Find solace and friendship in Peach Pit’s ‘You and Your Friends’
By Carly Tagen-Dye
It’s a little strange to be thinking about hanging out with anyone right now. For the time being, we’re all living vicariously through the quirky friend groups on our favorite Netflix sitcoms, or reliving our own memories through iPhone and disposable camera mementos. Music is also a huge solace, though, and indie rock outfit Peach Pit knows how to spread that little bit of extra warmth we’re craving without so much as leaving their homes. The Vancouver-based band with Neil Smith on lead vocals/rhythm guitar, Christopher Vanderkooy on lead guitar, Peter Wilton on bass, and Mikey Pascuzzi on drums, have been capturing wallowing hearts with their tunes for some time now. Previous releases like 2016’s Sweet FA EP and 2017’s Being So Normal LP prove that surly pop songs are truly the way to come back to yourself again. Now, Peach Pit’s sophomore album You and Your Friends (released April 3 via Columbia Records) has arrived just in time for spring. A raging return in all the right places, it examines our relationships from every angle, whether we’re ready or not.
You and Your Friends is the only title appropriate for a tracklist dedicated to spending time with others. This record is a tribute to kinship and every feeling it may bring; especially the ones we hate the most. Smith starts with “Feelin’ Low (F*ckboy Blues),” a steady acoustic guitar guiding us through every line. As he sings of past Tuesday mornings and aimless wandering, we’re forced to look back on our own past mistakes and where they’ve placed us as well. Pool rock anthem “Figure 8,” hits where it hurts most. We learn of the speaker’s lost love, of them watching her skate away, just barely holding on to the traces she’s left behind. Amongst the soft shoe rhythms, it highlights the darker, sadder side of getting close to someone; the fear of losing everything. “Thursday” is an ode to the things we wish hadn’t changed, heavy drums helping it to its emotional climax. Those musings might sting a little more now.
Peach Pit, however, knows to celebrate the small things. Amongst every lyrical complexity rings the parts of every relationship that makes them worth it in the end; the freedom, the companionship, and the love. “Second Life with Emily” is one to play on those infinite kinds of nights, Smith explaining that all he wants is “to be away with you.” Its groovy, guitar-laden rhythm is perfect to steal a slow dance to. Nostalgia and yearning permeate through tracks like “Black Licorice” and “Brian’s Movies,” sultry chords taking us by the hand and heartstrings. As much as romantic relationships mean to us, our platonic ones are just as sweet. Final track “Your and Your Friends,” though dark and rocky in the beginning, ultimately blooms at the end. Smith sings, “Won’t you let me be the best one that you know?”, showing the dire need for self-improvement; if not for us, then for those we care about most. That might be the truest form of affection there is.
We’re all in need of a little extra love right now. You and Your Friends is a personal glimpse into all the ups and downs that come with baring our souls to others, but also to its everlasting rewards. Its alluring blend of indie pop allows us to immerse ourselves completely, feeling as close to every note as we would to a real companion. Every song feels like a snapshot into an exclusive and intimate relationship, with you hand picking your favorite moments to stow away for later. You’ll feel like you’re amongst your dearests, whisked back to those long days and late nights
