Tag Archives: Girls Like Us

PINS- The Lexington. 27th May 2015.

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Everyone has a handful of bands they don’t ever get tired of listening to or seeing live. I’ve probably got more than a person should, but there are worse things I could spend my money on.

Prior to seeing PINS on Wednesday night, my pal and I were stood outside the venue whilst he had a cigarette. A man comes up to him and asks if he can buy a cigarette off him. I catch a glimpse of him and on his shoulder he has a pet rat. A white thing with horrible pinky/red eyes. He sees us look at his pet, and he plants a kiss on it. He walks off happily with his pet and cigarette. Not much can shock you I suppose when you’re constantly in a busy city. But this? It was just weird. If it gets him through the day, then so be it. Also, I had a really good photo of the band on stage to use, but guess who dropped their phone down the toilet at work yesterday. Yes, this idiot writing this.

PINS are fascinating to see live. You see there are some bands who seem almost scared or probably too uptight to look like they’re enjoying themselves on stage, but with PINS you can tell that they really love playing live. Faith sings in the crowd, Sophie beats the shit out of the drums, Anna makes you wish you could play bass in a band like PINS and Lois likes to wander off a bit on stage. She got behind something on the stage at The Lexington and every so often you saw her glorious blonde hair peer over the side.

The show on Wednesday was a launch for the new record (Wild Nights) which is out on Monday. Some copies were being sold afterwards and of course, it is one of the best records to come out this year. As I’ve called Crocodiles as having the record of the year, I’ll say that PINS have put out the best record in the country. I’ll write about why I love the record this evening.

I’ve seen PINS either 5 or 6 times now and I probably should have run out of things to say about them, or I’m likely to repeat myself. They’re a band you just don’t ever get tired of seeing. The only thing that annoys me are the creeps right at the front who really need to stop taking photos of the body parts of the band (everyone can see you zoom in on the bums and such, just stop.) Other than that, those who go to see PINS are those who really get what the band are about and aren’t there just to hear one song. Everyone still goes nuts to LUVU4LYF and Girls Like Us. But new songs such as House Of Love and Too Little Too Late are starting to get the same reaction as old favourites.

From seeing them a few times, it is just bloody brilliant to see a band develop into something truly wonderful. Their shows aren’t as dark and as moody as their records, but there is something sinister that flows through songs like Oh Lord that come alive when you witness it live. Watching them live is like being at decent house party and your mates band come along to play some songs. There probably are words to describe their live shows, but it isn’t good enough. You’ve just got to see it. They drag people on stage for their take on Hybrid Moments by the Misfits. Girls Like Us is mashed with Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. You just want them to play forever and go a bit louder each time. They go mental at the end of Dazed By You which is amazing to witness. They can do the slowest of songs and they can go off the rails on another. They’re showing everyone what they are made of, not just live but on the new record.

I’ve seen them support bands I love and I’ve seen them headline their own shows. Ain’t no party like a PINS party. I wish it was home time so I could unleash my thoughts on their new record.

What I love about PINS is that they evidently have something in them that’s going to fuel younger generations to pick up an instrument and make their own noise. PINS are quite simply one of the best bands from Manchester, and there are loads of them. PINS have got this thing about them that make you want to sack off your 9 to 5 and start a band. To hell with it, you might as well do it. Their sound could intimidate some, but once you’ve met them you’ll realise that they’re just proper lovely people who make the kind of music you wish you could. I’m sort of holding back a little because I’m reserving it all for my thoughts on Wild Nights.

They’ve just announced a tour for September and you can get tickets here: https://www.songkick.com/search?page=1&per_page=10&query=PINS+UK&type=upcoming

It’s pretty tempting to go see them in Manchester. Pretty sure a home crowd is as good as it gets. The record is out Monday and you can buy tickets to their new tour now. You know what to do.

PINS. The Old Blue Last. 25th February 2014.

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I’ve said it so many times now, but Manchester is truly the home of great music. It is obvious who the great bands are, and PINS will probably be named amongst them in a few more years.

