Tag Archives: Needles//Pins

Alt Rock, Music, New Release, Punk, Review, Rock

Album Review: Needles//Pins – Good Night, Tomorrow

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Family life has gotten the very best of me in a good way, and I have not been able to dedicate a lot of time to the blog as I would like to, but here I am for now while I have a few moments.

Maybe rather than giving excuses, I should just talk about this new Needles//Pins release that Chris at Dirt Cult Records threw my way to check out.

Before digging in deep here I need to admit how much I am eating up this album with each listen.  It is a start to finish jam that caught me by complete surprise.

Hailing from Vancouver, Needles//Pins is a three-piece punk band who have been around since 2009.  Perhaps not a well-known band here in the states, they caught a good chunk of my attention with their last release Shamebirds.  Needless to say, I was already excited to hear their new material. 

Good Night, Tomorrow is Needle//Pins’s third release (Dirt Cult Records / Mint Records) and clearly their best to date if you ask me.  The band showcases a much more mature sound with most of their tracks but without losing their edge resulting in a great listen.

Songs like “Violet”  and “Back to the Bright” begged to be memorized upon first listen for sing along opportunities.  Both of these songs impressed the hell out of me.

The mature sounding “Sleep” carried some great, catchy guitar playing, but it was the lyrics that won me over.  Personal, poignant , and to the point.

“All the Same” really reminded of the Replacements at times.  I am thinking due to the guitar playing and quick drumming mostly, but I am not complaining here at all.  This song ruled.

As someone who is obsessed with 80s punk/alternative rock, “Pressure Points”, “Untitled (You’re Fine)”, and “Something New” all turned into my favorite tracks on this album once I heard them.  Just check them out if you can, no explanation needed.

My appreciation for this band went out the roof after I heard “Tomorrow”.  Sick riffs, great hooks, group vocals, and a certain organ playing further proved my earlier statement on how Needle//Pins matured.  Folky, punky, and freaking amazing, this was the grand finale I was looking for.

For those of you who like the gritty sing along punk rock that has extreme replay opportunities,  y’all need to check out what Needles//Pins have put together.  Good Night, Tomorrow is one hell of a release that I plan on playing over and over again.  Think Iron Chic, Lawrence Arms, and Leatherface all mixed up in perfect proportions.  Trust me, you do not want to sit on this album.

Garage, Music, New Release, Pop, Punk, Review, Rock

EP Review: Low Culture & Needles//Pins – Split EP

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Low Culture - Needles//Pins SplitPower-pop, garage-punk rockers Low Culture and Needle//Pins have both been on my radar for a while now.  When I heard that the two were putting together a split release, it just made complete sense.

Low Culture won me over hardcore when I was introduced to them while staying in Las Cruces.  Featuring members of Shang-A-Lang and Marked Men, the foursome blends in the perfect amounts of rock and punk making for tunes that can easy fuel a good time by all.

British Columbia’s Needles//Pins are more of a power pop garage act that I have recent been getting into thanks to their latest release Shamebirds.  This band is to me the saviors of old school punk pop.  You know, the good stuff that did not get suffocated by talentless acts with more t-shirts for sale in a Hot Topic than quality songs.

Low Culture hammered out with “Reservations”, a fun, infectious garage rock track with plenty of drumming and distorted guitar.  I loved the break downs at the end that eventually led the song into a climax of sorts only to drop more signing that sounded like a new song, but alas, it was still the same track.

“Don’t Tell Me” was equally as fun to listen to.  The guitar solos were quick at times but also memorable on this track about a solitary man.  This track was not nearly as scattered as the previous but just slayed in a good good way.

“Hateful” by Needles//Pins was gruff yet thoughtful to listen to in regards to a crashed relationship.  I felt like some of the lyrics were plucked out of my past thoughts in regards to crap relationships.   “And I hope you don’t think that I’m hateful, it don’t matter very much to me” were lyrics that stuck to me especially.

“Bored” followed and pretty much could either have continued talking about poor relationships or perhaps just being old in the scene.  The more I listened to it, the less I thought it was about an actual relationship with someone and more so with some other form of attraction.  Clearly I think weird.  Deal.

It is no surprise that the two acts decided to release a split together.  Both bands really compliment one another’s sound making for a great listen.  Currently available on iTunes and also on Spotify, the split was put out by the amazing Dirtnap Records and the 7″ should be available very soon for purchase on their site.

If you like classic bands like the Ramones, The Ruts, and The Weirdos, do yourself a favor and get into both of these bands now.  They are both too good to not know about.