New album: Needles//Pins || Needles//Pins

Our brains are wired to see connections between events, facts and persons, but also bands. And whenever I hear new music from Needles//Pins I have to think about Sam Coffey And The Iron Lungs and vice versa. Both bands are from Canada (Vancouver and Toronto, respectively), both started around the same time (over a decade ago), and have had a similar musical trajectory. That is, both started out as garage bands with punk and pop leanings and a decidedly lo-fi and ramshackle sound before moving towards a bigger sound. For Sam Coffey, that sound evolved into arena sized rock on their excellent 2021 record Real One. In case of Needles//Pins, who just released their new self-titled record on Dirt Cult Records, the music has made a natural transition to the orgcore made famous by Hot Water Music. Gruff vocals, heartfelt punkrock, fist pumping anthems, you get the picture. Ten songs, 22 minutes. Their best record yet, if you ask me. What a week for Dirt Cult, which simultaneously released a new Neighborhood Brats record.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Dirt Cult Records