I will mention their support act in a separate post because they are incredible and I’ll just ramble otherwise.

This was the third time I had seen PINS, but the first time seeing them headline their own show. They are a band I could quite happily watch live over and over again, and find different parts of their music to adore. PINS remind me of all the bands I love, but I don’t mean it in a rip-off kind of way. Far from it. They also remind me why I love music so much.

Aside from the gig being free (which was bloody good as I had lost £10 on the way..and as someone who has £5 in their bank account, this was pretty shit) PINS got their visas to go to America. I sincerely hope America falls in love with them because they are a band that just need to be heard by everyone. I think it is obvious that PINS are going to have no problem with being loved in America.

For me, it is always going to be LuvU4Lyf that causes me to move the most. I guess it is because it was the first song I heard by them a few years ago now, you always cling to the first song you hear by a band you love don’t you? It doesn’t matter if they’ve put out a record full of brilliant songs, you always go back to the one you first heard. I love seeing Girls Like Us live because Faith and Sophie beat the shit out of the cymbal in the intro (cymbal bashing is always welcome, just watch Oliver from The XX do it during Infinity.) Mad For You is brilliant live, and the way they all sing together in unison just really shows how tight the band is.

The night before I saw Brody Dalle live, and I’m pretty sure she burst my eardrums, and PINS pretty much did the same (as did their support band, Bad Grammar.) PINS are easily the most exciting bands around because they have this indescribable sound that makes them stand out from everything else that is going on. If you’re fed up of what you’re supposed to be listening to, go listen to PINS. Go see them live and kick out your frustrations because they are truly something else.

On record they are perfect, you cannot fault them and to look for fault would make you an ass. However, when you see them live it is something else. They sound tighter live and the way they sound live is even more perfect, they are simply a band that deserve every ounce of success they get. I’ve seen them support two bands I love; Warpaint and Dum Dum Girls, and to finally see them headline their own show was a memorable experience, especially in a venue so small. They are the kind of band you need to see in a small and sweaty room. They are the best kinds of shows, and only the best kinds of bands play these kinds of venues.

I’m not really sure what the crowd was like, I was just happy to see PINS but I saw some creepy guy taking photo of Faith’s legs throughout the show which was pretty stupid. Then again, some people are just idiots aren’t they.

PINS have this way that, after seeing them live making you wish you had some musical talent so you could start a band. They are the kind of band you wish you could join. They just have this way of playing together that really makes you believe in their music, and I think when you see a band live and you can tell they love playing together, it pretty much makes you love the band even more. If they stood on stage looking as if they didn’t care, you wouldn’t be moved by it. PINS are just an absolute pleasure to watch live because they each lure you into this weird world they have made with their eerie sound. Sophie makes you wish you could play the drums. Anna is a hypnotic bass player. I’ve never seen anyone enjoy themselves on stage as much as Lois does. Faith’s voice is enviable, I wish I could sing like that! You can tell that they have the best time playing live, and that is what makes you want to keep seeing them play.

The sinister undertones in their music really comes alive when you see PINS live, and it is just a beautiful thing to witness. I’m pretty sure this is how people felt when Siouxsie And The Banshees first came out. Oh and also, I know it has nothing to do with the music, but Anna’s hair looked amazing last night. I had hair envy.

If you get the chance to see PINS live, GO. Don’t think twice about it, just GO. To anyone who thinks music is boring or lacks that “something” then go listen to PINS. Oh and if you are a fan, the band have got a treat for you on Record Store Day (this day is better than Christmas.)

PINS-Girls Like Us.

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Next Monday (30th September) sees the release of quite possibly one of the best debut records of the year. It is also one of the best records of the year. It is nothing short of perfect, and if you think Haim’s debut is the one you should be fawning over- then you are wrong.

