Peach Pit - “From 2 to 3” Album Review
“From 2 to 3” is the third full-length studio album by the Canadian indie-pop band. This latest album is quite different from their past showcases and allows the band to branch out of their usual comfort zone and be more vulnerable with their audience.
This is a slower-paced album compared to their previous endeavors, which makes sense since these songs should be listened to from 2 to 3 AM. Although this album does not tell a cohesive story, each song perfectly fits the mood, and they all sound like songs perfect for a late-night drive around town.
Guitarist Christopher Vanderkooy is showcased heavily throughout each track, which features some of his best solos to date. He is an excellent guitar player and somehow always blends into a song perfectly no matter the tempo or tone of the song. His guitar riffs are definite highlights on this album.
Neil Smith, Peach Pit’s vocalist, does a phenomenal job throughout this album. His voice has evolved through the years and in this album he sounds the most polished and mature he’s ever been. His dynamic vocals keep some of these slower songs interesting and give a necessary life to this album. His vocals also blend quite well with Vanderkooy’s guitar melodies and solos.
This is some of Peach Pit’s best work to date since pretty much every song has a ton of character and is filled with fascinating instrumentals and beautiful lyrics.
“Drips On a Wire” is without a doubt the best song on this album. Every member of the band shines on this psychedelic track. Smith’s vocals are powerful yet delicate at the same time, as he can navigate the complex melodies incorporated within the track.
The instrumentation is also a highlight since the song is constantly changing tonally. Vanderkooy also has his best guitar solo on the album which is filled with a ton of flair and showcases his impressive talents. The chorus in this song is addictive and the pitch change on the final verse is surprising, but welcomed. This song is some of Peach Pit’s best work to date.
The most upbeat song on the album, “Pepsi on the House” is another highlight. This song is most reminiscent of Peach Pit’s last two albums and it features classic vocal patterns and melodies for Smith as well as a phenomenal percussion performance from member Mikey Pascuzzi, who is not showcased as heavily on this album than their previous endeavors.
This song screams Peach Pit in the best ways. Electric melodies, entertaining chorus, and incredible instrumentation.
A substantial amount of the songs on this album are stellar featuring experimental tones and instrumentations for the band such as, “Everything About You” and Vickie,” however, songs like “2015” and “Pepsi on the House” prove that Peach Pit’s roots are still present and will not go away anytime soon.
“2015” is written perfectly featuring some of the best lines on the album such as “Without you, there'd be no color, there'd be no sound” and “But I'm below
with everything that you can't hide away, they'll keep on coming but it's down low”. Smith gets very vulnerable in this song which allows the audience to connect on a deeper level to the album as a whole.
Although this album is filled with a ton of charm, it is not a perfect album. There are times when the album lags and feels a bit monotonous. “Last Days of Lonesome” is the culprit for most of the monotony of the album. This song is by no means bad, however, it is a bit dull and very unmemorable from the otherwise stellar album.
The closer of the album, “From 2 to 3” may be the namesake of the album, however, it too does not feature the most memorable lyrics or melodies. The song is absolutely beautiful, however, it is not a satisfying ending for the remarkable album.
“From 2 to 3” may be the most diverse body of work Peach Pit has released and it is a total success for the indie rock band. Every member can shine, whether it be Smith’s pristine vocals to Vanderkooy’s unbelievable guitar riffs and melodies. This is an amazing progression from the sophomore album “You and Your Friends” and is without a doubt worth a listen.
Rating: 8/10
Reviewer’s Favorite Tracks: “Drips on a Wire”, “Pepsi on the House”, “2015”, and “Everything About You”
Reviewer’s Least Favorite Tracks: “Last Days of Lonesome” and “From 2 to 3”
Jack Freiser is a second-year majoring in telecommunications. To contact him, email jef5614@psu.edu.
