I admit I hadn’t heard of Pinhole before January. However, it’s amazing what you can discover on a Friday night in Lincoln. There I was in a local pub, supporting a mate’s band, when Pinhole stepped on stage. I have to admit I was completely blown away by how talented they were. You don’t expect that sort of quality in a local pub venue. Anyway, I purchased a copy of their debut EP for a bargain five English pounds, and took it home for a listen.
This, then, is Pinhole‘s debut release, the ‘Breaking Hearts & Windows EP’. Released at the end of 2001, the four-track EP is a very promising debut by the young four-piece who hail from Liverpool. They have a sound which lies somewhere between MxPx, and, the sadly missed, Three Colours Red, which happens to be a very nice musical niche to be in. Throw in some fine pop sensibilities and you have a band that could make big waves in a very tired British music scene.
EP opener, ‘City Living’, is the obvious standout track. It has a great guitar riff, a big chorus and some nice vocal harmonies. It is a song that will get inside your head and stay there for days. ‘All Dried Up’ proves that the band are no one trick pony. It has a heavier, chugging verse that transfers seamlessly into a very melodic chorus. The remaining tracks, ‘11.50’ and ‘Is This the End?’, are not as strong as the first two, but still display enough pace and melody to make the EP a worthy purchase.
Pinhole could be the great rock band that the UK has been missing for the last couple of years. This debut EP shows enough promise to suggest that they could become something quite special. I for one hope they are given the opportunity to reach their potential, instead of being criticised as most non-conformist rock acts are. The band won’t appeal to everyone who reads these pages, as they aren’t a punk band in the true definition of the word. However, give them a listen and I think you will be pleasantly surprised!
Mark