by: Sean Boy
We Are The Only Friends We Have transcends any notion of a particular genre that will remain unnamed here (but is often thrown around in reference to this band) and is what it is: Rock ‘n’ Roll. Vocally reminiscent of Ben Folds, and in some moments, Doug Martsch of Built to Spill, singer Travis Shettel sits effectively on the fence between the pissed punk and sensitive crooner. Lyrically strong, Piebald does the short prose type lyrics instead of the cheesy, end-rhyme poetry sludge. Most songs are full and dense (ie: the 70’s arena rocker “The Stalker”) thus vividly setting apart the sole acoustic track,“It’s Going To Get Worse Before It Gets Better”. The third song in, “American Hearts,” is the only song that really comes close to having a political theme (“well have you heard that this country is unequal still/history continues itself/and I did not create the rules”) and contains the simple, and highly addictive hook of “Hey, you’re part of it/Yeah, you’re part of it.” Songs like “Fear and Loathing On Cape Cod” and “Rich People Can Breed” are refreshingly complex. The latter begins as an acoustic number, then mixes in a prog-ish riff, and 60’s pop ba-dap vocals; the former breaks immediately into a psychedelic blues jam, then segues into a dreamy Built to Spill moment. All these components add up to an outstanding record and make for a very listenable album. It’s unclear however if this album has staying power and will hold up over time. That’s the question; it’s close, but is it a classic?
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