Pre-Release Review – The Pistolwhips

Album: Voices
Release Date: May 26th, 2017
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Genre: Rock

The Pistolwhips are gearing up to strike big with their second full length record, Voices.  The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan based rock group will release their sophomoric release on Friday, May 26th, are has enough potential to put the band onto the path to being one of Canada’s next big rock sensations, in line with artists of the likes of Monster Truck and The Sheepdogs, both of whom The Pistolwhips have shared the stage with.

The album starts with “Am I Real”, a track that starts small and builds until you feel that it has reached a dramatic climax, when really, the band is lining up to push the song one step further with an intense guitar solo.  Not only does “Am I Real” serve as a unique choice to open the album with, but it also demonstrates the depth of songwriting and attention to detail throughout the record process that The Pistolwhips went to in order to ensure that every aspect of the song develops in a calculated and tasteful manner. The album continues with the explosive “You Know What It Is”, a straight up rocker that once again shows the musical craftsmanship of the band as each part drives the song forward in some way.

While much Voices largely consists of hard hitting rock bangers, The Pistolwhips prove to be a much more versatile band than most.  Songs like “Coastline”- one of the strongest tracks on the album which embraces a blend of heavy and distorted guitars with a funky groove, reminiscent of alternative rock legends of the 1990’s- the punk influenced “Charlottetown”, and the softer “Banjo”- a track that could appeal to rockers and hipsters alike-, The Pistolwhips surpass most modern rock bands by giving their fans a unique selection of textures and influences to create a style that is unique to themself.

Despite that, The Pistolwhips are at their best when they are delivering rock ‘n’ roll at obnoxious volumes and grandiose levels that are reminiscent of rock royalty (yep, to some degree, a comparison of quality to Guns ‘n’ Roses and Led Zeppelin can be made).  The hard hitting blues number, “Stickbreaker” speaks just to that statement with its crunching riff, rhythmic flow, and shuffling drums.  Similarly, the closing track, “Resist Yourself”, captures a similar vibe that’s pulled straight from the classic rock songbook and given a modern feel.  Between these two songs, The Pistolwhips have two of the most badass guitar riffs that I have heard from an up and coming band.

Voices is a record that looks heavily to the past for inspiration, while giving what would often be referred to as classic a modern facelift, making it a collection of twelve songs that stand out as highly unique in today’s modern rock scene.  The Pistolwhips are a band poised to stand among today’s rock giants, but in many ways, they should surpass them to stand among giants of previous generations.  Resembling modern rock outfits like Kings Of Leon, Billy Talent, Monster Truck, the best way to describe the sound of Voices is hungry. On their sophomoric release, The Pistolwhips sound more than ready to contest for the spotlight as one of North America’s top rock ‘n’ roll bands, and Voices is the sound of that veracious ambition.

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