Label: Columbia Records
Released: 4th March 2022
With catchy riffs and bright melodies, Peach Pit have a long-standing commitment to outstanding indie rock. But after a not-quite-so-superb second album in 2020, the Vancouver quartet have something to prove. On third album ‘From 2 To 3’, they take the winning formula of their olden days and spruce it up with a new coat of colour.
While ‘Up Granville’ and ‘Vickie’ lead into the album with the familiar tones of upbeat grooves and playful guitars, it doesn’t take long for the record to unfold its sonic wings and explore untouched terrain. ‘Lips Like Yours’ gives first subtle hints of a new sound – delicate, almost Flyte-esque, harmonies lay heavy on the nostalgia and complement the track’s sunny exterior. But it’s the second half of the record that truly hits home and the ball out of the park. Peach Pit experiment with folky acoustics (read: cowbell, harmonica, tambourine) and create an atmosphere that can only be described as the most pleasant kind of open-heart surgery. Where gorgeously slow-moving guitars meet gentle vocals, Neil Smith’s canonically solemn lyricism is not far behind, and Peach Pit unlock a new sound quality: comforting. Circling topics of love and heartbreak, the band make the mundanity of life feel less dreary.
Heartfelt and unfiltered, Peach Pit sound in a new era that is positively addictive. Unexpected but not ill-fitting, it sees the band take LP three in their stride and silence all nay-sayers that may have expected Peach Pit to fall at this hurdle. Possibly their best album yet, and most definitely a step up from LP two, ‘From 2 To 3’ opens up a whole new world of opportunities for the quirky Canadians. Hopefully one that includes more late-night songwriting sessions.
