Need 2 Take a Final Bow
By: Sage Banks
You may have seen the Pinegrove shuffle on TikTok before, but here is a deeper dive into the alternative/indie band Pinegrove. Recently releasing their [possibly] final album Montclair (Live at the Wellmont Theater) on May 12, 2023. The album is a live recording collection of the band's last live show together.
““...to anyone who may have missed the memo, Pinegrove, while not over, is moving into a different phase which will not involve touring as a band, at least for a few years…. While we didn’t know at the time that it would be one of the last live recordings we’d do, we were still considering it an extremely special concert””
Featuring eighteen songs and running for an hour and four minutes this album is a beautiful and fresh recording of their previous along with their newer works including Aphasia, Old Friends, and Moment. You are bound to find something whether it be old, or something new you like as you descend on the Pinegrove journey.
Filled with high energy, a bit of nostalgia, and passion this album was a perfect release for the ongoing heatwave brought on by these hot summer days. Whether you are going for a drive, to the beach, or even hitting the hay, it is almost undeniable that this album is filled with some of their best hits. You get to hear not only the band but the way they interact with the audience as well. Having them sing some of the shorter adlibs is something different than your typical studio recording, which is to be expected.
The short yet hardest-hitting track Angelina, running two minutes and seventeen seconds is one of the tracks that stood out the most. The mix of raw emotion from both the crowd and the band is almost unbeatable. Evan Stephens Hall has an incredible way of building up his crescendo vocally, as his brother Nick Levine shreds a beautiful guitar instrumental. While three recordings of this song have been released, this one hits the hardest and leaves the biggest impact. From the artist to the audience there is such an intense connection it is almost as if you are in the room with them watching it live.
While this may be the last live recording we get from the band for a very long time, it is safe to say that it is filled with some of their best work as a band, and deserves all the praise that it gets. They manage to somehow be both hard-hitting and comforting at the same time. Creating a beautifully immersive experience for the listeners. If you are feeling the Need 2 hear some more, there are multiple albums released including albums like 11:11, Marigold, Skylight, and a ton more that can be found through any streaming service of your choice. Including the most recent release of Need 2, both sped up and slowed down waiting to be added to your next playlist. It may feel like the end, however, we never know what the future has for this New Jersey band, as fans wait patiently for their newest updates.
