Pinegrove - Cardinal

Somewhere, embedded in the occasionally cracked warble of Evan Stephens Hall (which sounds like the name of a room they might play), Montclair, NJ's Pinegrove caught stride with 2016's Cardinal release. They presumably spent much of the rest of the year touring and floating on the accolades of reviewers' laudatory sentiment; and to be certain, there are some high points at play, including one that begged an ironic comparison to a Tim Conway picture. But we wonder why some can't follow that twangy doesn't always equal country, that unpolished tracks are occasionally built that way on purpose (to the consternation of some), and how wearing your influences on your sleeve can sometimes work wonders, or occasionally seem a yarn not yet fully woven. Listen and weigh in yourself: send your thoughts, suggestions and manic ramblings to [email protected].