Pinegrove have long been a band that I have found interesting and uniquely talented. Evan Stephen Hall, the lyricist and main mind behind the band, often writes songs that feature poetic lyrics, lovely and well arranged instrumentals, and are just a nice vibe.
Their music tends to walk the line of emo, alt country, indie, and general rock. I've been a fan of theirs since their debut release 'Meridian' in 2012, and have followed their career closely since. So why not give all their studio albums a fresh listen and rank them?
As always, I'm only counting original studio LP releases. Live albums, compilations, EP's, etc. aren't going to be ranked here. That leaves us with 5 nice, digestible pieces to sort through. Pinegrove is truly an underrated band, and I can't wait to talk about each of their releases. Let's get to it!
5. 11:11 (2022)
Kicking off our list at 5 is the band's most recent (and possibly last) album '11:11'. Where their previous release, 'Marigold', came out right before the COVID-19 pandemic, '11:11' came out right at the tail end of the worst of it. Many of the songs have a sense of melancholy, uncertainty, and self reflection on mental health and relationships with a tilt on the pandemic and the ensuing scramble.
I want to set the record straight right from the jump, this is a good album that is more than worth listening to, and just comes in last here simply because one of their releases just had to. For all the things the record does right, it's simply the Pinegrove album I go back to the least since its release.
'11:11' is slightly more docile and reflective than previous works, and while it can lead to some really lovely moments, it also lacks some of the same unique fire that made much of Pinegrove's early catalogue interesting. It's even more easeful than 'Marigold', which was somewhat criticized at the time for the general lack of 'bite' on the album (more on my personal thoughts on that later).
The production is probably the tightest in their library, and it's generally a really solid sounding album. Sure, it may not be as raw as previous releases, but polish is rarely a bad thing! Lyrically, it's just as witty, clever, and unique as Evan Stephen Hall's work typically is. The first half of the album is actually pretty strong, but unfortunately the few shortfalls that this album has can be most felt as the album progresses.
Even though it comes in last in this ranking, '11:11' is still an album I can pretty easily recommend, and it's one I personally enjoy quite a bit. But I'd be remiss to not say that it doesn't feel quite as sharp, organic, and unpredictable as their previous work, and it can sometimes negate the flow and overall feel of the album. Still though, give it a listen if you haven't, maybe you'll love it!
Standout tracks: Habitat, Alaska, Iodine, Orange, Respirate
4. Meridian (2012)
2012 would see Pinegrove self record and release their debut LP 'Meridian', and would start their full length album discography off in a pretty impressive way. Their unique sound and style were clear and concise from the very beginning, and for a self made and released album, everything sounds clean and polished enough to pass for a bigger release. Debut records are always one of my favorite parts of doing rankings, and there's something so fun about seeing where a band planted their roots.
The very first song, 'Palisade', establishes who Pinegrove are and the vibes that they are going to be delivering to your ears. It's raw, vulnerable, lyrically diverse, and has some really beautifully done and well executed instrumentals. The rest of the album is pretty consistent in those tenets as well, and the result is an album that feels angsty, somewhat melancholic, and just unique enough to anything else in the indie/emo scene.
It may not reach the dramatic or impactful heights of their best work, but to be quite honest it's not really that far off. 'Meridian' is an easy album to listen to, and it's impressive just how realized the vision of the band was from the very beginning. I definitely recommend it to fans of indie/emo music, or alternative fans who want something that goes at a different speed.
SIDE NOTE: 'Meridian' isn't avilable on most streaming services for some reason (rights, probably), but 'Everything So Far' contains the album, in order, in its track listing.
Standout tracks: Palisade, The Metronome, Mather Knoll, Peeling Off the Bark, Morningtime
Spotify(E.S.F.) | Apple Music(E.S.F) | Bandcamp
3. Cardinal (2016)
Things are really picking up from here on out! 2016's 'Cardinal' is a wonderful album that may be only 8 tracks long, (just like 'Meridian') but it still manages to pack quite a good punch. Some of their most memorable and hard hitting work can be seen really coming together on this album, and it makes for a varied and exciting listen.
