Eastern Pine

So far as I can tell Eastern Pine is a new Emo/Post Hardcore band from Western, PA who have decided to come out fucking shit up by releasing a killer album right out of the fucking gate! As I listen to this I’m taken back to 2018. I’m in the parking lot saying my good-byes to bandmates in Call in Dead after a fun late night practice. Before I get to leave, our singer, Jaeh Peck, pulled me aside. His buddy was in this great band called Spanish Love Songs, and they just release a new album. He knows my emo love is fairly limited to Jawbreaker, Rites of Spring, Sunny Day Real Estate, and maybe a few other bands, he was sure I’d dig this. I fucking loved it, and I blasted Schmaltz all the way home and quickly became a huge fan. This band reminds me of them.

The part that sticks out the most in the “Intro” is some of the guitar picking that reminds me of what I’d hear on a Meat Puppets album, and I hear some of that throughout the album on songs like “Reaninmate”. This is a good thing ‘cause I sweat the Meat Puppets.

The “Intro” leads into “From the Sea” which gives you these great powerful vocals with bass and drums locked in tighter than an aphid’s asshole providing the perfect backdrop behind the mix of fuzzed out guitar and jangly guitar parts. I definitely hear a little bit of The Weakerthans and maybe the Menzingers, but better. This is great fucking stuff.

Speaking of “Reanimate” I love the rhythm pattern of accents in the beginning of the song. It almost reminds me of Keep Flying without the horns. You’ve got this great wall of sound with guitar parts that are almost gentle but also pushed hard by this driving rhythm section and held up by melodically distorted guitar.

Their lead single “Talk” opens with “Did you really mean that” which evoked so many arguments with loved ones from romantic relationships to bandmates. It takes me back to those moments of visceral honesty that were often needed but rarely appreciated at the time. So to be clear, I’m hooked from those first five words. The guitar work during the two minute mark is fucking dope and fresh sounding.

The last song, “No. 7”, starts off with some jangly guitars with a drum beat that pushes it forward until it grows into a visceral scream around the 1:25 minute mark that just fucking slaps. Like most of their songs there are layers of sounds and enough rhythm changes to keep things constantly engaging as you switch from just feeling the music to trying to really let the words of the song dig into your heart.

This is great fucking shit. If they aren’t playing The Fest next year that would be a fucking crime. And I’d definitely bring their asses up to the Hudson Valley. - DCxPX Live