Girls Like Us by PINS is not for those who are seeking lyrics full of “I love you’s” or soppy sentimental songs. They are dark,  they are mystical creatures who are coming for your souls. Aside from Savages, no other band is really doing it. PINS are from Manchester, and everyone knows Manchester after New York is THE most important place in the world. Manchester gave us The Smiths and The Fall. New York gave us Punk. Does anything else really matter? No, not really. PINS are the backbone for cowards. PINS aren’t afraid to throw a middle finger to those who wish to sound like everything and everyone else. PINS are going to blow your mind and eardrums.

As I listen to Girls Like Us, I realise very early on what this record reminds me of. I’m always seeking music that makes me feel like I’m discovering The Jesus And Mary Chain all over again. PINS do exactly that. They remind of The Birthday Party mixed with Captain Beefheart with a slight hint of Siouxsie. In a dream world, PINS would be supporting Dum Dum Girls in December in London. If either band see this, please make it happen. They have this incredible sound that makes you want to grab stuff and throw it. I sadly can’t do that because I’d get into trouble. Maybe I’ll throw some bread out of the window later, at least a bird will eat it.

The bass on I Want It All is INSANE. It is so brooding and captivating. It has a stalker vibe to it; like someone is following you and just will not leave you be. That nagging thought in the back of your head that creeps to the front of your head, and will not leave you alone until it consumes you. Girls Like Us is a record that will consume you; it has to. It is also a record that makes you want to move to Manchester. I miss the North of England. I miss its dull skies and glorious architecture. I miss Northern accents. One day, I’ll go back.

PINS to me aren’t just a band, they are a silent movement- for now. When I wear my PINS shirt (I pretty much live in it) I feel like I’m wearing a shield. A form of protection. If someone was to stop me and ask what my shirt was about, I’d just tell them it was a movement about to happen. PINS aren’t a band that are going to be played to death on commercial radio; they are a band that are going to last for years and years with a cult following. They have that tight-knit feel about them. The band seem to have a gang mentality to their sound, but that doesn’t make the listener feel excluded. As if they are on the outside looking in. If you truly get it, you feel part of it. The band become a huge part of you straight away. How many bands recently have done this? Not that many.

They are effortlessly bold with their sounds. They don’t pull ridiculous faces when they place, their words mean something, their sound is distinctive and brave. They are not like everything you have been force-fed. I feel PINS have created a record that so many have been searching for. They have a mixture of 60s girl group and Nick Cave about them. I have no idea what people are saying about PINS and their debut record, but I doubt anyone will be saying anything negative about them, how could they!

For me, Girls Like Us is a record that will be regarded as a fantastic debut in years to come. There is something about it that stands out above the rest. Nothing about Girls Like Us sounds like it’s an act. It is entirely pure and perfect. As I listen to Faith’s vocals, I cannot help but feel grateful that a band like this exist. Her voice is powerful and assertive like Patti Smith and Shirley Manson but on some tracks there is a hint of vulnerability there. When a singer does this, I have one always in mind- Courtney Love. Faith pretty much nails it. The band is tough and expose feelings you are probably told to press down on and ignore.

Girls Like Us feels likes a fight. The record ends on The Darkest Day, and this sounds like the aftermath of a fight when you’ve calmed down. Staring at your bloody knuckles and your bruised face- squirming at what you see, but proud you stood up for yourself (I’ve never punched anyone by the way.) Girls Like Us is a unifying record which will hopefully push female musicians to get out there and be heard. We really need more strong female musicians. Being strong isn’t wearing stupid outfits with fire shooting out of your bra. That isn’t empowering, that is downright stupid. Pick up an instrument, be loud and do everything with all the heart you have. Play with fury and do not compromise you or your beliefs. That is what you get when you listen to Girls Like Us. You’re no longer afraid; the passion will drive you on.

When I listened to Savages debut record, I felt like someone had pushed me up against a wall and punched me repeatedly. Confusion took over because I wasn’t sure what was going on. I felt sore and destroyed after I listened to it; it conjured up raw feelings that is lacking in most. That is what I want from music. That is what should come from music. Thankfully PINS do exactly that.

Their debut record isn’t even out yet, but I am so excited for what else is to come from PINS. They are evidently, here to stay.