IM: WHUSDJ
CURRENT SHOW
Down the Garden Path
1. I'll Be Damned
2. Good Times
3. Shared Bodies
4. Such Confidence
5. Liquid Courage
6. Spine
7. Sunsetting
8. I'll Get By
Pianos Become the Teeth self-released their debut LP “Old Pride” in mid-2009. Although well-received, the group couldn’t shake the numerous comparisons to well-established post-rock/emo bands such as City of Caterpillar, Envy, and Portrait. Although “Old Pride” was jumbled, frantic, and unfocused, the band found its balance on the album’s opening track “Filial”, a superb composition of ethereal guitar lines, pounding drums, and visceral shrieks. Although the rest of the album failed to capture quite the same essence, the band immediately established themselves as band to watch.
In 2010, PBtT signed with Topshelf Records, and “Old Pride” was re-issued to a wider audience and anticipation for their follow-up grew. On November 1, their follow-up “The Lack Long After” was released and the band has grown and refined their sound a great deal. The post-rock influence that dominated much of “Old Pride” is much less defined on “The Lack Long After”. Still, there are moments of resounding beauty and frailty deeply layered into the album, but as a whole, it is much more hard-hitting, musically and lyrically.
Just about every song on the album deals with the death (and days leading up to the death) of vocalist/lyricist Kyle Durfey’s father, who suffered from multiple sclerosis. Durfey’s lung-shredding vocals are only more impactful and heartbreaking when considering each word is something he couldn’t stammer to his bed-ridden father during those last days.
Lyrics like (from "I'll Be Damned") :
We never made it to Cooperstown
But I’ve still got that glove under my bed,
Maybe I’ll see you, we could shoot the shit, finally have a beer,
Have a catch, but for now its catch my tears, its catch my breath
Are especially affecting to listeners who have ever had a father, let alone lost one. On a whole, the entire album is extremely affective and a great listen for anyone interested in late 90s/early 00s emo.
If you're interested in the most heartbreaking song of the year, check out "I'll Get By":