Artist Of The Day: Pianos Become The Teeth

More than anything, a quality most prized in a band is a sense of self-awareness. Pianos Become The Teeth is a band that is very highly aware of their place in music, and what they sound like, as seen by their part in "The Wave," an inside joke with post-hardcore friends Touche Amore, La Dispute, Defeater and Make Do And Mend. On top of this, though, the band has a very exact idea on where their sound is and where they want to go. For example, Old Pride was a fantastic record, and was released to high acclaim. However, knowing the sophomore album is as big a test (if not bigger) than a debut, the band firmly put their foot down on The Lack Long After, saying "This will not be Old Pride pt. 2," and it wasn't. It was a full-length that delved deeper, darker, and distinctly more heavy. It was a beautiful success, and a perfect follow-up to prove that the band has chops.

With 2013 nearly halfway through its course, we've seen the Pianos / Touche Amore Split, and the band's newest track, "Hiding." Probably the closest shot to post-rock featured on the discography so far, it actually feels very natural with a hint of reverb and atmosphere, like the newest Appleseed Cast album, or anything Prawn has ever released. With this slight shift, though, it loses absolutely none of its strikingly powerful emotional wells, and brings a good portion of excitement when the band says they're beginning to write their third record. They have some tours this summer they need to focus on, but it's fairly safe to say we'll see something by the first quarter of next year at the latest.

To keep yourself busy in the meantime, here's the band's discography minus the single on Bandcamp and the single can be found here.

Album Review: Pianos Become The Teeth/Touché Amoré - Split

Album Review: A

Just barely past the first week of the new year, Touché Amoré and Pianos Become The Teeth came together to release the best music of their careers. Whereas Pianos Become The Teeth build upon their last release The Lack Long After by experimenting with cleaner vocals, Touché Amoré's side clocks in at a whopping 4 minutes and 8 seconds, nearly double the length of any of their previous songs. The split features the signature raw emotion that both bands focus so passionately on, then take it even further. There's no doubt that Touché and Pianos are some of the hottest bands in the post-hardcore scene right now, with this split acting as an example of just how they continue to push their own limits.

Artist Of The Day: Pianos Become The Teeth

As the holidays come to a close and we round out the end of the year, I'm sure you will able to think back on all the good times you've experienced: having a blast at your favorite show, spending time with your new significant other, or just hanging out in a living room with your best friends. Yet, you may find yourself reminiscing on some of the sadder moments, and that is exactly where Pianos Become The Teeth fit into the mix. The post-hardcore outfit released The Lack Long After in November of 2011, but the staying power and raw passion the band delivers is unprecedented. 

Album Review: Pianos Become the Teeth- The Lack Long After

Album Rating: A

Let no man say that what Pianos Become the Teeth lack is passion, for their visceral, heart wrenching approach to their craft is the very definition of the word itself. With their hearts pinned fast to their sleeves, the band has been a commanding force in the new wave of post-hardcore/screamo, stealing the hearts of those who’ve heard their ferocious and captivating brand of music. Crawling from out of the shadows of their larger, more recognizable contemporaries, they’ve been making a name for themselves within the scene, commended for imbuing a sense of freshness in a genre where emulation is commonplace. While it’s hard to deny that City of Caterpillar and Envy have certainly left an impression on the men of Pianos Become the Teeth, it must be said that the band has simply captured the spirit and energy of said bands, rather than riding on their coattails. This was certainly true on the band’s debut, Old Pride, and is even more true now. Pianos Become the Teeth has not only matured, but they’ve diversified and expanded their sound to such a degree that their latest, The Lack Long After, manages to be a wondrous outing that sees the band top everything else they’ve ever done before.

Pianos Become the Teeth - The Lack Long After

When Pianos Become the Teeth dropped their debut record, Old Pride, I honestly didn't think a whole lot about. I passed it off as a solid, but forgettable post-hardcore/emo mash-up that used every trick in the book. But since those two years ago, I've come to realize how exceptional it actually is, and now the band's sophomore release is right up there with my most anticipated albums of 2011.

Passion is what Old Pride had that other albums don't. It was emotional, gut-wrenching, and completely genuine, and I've not heard any of their peers match it since. It's this that has me so pumped for The Lack Long After, as the band promises a "darker and heavier" sound.

Recording began late this summer at Developing Nations Studio, and wrapping up a few weeks later. Topshelf Records will be releasing the album on November 1st, and it is with high commendations that I implore you to check it out. Follow the band on Facebook here.