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 | PiebaldWe Are The Only Friends We Have2002 Big Wheel Recreation 
 Review by: Adam See others by this writer ![[staff]](/images/icons/staffsticker.gif){kind=icon}
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Published on February 3rd 2002 Piebald have themselves perched on an incredibly precarious tightrope but seem to keep their balance. They have a sound which could easily become quite popular given mainstream radio’s recent tastes (Jimmy Eat World, Weezer, the pop-punk boom), however the album is released on Big Wheel Recreation, a rapidly growing but still relatively small independent label. This puts the band in the fantastic position of potentially being both successful and credible. The band plays an indie rock / pop-punk hybrid which brings to mind Weezer or more mature versions of contemporary pop-punk bands. This being their sixth release (including EPs), the band is tight and put together some extremely catchy songs. Vocalist Travis Shettel successfully bridges the gap between energetic shouts and sensitive singing. The band manages to pepper their songs with acoustic guitars, keyboards, bongos, particularly well placed trumpets and, during the single “Just A Simple Plan,” a choir of kindergartens. Lyrically the band pulls off yet another balancing act. The songs are written both introspectively and with a good amount of wit and humor (see “The Monkey Verses The Robot” or the opening to “The King Of The Road”). This is an asset, I’m compelled to recommend this band simply for having the common sense to realize that you can be funny without songs about feces, semen, or each other’s mothers… like that numbered band we’ll leave anonymous.
Paul Q. Kolderie, who’s worked with Radiohead, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones and the Pixies, produced the album. The production values are at times a bit on the high side, but not enough to negatively affect the band’s songs. To get a good feel for the album check out the layered mid-tempo “Fear And Loathing On Cape Cod,” the Randy-like rock of “Rich People Can Breed,” the acoustic guitar driven “It’s Going To Get Worse Before It Gets Better,” or the first single, “Just A Simple Plan.” While “We Are The Only Friends We Have” may not break any new ground stylistically, it’s a strong release and is full of energy. Hopefully Piebald can keep their balancing act going, because it’s an impressive one.
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I can see why some people would dislike the sound of the vocals, but I think they work well. i recently popped this back into my cd player. i love piebald. to the kid under me: word... this album is fucking comedy. it's great. I bought this cd and left it in my brother's car right before I went to college in another state. But I'm basing my judgement on Piebald's show at the troubador, and I must say, they fuckin rocked the house. These guys are great, and I can definately see them creating a legacy with their novel and refreshing sense of songwriting. And by the way, ska sucks fuckin ass, ska's not dead, it was never fuckin alive. i just bought this cd and i must say this... it is golden. everything about this cd rocks.... i love all the songs, all the energy... everything! i saw them in concert, was not impressed, but took the free sampler cd they were handing out b/c it had american hearts on it and i liked that song when they performed it.... when i listened to the sampler, i fell in love w/ them, and finally got the money to buy the whole damn cd. its awesome. i love it. buy it if you havent i seriously would even go so far as to compare them to the heydays of capn jazz and joan of arc...especially piebald's older stuff... I'm a senior in high school and I went to school in Andover and I have seen Piebald grow up from this insane hardcore band to what they are now. They have progressed so much in the years they have been together and have written some of the most difficultly timed and artistic songs I have ever heard, I don't know how anyone can disrespect that, they have grown up so much and are hometown heroes here. They have been my favorite band since like before the Green Day/Oasis days. You cannot fully appreciate this album until you see their progression which I think a lot of people have not seen so give them the respect they deserve. I suggest buying the Barely Legal/ All Ages double cd before getting "Friends" because it will show you what they have done over the years and how they have progressed. My friends have been listening to piebald for a couple of years now, and I never really got into them. Sure, they had a few good songs i liked i.e. The rock revolution won't be televised is great! But I didn't like their previous albums as a whole. But I never stop listening to this one. GREAT ALBUM this album is pretty good, they have some catchy lyrics that will keep you listening to the whole cd, a ten! I haven't heard the album, but I saw them live. Nice guys, catchy songs. two thumbs up. "Venetian Blinds" is one of the greatest albums ever, and if you don't want to be open enough to appreciate it, you don't deserve it. How anyone can even mention the Mighy Mighty Bosstones, White Zombie, Jimmy Eat World, Weezer, or any other band in a review of Piebald is beyond me. You people need to stop letting other people tell you what to think. Wearing college glasses doesn't make you more insightful. they've saved the genre created by Weezer's Blue Album Piebald is talented it every way possible. And getting better all the time. ive been listening to piebald for 5 years and its always the samething with them whenever they come out witha new record they lose and gain fans. i remember when they stopped doing hardcore and alot of my friends were like "im done with them". i didnt there was still something that totally facinated me about them from the first time "aftershave" on a mixtape when i was 14. with the new CD i had to listen to it honestly like 8 times in a row before i could get a feel for it. im so bias because they were my favorite band for such a long time. im saying i like but i cant exactly say way yet. one things for certain they are amazing guys with a shit load of talent even when they didnt know how to play their instruments well they still made the most emotional music i ever heard. al come on... piebald beating jimmy in a contest? jimmy eat world have had 3 fucking awesome cd's (4 including b-sides) and they have a real musical talent. piebald....please... they are nowhere near them i just saw piebald tonite with thursday at rex's bar in west chester,pa. let me just say the concert kicked some major ass since there was a sold out crowd of 300 people. the first band was a local, breaking pangaea. the singer sounds like dashboard but the band sounds somewhat like alkaline trio.then this day forward came on, they have the same sound as thursday and had the place fucking moving. then piebald came on. and they FUCKING SUCKED DONKEY BALLS. not only were they late showing up but the crowd didn't get into them at all. yeah they were jumping around the stage but their songs were lame and they spent too much time talking between songs. i started falling asleep against a pillar it was so fucking bad. when thursday came back out the crowd got back into it and there was just one huge mosh pit(for a 300 person crowd).lets just say the thursday puts on 1 of the greatest shows. Geoff was jumping into the crowd every song and crowd surfed for "cross out the eyes". so all in all piebald sux and should just die and leave the music scene. I HATE jimmy eat world. they suck, i think piebald would crush them in a battle of the bands. i think this will be one of the best albums of the year. although i've never been the biggest emo/punk/indie fan, i always seem to come back to piebald. i read these reviews for them that compare them to saves the day, jimmy eat world, and even new found glory, and i believe that they are on a completely other level... maybe jimmy eat world could hold their own against piebald, in a pinch, though... What does being from NE have to do with The Bosstones. Yea I know they are a boston band, I live like 30 minutes from boston. I respect what the Bosstones have done for ska in boston and all over the US. I do also think that the Bosstones have been slacking as of late and have not been making the kind of music they have in the past and the kind of music I know they are capable of. I dont see them as an "institution" though. Piebald will continue to grow as a band and who knows what will happen to them, they may end up like the Bosstones and making music that isnt up to par. But right now all signs point towards piebald growing as a respectable band in the emo/punk scene. I'm just going to step in here and make my say on this odd little debate that has developed. Piebald's new release is pretty good, but the Bosstones are in a whole other league. I agree with the guy a couple of posts down,I too am from the NE and the Bosstones sure have built a legacy that this fuckin pussy band will never achieve.NEVER. "that they have made some great music" exactly the bosstones HAVE MADE some great music. Thats why I said that it was their newer stuff that was disgraceful. Pay Attention was a load of crap and Lets Face it wasnt that great either. They havent put out anything worth while since Question the Answers way back in 1994, with the exception of Live From the Middle East, but thats a live album anyway so it doesnt count. I give them respect for inspiring bands like Big D and the Sellouts but they, to use the dreaded word, sold out. **gasp** Like you said though this is a Piebald review and Piebald kicks ass! To the guy who said Piebald is saving a scene disgraced by the Bosstones....ARE YOU KIDDING ME????? The Bosstones? The Bosstones are FAR better than this band. So much better. I mean, ok, we can have opinions, and yours is different, but man,the Bosstones are one of the most important bands in (modern) ska history. I mean, you wouldn't have a third wave if it wasn't for The Toasters, Op Ivy, and the Bosstones kickstarting it. And fucking Bid D and the Kids Table? Fuck them man, they have one good song. The Bosstones are an institution. And being from NE, I can say that and know what Im talking about. God, ask bands like Big D, The Sellouts, DKM, whoever. They will all tell you that the Bosstones are an institution, and that they have made some great music. "I don't think there is really a pop-punk boom. You people really blow out of proportion how big punk actually is in the mainstream. haha, the bosstones.... ANYTHING the Bosstones put out will be far superior to Piebald. I just got into piebald a few months ago and I cant get enough of them. With bands like Aerosmith, godsmack, mighty mighty bosstones(newer stuff), rob zombie, and powerman 5000 disgracing boston rock scene in boston im glad there are still bands like piebald, big d and the kids table, dropkick murphys, the sellouts (RIP), and darkbuster making it great! I disagree, there is a pop-punk boom. Blink-182, Sum 41, Good Charlotte, Saves The Day, New Found Glory, Green Day, Offspring, Jimmy Eat World. I know that I hear everyone from 13 year olds to college girls singing "And at your funeral, I will sing the requiem..." all the time. There is a definite rise in the popularity of poppy punk right now. I don't think there is really a pop-punk boom. You people really blow out of proportion how big punk actually is in the mainstream. I used to save all of my scorn for bands like the Get Up Kids, Dashboard Confessional and pretty much the whole Drive-Thru crew, but now I have a new enemy, thy name is Piebald. hum, i don't know... it's hard to call this their best album, just cause its pretty impossible to top Lemons. But this album really does rock hard...Travis's songwriting is getting better and better. yeah, no doubt, this album is amazing this is by far Piebalds best album... piebald is pretty much the worst band i've ever heard. and im a big fan of the genre. i can't stand seeing them live. i also can't stand that guys singing. ugh. no thank you. I find Piebald to be an "all or none" band. Their good songs (just a simple plan, american hearts) are very good and catchy. You'll be singing them for days. Their bad songs are sometime painful to listen to. Fortunately, there are few bad songs on this cd. Now if only they'd come back to Canada and play a set that's longer than 20 minutes (no hard feelings towards moneen....that was the greatest show ever). |
