All Fiction by Boston based band Indie, rock, and alternative band Pile is anything but simple. Heavily saturated with a moody ambience, strong engaging lyrics, and harmonious melodic hooks, the band gives you what you'd expect on their fifth album released on record label Exploding in Sound. Despite the signature reverb, Lead singer Rick Maguire's voice penetrates through the stratospheric tracks with full resonance. The opening track It Comes Closer is an atmospheric tune with references to ellipses and the sun and elaborates on the cyclical nature of things. The powerful song Loops incorporates the straightforward and heavy drums of Kriss Kuss, while seeming to point the finger of dishonesty and maintains a melodic appeal in the hook and carrying guitars that flare up into the chorus.
"Tell me are you being honest, cause I would never lie to you".
Gardening Hours erupts as a plethora of unusual sounds and deliberate distinctive odd choices of chords and as usual, Pile never leaves a song without a grand ending. Throughout the album is several references of the sun and Pile leaves no room to question their cognizance of refreshing and growing anew.
Link Arms explores the depth, grit, and range of Maguire's vocals and the band makes a fine choice of inserting haunting backing keys play to Pile's strength. Appearing to be praising the unity that comes while joining together, after a deep dive comes the dangers, questions, and drawbacks that arise throughout humanity while following suit.
"Zoom in and sprint backwards,
While speaking in reverse,
Either that, or they're all dancing past"
The track Blood has a spiritual essence and seems as a poetic personal tale of the struggle to grasp something that is real. Whatever "blood" represents is construed as something that is questionable and out of reach.
"My greasy hands trying to hold on,
That which can't be held"
The emotional vocals lay over guitarist Chappy Hill's rich and plucking which is the glue holding the track together. In several instances within is beautiful, light, and airy backing vocals that act as a revelation and gives the song breathing room and a chance to come up for air.
"Can I see its blood?
Even if only one time"
The galloping sounding drums of Kuss are woven throughout the album and are prominent on Forgetting, Loops, and Poison and brings a strong solid foundation to All Fiction. Forgetting is the shining example where Kuss explodes and indicates the vital necessity for a pounding drum performance.
Photo Credit : Noise Floor Photo
Along with Loops, Poisons is by far the most heavy track on the album, featuring the infectious screaming howl of Maguire and a jagged format with unwonted choppy guitars and the dense and thick bass by Alex Molini acting as the strong backbone. Taking on certain substances in a powerful way, Poisons dives deep into the pressure of partaking.
"The poisons i've tried without knowing"
"It’s about trying to abstain from participating in things that aren’t really good for anybody but also feeling very unaware in general, and the frustration of trying to hold both of those sentiments", says Molini.
The single Nude with a Suitcase rolls in with a marching band like drum beat and an interesting breakdown with drawn out synths. The speculation of what is behind the "deep violet curtains" is another question that is pivotal to the standpoint of All Fiction. Contrasting elements such as a a riveting piano are thoughtfully added and scattered throughout, most notably on Lowered Rainbow providing a more refined accent as well as a picturesque notion of "death dealers" who once again come to shatter reality.
The clouds roll in quick as they turn to stone
And when the sky falls we’ll see rainbow will close
Pile is still concerned with being innovative and it shows. The leaps and bounds to overcome certain situations while still questioning the honest nature of people and life in general is captured well throughout All Fiction. The album title is an epitome of this same essence.
Roses Given : 4/5
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Photos Via: Apple Music
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