Album Review: The Pinheads – Is This Real

The Pinheads are no strangers to making incredible music. Their second album Is This Real emphasises the combined talents and collective tastes of each band member and will no doubt appeal to both continuing and new fans.

Opener Pure Hate hides a simple rhythm guitar in the background while other instruments take the song into a garage-rock direction akin to The Brian Jonestown Massacre. Feel It Now takes the band back to traditional punk roots, before For A While and No Time see the band even further back in time with the fuzz tones that saw The Kinks rise to fame.

Their influences, coming from practically every punk decade, are noticeable through each remaining track; they create music tailored for people who enjoy thrashing their heads in a pit. Even when dropping to a sombre take on the genre with So Alone, the album still remains an incredible piece of work. There’s a harmonica solo accompanied by acoustics and strained vocals in the title track. The album ends with Don’t Have A Home and a six-minute noise track titled Outro. If The Pinheads were more recognisable, this album would go down as a piece of punk history.