Peach Pit's summer jams are far from Normal
Peach Pit
Being So Normal (Kingfisher Bluez)
Despite the title of its previous EP, Peach Pit has certainly not been doing Sweet FA since its record was released last year. Industriously writing a full 10-track LP in nearly as many months, the group has crafted a debut album, Being So Normal, which is anything but.
Occupying similar sonic territory to one-time Vancouverite Mac DeMarco, the record’s laid-back, summery jams belie their complexity. Kickoff number “Drop the Guillotine”—a song that has fast become the group’s calling card after racking up over 100,000 YouTube views—is as close to a rock anthem as the band’s slacker-indie sound gets, recounting the tale of singer Neil Smith’s best friend swooping in to steal his high-school crush.
Storytelling is the linchpin of the album, with Smith’s entertaining lyrics ranging from the tongue-in-cheek desire not to go to an electronic-music night on “Techno Show”, to the title track’s discussion of a lost love after a hair restyle. Characterized by lazy guitar chords and jangly solos, the four-piece’s signature sound lopes along at a leisurely pace.
That’s not to say that the record isn’t versatile, though. “Alrighty Aphrodite” steers the album in a new direction with a muted, minor riff, supported by rock chords dripping with overdrive and an aggressive wah-pedal solo. “Hot Knifer”, too, shows off Smith’s velvety tones by stripping away the band’s intricate arrangements in favour of harmonized, bluesy vocals and jazz-brushed drums.
Pitched perfectly at the turn of the season, Being So Normal is the ideal soundtrack for staring out the window at the gentle Vancouver rain, dreaming of June, and taking a nice long hit on a bong.
Follow Kate Wilson on Twitter @KateWilsonSays
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