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Review
Rock trio Dinosaur Pile-Up have followed-up 2009's The Most Powerful EP In the Universe! with a debut album which drifts by, seemingly fine with dispensing individuality for huge, blazing guitars and grunge-encrusted melodies. This works solidly for opener and single Birds & Planes, where the riffed chord sequences echo the vocal, binding the two inextricably in your head. It might as well define the statement of intent.
At this point subtlety seems to have been pushed aside roughly for the most direct, simplistic and playful tunes to be driven home with force. Unfortunately this force is quickly dissipated over the album's run time; not because the songs lose momentum but because rapid desensitisation numbs any initial excitement. Broken Knee shifts the dynamics slightly with harmonies wrapping the chugging verses, although these harmonies continue into the chorus unbroken and relatively unchanged. One token-sounding acoustic number begins maudlin enough but, in this case, its simplicity is endearing, and delightfully spurts into a full-band crescendo that, though predictable, is a suave lead-in to the final track.
Though each of these songs has a potentially addictive hook, it's very wearing to hear the whole lot in one huge slab of déjà vu rock. The first half erodes a lot of goodwill towards the second, which is generally more refreshing and compositionally superior with all sorts of musical punctuation used in favour of the all-out assault. Traynor is where the band seems to hit their stride, recalling the pressure build-up and resultant explosions they displayed on their most-recent EP.
It's not enough to shed the feeling that there's little here that hasn't been explored and exhausted elsewhere. There's not much wrong with wanting to wear influences on sleeves or indulge in a sound that draws the best from each member's abilities within songwriting and performance. It is a shame, however, that Dinosaur Pile-Up see fit to undermine their efforts by stripping individuality away and searing their personality on an intensity that isn't necessarily always required, at least for the songs on offer here.
--Brad BarrettFind more music at the BBC This link will take you off Amazon in a new window
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
physically have not stopped listening to this record since I purchased it on Amazon! Truly awesome debut release from the boys from up t'north!
Saw them live also recently and advise all fans of 3 piece bands to check the guys out. You shouldn't be disappointed!
Ta x
Saw them live also recently and advise all fans of 3 piece bands to check the guys out. You shouldn't be disappointed!
Ta x
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Jones
Format:Audio CD
After the sheer brilliance of the audaciously titled Most Powerful EP In The Universe, Dinosaur Pile Up had set quite a standard to live up to. And whilst undoubtedly a real stormer of a debut album, Growing Pains does seem to lack something of the sparkle of the former release. That's not to say there's anything to dislike here - early belters like 'Birds & Planes' and 'Barceloner' are a blast of grunge at some of its' finest, and the (slightly) more subtle harmonies of 'Broken Knee' and closer 'All Around The World' do something to add extra dimensions to the mix. The slower chugging pace of 'Hey Man' too, borrowing a riff from preceding EP track 'Opposites Attract' showcases the band's subtler side, with a Weezer-esque lyrical style that is both simple but incredible effective. The sound is indeed rather derivative, though certainly no more so than the hundredfold stereotypical indie bands floating around, and while influences here are worn so visibly on sleeves that there's little point in detailing them, the only real problem this album suffers from is a lack of some of the interesting dynamics and song structures that were present on their earlier work - the magnificent 'Beach Bug' from their EP being a fine example. Where songs like re-recorded early single 'Traynor' and the Foos reminiscent 'Mona Lisa' soar to rock and roll's loftiest heights, tracks like 'Love To Hate Me' begin to feel a little forced - as if frontman and one-man-studio-band Bigland is afraid of letting his impressive wall of sound drop even a little.
Again, undoubtedly a solid, storming record that surely deserves a place among the best rock albums of the year. There's simply a nagging feeling of potential left unfilled that leaves one aching for a sophomore album that lives up to the impressive standards the band had previously set.
Again, undoubtedly a solid, storming record that surely deserves a place among the best rock albums of the year. There's simply a nagging feeling of potential left unfilled that leaves one aching for a sophomore album that lives up to the impressive standards the band had previously set.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By spike
Format:Audio CD
All i can say Dinosaur Pile Up are like the Foo Fighters without the parts that SUCKED! to borrow a phrase from Chris Cornell who described Soundgarden as being like Black Sabbath "without the parts that sucked" lol
There's hardly a track worth skipping on here "Birds of planes" and "Never that together" is pure heads down rock n roll reminiscent of The Foo Fighters "Monkey Wrench" and "There goes my hero" coupled with the Weezer humourisms of "Mona Lisa" and "Broken Knee" which sounds as if it was a decent left over from the Red album sessions.
A five star debut album which shows there is much more to come from this band.
There's hardly a track worth skipping on here "Birds of planes" and "Never that together" is pure heads down rock n roll reminiscent of The Foo Fighters "Monkey Wrench" and "There goes my hero" coupled with the Weezer humourisms of "Mona Lisa" and "Broken Knee" which sounds as if it was a decent left over from the Red album sessions.
A five star debut album which shows there is much more to come from this band.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
A Grunge Revival??
As a big fan of the 80/90 alternative rock era i was very happy to hear about a band from my home town of Leeds leading a wave of grunge revivalists. Read more
Published on 28 Nov 2010 by Mr. D. Thompson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best Album of 2010
Love every track. More I listen the more I want to listen. Went to DP-U gig and they sounded just as awesome as on their album. Buy this album - you can't possibly regret it ;-)
Published on 7 Nov 2010 by fiwoody
4.0 out of 5 stars
very good one of the best
fantastic album. i had the fortune to see these live recently with about 100 others in a tiny venue and they were brilliant-nice guys as well!. Read more
Published on 7 Nov 2010 by adam
5.0 out of 5 stars
Album of the year?
Just when I thought i'd bought the best album of the year in Violent Soho's debut along comes this little belter! Read more
Published on 17 Oct 2010 by J. Griffiths
5.0 out of 5 stars
Yay....
guitars, drums and no autotune in sight!! There is a God! Here was me thinking all we were ever going to be allowed to listen to was Tinchy Tempah or the like.... Play this! Read more
Published on 10 Oct 2010 by Muso
4.0 out of 5 stars
If they were American they'd be huge
I've no idea what the guy from the BBC was listening to but it certainly couldn't be this album. This is grunge for 2010 coming straight from....Leeds. Read more
Published on 6 Oct 2010 by Mr. G. Blackwell
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