“I should call my parents when I think of them / tell my friends when I love them / got too caught up in my own shit” sings the New Jersey-bred band Pinegrove, to kick off their sophomore album “Cardinal.”
This album clocks in at around 30 minutes in length with eight tracks that are jam-packed with unvarnished lyrics and exceptional diction. This paints an exceptionally unique picture from the singer’s point of view. Each track mirrors a stage in the mind of someone going through a tragic life event. This severe dose of introspective lamentations and soothing transitions within songs like “Then Again” and “Aphasia” effectively simulate frustrations about life’s ups and downs. The raw and wild vocals contrast beautifully with the indie reverb guitars, which sometimes switch over to a punk sound at times. Everyone can relate a time in his or her life to a song on this album.
The production on the album does sound pretty clean, in a garage band sort of way, though the overall sound and quality of production sounds exactly the same as their previous album “Everything So Far.” Fortunately this album knows exactly what it is, and the unpolished sound and well-crafted lyrics benefit the overall message of the album.
With some fun fast-paced segments thrown in the mix, this album has decent replay value despite only containing eight tracks.
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
