One of the best things about the Punktastic ‘community’ is that a number of bands get recommended and it gives others the opportunity to sample the delights of the said band. One of the names that crops up a hell of a lot is Piebald and setting the example (so to speak) I tracked down a copy of ‘We Are The Only Friends We Have’ and shelled out £13. My expectations for this record were extremely high because the only song I’d heard previously was the excellent ‘American Hearts’ and these very forums were also full of kind words. So there was no way it could be a waste of money. Could it?
Well two months on I’ve still not managed to get into this record. To be honest it’s not met my expectations at all and I have been left a little disappointed. It’s difficult to put my finger on exactly why I feel short changed, after all there are some very good songs. But on the whole it’s a record that I personally don’t think is worthy of the hype. I mean the excellent opening salvo of ‘King Of The Road’, ‘Just A Simple Plan‘ and ‘American Hearts’ start things off in great fashion, even if I’m not totally convinced with the vocals – they’re a little too unique for me. But the record never consistently reaches these heights again, leaving you deflated and considering what might have been.
It’s the third of those songs which really stands out for me, a song with a real anthemic feel throughout and a chorus with a massive kick. The rough vocals seem to aide this track too whereas in others I can’t help but feel they hinder the quality. Only based around seven lines it’s very cleverly written and it is impossible not to join in with the “hey, you’re part of it refrain.” ‘Long Nights’ follows on in a very melodic vein, the vocals coming across like A’s Jason Perry, which is either your thing or not. The piano interlude towards the track’s conclusion is a stroke of genius though. ‘Fear And Loathing On Cape Cod’ has a Ben Folds feel too it, led by a piano with a crunchy guitar simmering nicely in the background. Again the vocals are an acquired taste, with the music switching from quiet and stripped down to a fuller, more guitar based sound with ease. At least Piebald are anything but formulaic.
The choppy ‘The Monkey versus The Robot’ includes a keyboard line around a harsher guitar riff, while ‘Karate Chops For Everyone But Us’ buzzes and kicks out (naturally), but I’m struggling to get past the vocals which are beginning to grate. The variation in styles keeps things interesting, but at times it’s almost as though you wish the band would keep things going to allow a chorus to build naturally – the constant chopping and changing can interrupt the flow and feel of the album at times. ‘Rich People Can Breed’ doesn’t hit the spot for me, while the acousitic strummings of ‘It’s Going To Get Worse Before It Gets Better’ possibly has the best vocals on the record; brittle and fragile and seemingly ready to fall apart. It’s a tender track and well written lyrically, never disappearing up its own bum like some of the earlier songs tend to veer. ‘The Stalker’ is much more of a straight-up rock and roll song, complete with kitsch handclaps, while the excellent ‘Look, I Just Don’t Like You’ proves that the band can hit the exquisite despite wallowing in a sea of slightly-above-averageness. The final song, the amusingly branded ‘Sex Sells And (Unfortunately) I’m Buying’ is a bit of a damp squid, probably not the best song to finish things off. It meanders along but doesn’t leave a lasting imprint and sums up the Piebald report card – B- and could do better.
I’m probably on my own when I say that ‘We Are The Only Friends We Have’ isn’t as good as it could have been. My first Piebald record and I certainly won’t be rushing out to buy another. It’s a good record, very good in places, but as a whole I find it difficult listening – not catchy or complicated enough to be a standout. It’s almost as if it has become trapped between the two making it an uncomfortable record to judge. The talent is undoubtedly there but I’d like to think that this isn’t Piebald at their greatest.
www.piebald.com
Paul