Customer Reviews

Pikul

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Before their debut album, the Silversun Pickups debuted their retrogrunge sound in the "Pikul" EP. Basically this EP does what it's supposed to do -- shows off their style, presents a bunch of excellent songs, and introduces listeners to the Angeleno rockers' grimy, creative rock'n'roll.

It kicks off with one of their poppier songs, "Kissing Families," which blossoms out into a delicious rock song. "It's no wonder that we did it this way/Kept looking forward on paths sideways/It's everything that's connected and beautiful/And now I know just where I stand."

Things speed up even more with the ominous, fast-moving "Comeback Kid," which sounds like a budding hard-rocker. But then they try out some other sounds, not just the hard rock -- a song ruled by lots of clashing cymbals, slow-moving guitar ballads, and some ominous Radioheadish atmosphere over solid riffs and drums.

Basically, don't expect it to sound just like their full-length debut, "Carnavas." "Pikul" is softer and more atmospheric, but still with the hard-rock sound that they're known for. It's not as confident and hard, but there's still plenty of talent and range here.

They have a lot of mingled electric and acoustic guitar, with some drums that can smash or gently rat-a-tat. And there's lots of hard buzzing bass that builds up to grinding walls-o'-sound, and some thick mats of foggy keyboard, which gives a slightly psychedelic flair to their catchy, rawboned melodies.

Brian Aubert often gets compared to Billy Corgan, probably because (like Corgan) he has a rather high voice and some very bittersweetly evocative lyrics. His vocals are pretty good -- a bit androgynous sounding, but melodic and smooth -- and while some songs are too simplistically written, there are seeds of greatness in others. "There are twenty-four parts in a day/That divides me from you..."

In "Pikul," the Silversun Pickups sound like they're stretching their wings, and getting to know their own sound. Not all of it got used later, but it shows that they have plenty of room to expand.

The most amazing band that you've never heard of. The quality of the songwriting is far beyond most of the crap that's popular these days. The sound is slightly reminiscent of Early Smashing Pumpkins and Radiohead, yet still distinctive and unique. I've seen SSPU several times live in concert, and if you liked the studio recordings, the live show will truly blow you away.

If you have heard "Lazy Eye", and if you've been listening to modern rock stations or playing Guitar Hero:World Tour then chances are you have, you know these guys have a distinctive sound. This album is better than 'Carnavas' but it's only drawback is that it is only an EP so there are only 6 tracks. These tracks are all good though and I definitely advise getting this album.

What happens when you mix Modest Mouse, The Pixies, and Drunken Boat in a big mixing bowl? You get Silversun Pickups. Each song is lyrically powerful which allows for a vast range of interpretations. This CD leaves you wanting more.

This is a really great disk from a really cool band. The first track "Kissing Families" is probably one of the greatest songs ever recorded. ( I'm not kidding, and I'm not the first person to say that ) I would buy this record 10 times just to own that song. If you have a chance check them out live, you won't regret it!

A co-worker turned me on to this EP and I could not have been more pleasantly surprised. This is a good band making some compelling music and they're avoiding the spotlight too (which I like). Some of the songs here are reminiscent of the 90's and they DO sound like The Pumpkins at times, but that is in no way a reason not to buy this disc. It is a very nice melodic and noisy offering and should be listened to often!!

This band is excellent. They remind me of "Garbage" a little bit. I love them and I love this CD. It has upbeat tunes and mellow ones. They have thought provoking lyrics. You should check them out.

1 year before the Silversun Pickups released their first LP, Carnavas, (which was really cool and ambient, if at times unfocused and over-produced,) they released Pikul, a 7-song EP. As a person who liked Carnavas a lot, I was interested in hearing some of this band's earlier work.

Unfortunately there's not much here to really excite. Kissing Families is a great song and can easily stand along with the best off Carnavas. The rest of this CD's so forgettable, though, that it made me wonder why they didn't just hold Kissing Families off until they got some better material, as it would have really made Carnavas better, too, to have had this song on it. Aside from Kissing Families, though, the songs on Pikul seem to have very little hook or energy to them; the lead singer sometimes sounds like he's half-asleep (luckily he did excellently on Carnavas, demonstrating a much-needed boost of energy) and the music does nothing to excite either. There are some hints of the psychedelic sound effects that the band would become known for and some moments that are *ALMOST* catchy. But it just doesn't work.

The rundown goes like this:

*Kissing Families: a great song. Fast-paced and energetic with a nice dose of relaxing music, as well as great backup vocals by bass player Nikki Monniger, it's a winner. Some of the best lyrics the band's ever written, too.

*The Comeback Kid: simply okay....the 2nd best on the CD. Nothing particularly noteworthy here, though.

*Booksmart Devil: this song would be a great song if the listener was in the right state of mind, (totally stoned) but otherwise, it's the first of many songs on this CD that don't go anywhere; I was waiting for something, anything, to happen, but it doesn't; the song remains slow and monotone throughout.

*The Fuzz: unbearably annoying intro aside, musically it starts off pretty well, but like with much of the CD, when Bryan Aubert sings in his slow drone, the energy quickly dies from the song. The CD's starting to sound way too similar by this point.

*Creation Lake: alright, this is at least different. Nikki Monniger, the bass player, sings a full song here and it starts off acoustically, and then instruments are gradually added. It caught my attention because it was at least a different song but unfortunately...this is a rock CD and this song's just WAY too slow. And Nikki's a great bass player and she's also great when she sings backup but I don't think her voice is powerful enough to carry a whole song by herself.

*All the Go Inbetweens: Yet again, this one starts off very strong musically, but seems to fade pretty early into its 7 minute plus runtime. Lyrically it's just not interesting and yet again, there's nothing really catchy on here. It's a decent listen the first time because it has a unique sound but there's not much here to keep you coming back for more.

*Sci-Fi Lullaby: It's aptly named, at least, as it can put I'm sure even the most energetic listener to sleep. More of the same.

And that's it. I was pretty disappointed by this CD but the good news is that 1 year later, Silversun Pickups released Carnavas, their very promising (if flawed,) LP, and I encourage anyone whose into psychedelic rock, or even just rock in general, to pick it up. This debut, Kissing Families aside, is probably best left forgotten.

I stumbled upon these guys live on kexp last week and was impressed...the set inspired me to take a chance on their EP, Pikul. Smart move. Each song gets more infectious with every listen. Complimenting male and female vocals suit them well. They remind me of indie rock that doesn't suck.

Purchased this after listening to the full length CD and I think that the Pikul CD is just so much better, a must purchase CD.