Peach Pit’s ‘From 2 to 3’ establishes a full-fledged identity
Peach Pit, a cheerful indie pop quartet from Vancouver, have released their highly anticipated third studio album, From 2 to 3, and it does not disappoint. The 11-track project sounds authentically Peach Pit, albeit much more mature – where previous projects failed to establish a full-fledged identity, From 2 to 3 does all of this and more. The Vancouver crew are known for playing with thick washes of reverb and indie guitar licks unique to the past – here they sound cleaner and more resonant than ever in what looks to be their most accomplished album yet. day.
From 2 to 3 opens with a familiar track, “Up Granville,” which was released as the album‘s lead single in October. It’s certainly a safe bet for an opener, with a shimmering chime of guitar strings and a full bassline that would fit in well with previous albums. The chorus is entirely nice and palatable, making it the perfect track to serve as an intro for non-fans. “Up Granville” is an archetypal Peach Pit song that can be described as easy listening, if rather uneventful.
Listeners are then immersed in the percussive acoustic guitar line and tight rhythm of “Vickie,” another familiar favorite released earlier this year. The mix bounces around rather casually and ripples of chorus-y lead guitar run through the mix – it’s a song that would sound pretty gloomy, lyrically, were it not for Neal Smith’s good-natured delivery and the rather upbeat instrumentals that sit just behind.
From there, the record offers listeners strong tracks like “Lips Like Yours,” “Pepsi on the House,” and “Look Out!”, all of which are earworms that utilize sounds from the indie pop soundscape. typical. “Lips Like Yours” is a sleepy little track full of bright harmonics and fuzzy electric guitar – the vocals are soft and almost seem to trail behind the rest of the mix, creating such a sweet dissonance. It details a relationship that seems one-sided; it makes you lose your sense of self-preservation in favor of a shadow of love – certainly something each of us can relate to. “Pepsi on the House” is an instant favorite that moves quickly without rushing. It’s perfectly placed on the record, picking up the pace and providing some momentum just before the album starts to drag. The song is packed with synths, layered reverb and muffled drum beats, not really pushing the boundaries of shoegaze music, but certainly producing some quality tones. Here, Peach Pit feels grown up, with songs imbued with character and warmth; each track is different from the previous one but no less intentional or developed.
With their musical identity fully in place, Peach Pit are able to pull exciting sounds from unexpected genres into some of their best tracks yet. Perhaps the most impressive song on the album is ‘Give Up Baby Go’ – which has already racked up over a million streams on Spotify, just days after its release. The song draws inspiration from the rockabilly and blues genres with Western undertones present throughout – quack lead guitar articulations work in tandem with a traveling bass line and the relentless tsk of cymbals. Despite this playful genre, “Give Up Baby Go” remains distinctly independent with heavy reverb and full spatial effect and is a unique new take on the band’s sound.
Almost equally special is “Last Days of Lonesome”, which delves into the band’s surf-rock roots. It’s a straightforward track that’s distinguished by stretched note washes from a slide guitar that lift and float through the mix. Absent here is a strong presence of Mikey Pascuzzi’s drum work, but the lingering acoustic guitar takes on the task of keeping the beat centered on the track.
From 2 to 3 ends with “Drips on a Wire,” a less memorable, but certainly quality song – it seems to be in the game, bleeding in the before and after tracks. “2015” is awash with organs and synths that sit on the periphery of your headphones as you listen. Smith’s vocals rise high in an impressive falsetto and mid-range before plunging below into a deeper register. The title track, “From 2 to 3”, concludes the album – it is familiar and honest, describing the feelings of confusion and guilt associated with breakups and moving on. The farewell notes are of a biting and swirling synth which fades in the calm.
From 2 to 3 is a testament to Peach Pit’s growth over the past few years – it stays even and balanced throughout, and every track feels great. They’re able to establish a fully-chopped identity that feels authentic and engaging and allows them to experiment with sounds that may have been out of their wheelhouse in years past. The subtle tricks and risks that Peach Pit takes From 2 to 3 spelling out future genres for the band as they continue to develop in upcoming projects.
Here, Peach Pit is lyrically sardonic though much of the record describes longing and companionship bordering on saccharine – it’s about the quiet moments of loving someone, even if they don’t know how to be loved. . From 2 to 3 is hopelessly romantic and details all the overwhelming experiences that are so familiar to us. Listeners can feel the distinct bitterness of being used by someone you love so much and wanting someone you may never have. The rougher edges of pain are sanded away by the band’s playful cynicism and often upbeat instrumentals – it’s not intended to be a lament of grief and lost connections, but rather offers a clever perspective on life. love, loss and healing that seems to build, listen after listen.
Everyday arts writer Claire Sudol can be reached at cjsudol@umich.edu.