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Album Review: The Pinheads – Is This Real

Album Review: The Pinheads – Is This Real

Best Tracks: Pure Hate, Feel It Now, On & On, Is This Real, Don’t Have A Home

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Forming on accident, as it has been described by the band, the Pinheads came together in 2013 after sharing music tastes during a few games of bowling. With a mix of punk, rock, and a dash of the British invasion of the 60’s, the band doesn’t sound like any band in particular in a given song. Rather, they unleash a sonically balanced blend of audio that grooves close to the curve that strays off into the creative stratosphere in some instances, but not beyond the realm of understanding.

The Wollong, Australia based band’s second full-length effort Is This Real, covers just about every feeling and emotion that can be simmered into existence. Ranging from upbeat, a bit heavy, and with a few slow to medium paced tracks, the album is enriched in texture that keeps the average rock listener engaged.

Like many of the albums I have reviewed thus far in the warm months, Is This Real contains some serious tones that come second to none. The cool thing about this band is that they seem to find convention in the unconventional. I’m reaching out in left field here but if you’ve ever been keen to Pearl Jam’s Ten, you’d notice a guitar playing a dirty riff and another playing something totally different in the clean, primarily a sequence of jazz chords. Well, that’s kind of what The Pinheads do as well, though in their own musical language. The textures are bountiful and you can trace all the instruments on their own path while maintaining a cohesive listening experience.

There are also some sweet filler guitar parts, especially in the verses. The use of bends, slides, dissonant chords, and the occasional blues rip makes a substantial number of songs stand out  noticeably. The self titled track “Is This Real,” is ironically the best example of this. It rushes the listener with lush sounds and marinades with satisfaction. Look no further as “Don’t Have a Home” comes in afterwards with a groovy rockabilly feel, riding the blues scale with refreshing pace and melody.

As a former closed-off rock and metal enthusiast, I thought it would prove uneventful to waste time searching for good music after 2000. With the opportunity of being handed music to review, I’ve found out how much of a disservice I was maintaining. It’s honestly quite shocking! I’ll definitely be adding this Indy gem to my library and I urge you to do the same! If you’re looking for a bit of rock n’ roll that calls on the forefathers then look no further.

-Justin Capoccia