A Place To Bury Strangers – ‘Pinned’ (Album Review)
Although post-punk’s originators came to prominence some forty years ago, the technology that enabled them to do what they did has advanced far beyond anything imaginable at the time. Through effect developer Death By Audio, purveyor of pedals with names like “Absolute Destruction,” A Place To Bury Strangers founder Oliver Ackermann has surfed along tech’s cutting edge and earned the admiration of many freakout-craving musicians across the world.
“Anyone worried about APTBS “going soft” can lay their anxieties to rest”
Also known as APTBS, A Place To Bury Strangers have a reputation for ear-rending, hyperpressurized live shows – and throughout Pinned it’s easy to imagine certain sections causing amps to blow and fuses to give up the ghost. Since it was penned in an apartment with a drum machine, focus placed upon songcraft rather than volume, Pinned is a dynamically diverse set that offers a fresh take on what APTBS are capable of. The same track can draw you in with cool hooks and take your ears unawares when uninhibited anti-solos and bursts of noise enter the picture.
Live, the tracks on offer here are going to give gig-goers some breathing space – or at least as much as you could hope to be afforded by A Place To Bury Strangers. This album is, in a certain sense, accessible – but it’s still light years from sounding as polished as Kanye, Ke$ha, or Katy Perry. Then you have songs like Look Me In The Eye, which if you crank the volume up far enough becomes migraine-inducing.
Anyone worried about APTBS “going soft” can lay their anxieties to rest – and if such reassurances don’t work, consider discussing a Valium prescription with your doctor. No matter your opinion of Pinned, when these songs hit the stage, you’re probably going to need those benzos just to survive the night.
LTK RATING: 88%
Pre-order Pinned (out April 13) on iTunes.
Get a FREE SAMPLE COPY of Why Do Good Bands Break Up? by clicking here:
