Black Pistol Fire's Look Alive
I was gifted Look Alive by Black Pistol Fire purely based on the eye-catchung (get it?) album cover. It’s so unique and is a great argument for the benefits of vinyl, being able to display artwork like this so prominently. The back of the record is also fun as it displays the information in the format of film credits. It’s a small detail but it makes it stand out. The vinyl itself also keeps up with the aesthetic instead of opting for a more generic label, which is always appreciated. The audio quality is as beautiful as one would hope with the effort shown in the presentation.
With all the fantastic presentation, the music would have to be pretty great to justify it, and it absolutely does.
There are a lot of influences that can be clearly heard in this album, from Arctic Monkeys to classic soul music, to 70s punk, everything blends together beautifully. The song "Pick Your Poison" is early in the album and hooks you in with its catchy and unique riffs and melodies while setting the general tone of the album. "Level" is one of the songs where their Arctic Monkeys' influence is the clearest, with the vocals taking center stage as the instruments keep a level, slightly subdued role. Finally, as a fan of a great closing song, Black Pistol Fire delivers "Beyond The Blue," a slow-building, soulful song that ends with an explosive guitar solo.
I will definitely be keeping an eye on this band because if this album is any indication, they have great ideas and approaches to music. Another great example of why it’s worth checking out an album at your local record store if it catches your eye.
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