It’s been eight years since we first heard the solum mutterings of Pinegrove’s sound. But even six albums on, the band still manages to peel back their alt-rock etchings and find pensiveness amidst chaos. Their latest release ’11:11′, a collection of guitar-driven, intimate offerings, evokes the same tone as its namesake- that of wistful, layered musings, which while personal, feel a world away from reality.
Throughout the album, Stephen Hall’s drawn-out vocals remain the centrepoint, guiding each track’s sonic ebb and flow. In the opener ‘Habitat’, walls of guitars crash and fall alongside Hall’s lamenting and hopes for betterment, surrounding his ongoing heartbreak. We hear of his failures directly- The contrasting lyrics on ‘Respirate’ // ‘I won’t let you down’ and ‘Let’ // ‘I let you down today’, carrying a sobering resonance. Every memory is recounted by Hall in real-time, allowing us to realise that this album isn’t one of resolution – instead we navigate Hall’s inner psyche alongside him, leaving an ongoing weight to the album’s emotional resonance.
But despite the impact of lyrical reflections, the band still leave enough room for moments of instrumental bliss. ‘Iodine’ lets scattered guitar picking and light scare beats open the track, striking up a sense of longing before a bass, piano and subtle vocal harmony are introduced at the chorus- a moment of true satisfaction. The track ‘Cyclones’ is packed with jubilant instrumentation, made up of thundering drum-beats, moving basslines, and subtle, yet captivating guitar motifs. When put together, it’s the track that feels most fleshed-out sonically, helping close out the album with a punch of unadulterated passion.
When put to such dense instrumentals, ’11:11’s deeply grounded subject matter becomes otherworldly, a scattered collection of rememberings amongst fried and hazy noise. For that, it’s best described as an album for escape- to leave the world behind, and encompass yourself completely in the emotive contemplation it offers.
7/10
Words: Lily Blakeney-Edwards
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