I'll admit it, I was a pretty big 'Old Friends' mark when the song came out, as were many others I knew. I believe it stands as their first 'great' song, and is one of the most memorable songs in their entire library. Melodically, things are almost uniformly satisfying throughout the runtime. 'Aphasia' has an incredibly catchy and memorable verse structure, and 'Size of the Moon' sounds bitter, angry, but still reflective and melancholic.
'Cardinals' is also the album where their self dubbed 'post-country' stylings can be heard the most. Hall's vocals are twangy and wistful, and the arrangements of guitar, plucked mandolin, and some slide guitar fit in well. The production is pretty raw, as it had been (and largely would be) up until this point. It's not sloppy or unprofessional by any means, and actually suits the style of music quite well. If it were a less dynamic or talented band I might take issue, but Pinegrove make that style work wonders.
All in all, 'Cardinals' is a great record and was a fitting breakthrough for Pinegrove at the time. There really aren't many low points, and every song stands on its own merit for most of the runtime. It's catchy, somewhat unpredictable, lyrically daring, and just sounds nice to listen to. Give it a listen if you haven't!
Standout tracks: Old Friends, Cadmium, Aphasia, Size of the Moon, New Friends
2. Marigold (2020)
No album in this list seems to have the most divisive opinions between critics and fans alike than 'Marigold'. Personally, I don't really get why that is? I think 'Marigold' is a captivating LP and was easily one of my most listened to albums of 2020, and still finds its way into my rotation quite often. It might not have the angst or edge of 'Cardinal' or even 'Skylight', but I think it stands on its own as a landmark release that takes some risks that mostly all pay off.
'Marigold' is the most diverse album the band has released, and they weren't afraid to experiment a little bit with song structure and writing techniques. It makes for an album that sounds distinctly 'Pinegrove' and still varied and different enough from track to track to stay interesting and exciting. On the whole I would say it's more mellow than their previous work to this point, but I also don't see that as a bad thing.
Mellow doesn't have to mean uninteresting, and 'Marigold' is anything other than uninteresting. In my opinion, the album flows incredibly well, and it's easy to listen to from front to back. Songs like 'Dotted Line', 'The Alarmist', and 'No Drugs' see them explore a more melodic, mellow sound, while 'Moment', Phase', and 'Endless' are more typical Pinegrove affairs. It all mixes well together and makes for a record that is as cohesive as anything in their library.
It might not be the most celebrated album in their library, but I personally find 'Marigold' to be a fantastic LP with lots of high points and few, if any, lows. I guess it's just an album that barks up my tree in all the right ways! I recommend this is all the indie heads, emo fans, and anyone who loves a unique and melodically satisfying piece of rock music.
Standout tracks: Front to back is the way to go here.
1. Skylight (2018)
Here we are at the album that tops this ranking, the excellent 'Skylight' from 2018. Everything that Pinegrove does well is on display in this album from top to bottom, and I'm sure it's no surprise to any fan of the band to see it claim the top spot. 'Skylight' found the band iterate and improve on almost all aspects of their previous work.
Whether it's the dynamic, loud and emotive opening track 'Rings', the intense and melancholic 'Angelina', or the 1-2 punch of 'Darkness' and 'Skylight', every high point is a dazzling display in songwriting and execution. It's genre defining more than it's not, and is a clear indication at the confidence the band was working behind at this time. It results in an album that is cohesive and flows like a river.
The production is a definite step up from 'Cardinal', but the raw and organic style is still very much present, and is made more effective than ever with some subtle improvements to the mixing and arrangements. Lyrically, this is the most enigmatic and poetic work we have seen from Evan Stephens Hall, and really adds a mystique to the album that is enticing and alluring.
'Skylight' is an album that I can easily recommend to indie fans, emo fans, alternative rock fans, and even alt country fans. It's varied, impactful, and everything they try works. In my opinion, it stands out as the best album from a band that only made good to great albums. Give 'Skylight' a listen and thank me later!
Standout tracks: All of them :)
There we have it, another ranking down! I'm having lots of fun doing little deep dives into artists. Thanks for reading, and if you're still here consider following me on my socials (links above)! I'm branching out into some video content so I'd love to see you there. Peace!
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