Disclaimer: There is absolutely nothing I can say about this band that will even begin to shine a light on the energy and complexity that is Pinegrove. Go check out their Audiotree session that was released recently and experience it for yourself.I’m humbled by the task of writing about this song. From the interviews and videos I’ve seen of Pinegrove lead man Evan Stephens Hall, I am truly intimidated. The depth and familiarity that he is able to bring to the table lyrically is something that has floored me for the past few weeks. Since discovering Pinegrove in the aforementioned session, I have been totally enamored. The band plays with a rhythm. And not like music lesson metronome-esque rhythm; a rhythm of feeling every melody, every note, every painfully honest word.
Pinegrove began in Montclair, New Jersey in 2010. After releasing several EPs and one full length album, the band was picked up by Run For Cover Records. They then re-released Everything So Far, which included all of their previous work. Recently, Pinegrove has released their sophomore album Cardinal.
“Size of the Moon” instantly struck me. Within seconds of playing the song I was pulled into Hall’s psyche. It felt as if I had been reunited with a childhood friend, and I was being replayed a traumatic series of events. The song begins softly with Hall recalling a memory. The calmness is quickly ripped from the song as Hall lets out “we had some good ideas but we never left that fucking room!”. From here, we begin down a winding road of vast sentiments. The band perfectly entangles Hall’s lines with near perfect instrumentation. The contrast of the dynamic music with the somber vocals gives life to a powerful sense of nostalgia. Hall finishes the song in a sense of wonder. Straining through the question “do you want to die?”, and following it up with “what if we could wake up in five years and things’d be feelin’ alright?”
“I want to wake up in the future and dance in a field of light”. A surprisingly optimistic ending to a difficult song. – Robert Wilson
Watch Pinegrove perform “Size of the Moon” live during an Audiotree session:
Listen to “Size of the Moon” via our Monomania Spotify playlist:
Written by Robert Wilson
