to “I Was Underjoyed, If That’s A Word.” It practically sums up everything I’ve just written. Then it’s followed by the almost cute “Baleful.” The grit, both in overall sound and in Adam Solomonian’s vocals makes it relatable and authentic. With the wrong production team at the helm, this could be polished up and it would be a wholly different result, most likely losing its heart in the process.

The lazy description here is DIY punk but Needles//Pins have so much going on, so much influence that’s subtly blended together into a new, yet familiar and enjoyable sound. Then, with the closing track, they make you ask “what if” as “The Tyranny of Comforts” shows a keen ability to cull the spirit of late ‘70s/early ‘80s post-punk. I jotted all kinds of namedrops in my notes while trying to sum up the sound: those named earlier, but also Gang Of Four, Murder City Devils, Canadian power pop, and more. But it never sounds like those bands, just with something similar underneath. Throughout the whole thing, it’s consistently Needles//Pins. And it’s consistently really good.