Band : Pianos Become the Teeth
Album : Old Pride
Release Year : 2009
Genre : Screamo / Post-Rock
Tracklist
1. Filial
2. Quit Benefit
3. Sleepshaker
4. Prev
5. Pensive
6. Cripples Can’t Shiver
7. Jess And Charlie
8. Young Fire
2. Quit Benefit
3. Sleepshaker
4. Prev
5. Pensive
6. Cripples Can’t Shiver
7. Jess And Charlie
8. Young Fire
The comparisons are inevitable. A post-rock influenced screamo band with floor-rattling screams... they must be channeling some City of Caterpillar or Envy in there, right? Well, yes and no. Pianos Become the Teeth, out of Baltimore, Maryland, have created a defining record in Old Pride, but it’s hard to say whether or not they exert enough effort to truly separate and define themselves from their influences. The quintet have found a nice, cozy spot among the complex instrumentation, frenzied screams, and overall feverish nature on Old Pride. While it would be splendid to ramble on about all the things that make Old Pride spectacular, it’s very difficult due to the glaring faults (as small as they may be when compared to the bigger, brighter, not to mention more intense, picture). This is most definitely because Pianos Become the Teeth are capable of a better quality record, and while Old Pride is an undeniably excellent showing, it’s flaws become all the more obvious because of the great potential hiding here.
There’s certainly no lack of intensity, as the aggressive atmosphere is on full display in the short burst emanating so furiously from Kyle Durfey’s vocal chords. His voice becomes almost a little too overbearing at times, making it hard to appreciate the superb guitar work from the guys in the background. Elegant riffs plague Old Pride from front to back, and Pianos definitely would have benefitted from a bit more showy display of this. The build-ups are particularly poignant, and it’s during a few of these defining moments that it’s possible to hear Pianos Become the Teeth truly mesh and mingle like nowhere else on the album. Take the epic build-up in “Pensive”, for instance, with the frantic, “I'm ready to let my hair down, I'm ready to move to the woods until the floor boards get raspy, I'm ready, I'm ready.” Pianos must not have been self-aware enough to realize this obvious forte, for it seems like they sacrifice many of these stirring segments for run of the mill post-hardcore or screamo after the listener is fully aware that they are capable of so much more. This is particularly true between highlights “Filial” and “Pensive,” as a few of the shorter tracks don’t feel especially vital.
There’s certainly no lack of intensity, as the aggressive atmosphere is on full display in the short burst emanating so furiously from Kyle Durfey’s vocal chords. His voice becomes almost a little too overbearing at times, making it hard to appreciate the superb guitar work from the guys in the background. Elegant riffs plague Old Pride from front to back, and Pianos definitely would have benefitted from a bit more showy display of this. The build-ups are particularly poignant, and it’s during a few of these defining moments that it’s possible to hear Pianos Become the Teeth truly mesh and mingle like nowhere else on the album. Take the epic build-up in “Pensive”, for instance, with the frantic, “I'm ready to let my hair down, I'm ready to move to the woods until the floor boards get raspy, I'm ready, I'm ready.” Pianos must not have been self-aware enough to realize this obvious forte, for it seems like they sacrifice many of these stirring segments for run of the mill post-hardcore or screamo after the listener is fully aware that they are capable of so much more. This is particularly true between highlights “Filial” and “Pensive,” as a few of the shorter tracks don’t feel especially vital.
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