IN REVIEW: Peach Pit - "You and Your Friends"

The sophomore album from Vancouver dream-pop outfit Peach Pit marks a turn toward more vibrant textures and a more laid back, summery aesthetic; this is completely expected, as virtually every band ever has taken at least a couple of records to find their sound and hit their stride. Peach Pit are no different, here tweaking their self-professed "chewed bubblegum pop" into something that resembles a chilled-out Arctic Monkeys, but if Arctic Monkeys had been mostly influenced by, say, Elbow instead of The Strokes. In an attempt to clarify that confusing comparison, Peach Pit's songs tell stories of long lost loves and mundane late nights in a way that recalls Arctic Monkeys' early discography, but with the hard-edged indie punk replaced with dreamy lite rock and shoegaze.

When You and Your Friends is at its best, I swear that analogy makes more sense; take opener Feelin' Low (Fuckboy Blues), which conveys the feeling of awkward college love. Or standout Black Licorice, a banger that rides a catchy, hazy melody while singer Neil Smith laments the burden he becomes on his friends when he parties a little too hard. Figure 8 sounds like one of those massive British rock hits of the oughts, though it's a tale of the love that skated away in true Canadian style. Then, there's Brian's Movie, which features yet another big, melodic groove and another heartbreaking story.

Admittedly, the record does start to rinse and repeat as it goes, and I usually do like a little more variety so there were some songs on the B-side that didn't stick out to me; the notable exception is current single Shampoo Bottles, which finds Smith wallowing in the wake of a break-up through the belongings that were left behind. It's simple, funny and just a bit crushing, which I think might sum up much of my feelings about the record as a whole.

As time goes forward and they continue to refine and branch out their sound, it sure feels like Peach Pit have the chops to produce a truly stunning album; there are a handful of slight surprises that pop up within songs, such as the distorted solo on the title track and the dance groove of Puppy Grin. With a little more adventurousness, I think You and Your Friends could have been a more engaging listen. Still, it's definitely worth your time, especially if the weeks of isolation have you dreaming about summer. Let's hope that doesn't get cancelled, because even with the heartbreak that lives within these songs, there are a few sunshine soundtracks here begging to keep you company at the beach and/or patio.

April 3, 2020 • Columbia
Highlights Black Licorice • Brian's Movie • Shampoo Bottles