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Tuesday, July 1st, 2014

The Pierces – Kings

They’ve been doing this for almost fifteen years but, uh, Haim…


[Video][Website]
[5.17]

Brad Shoup: Break out the Haimcore tag! And slot it back on the disc, cos it’s pretty basic. The rhythms (drums, wonderfully textured guitar) are doing the bulk of the work, unless you’re really into this new alt-rock grandiosity or are just scoring a CW show on the cheap.
[4]

Alfred Soto: Tumbling drums and grand chorus should produce a sum that approaches a Haim kind of proficiency but instead realize a T’Paul level of deficiency.
[5]

Scott Mildenhall: It’s a needless comparison, but The Pierces really do sound like Haim for people who find Haim “a bit much”. There’s clearly a fine line between Radio 1 and Radio 2, but it’s not invisible. Unlike Haim, The Pierces’ edges are all smooth, but they nonetheless bring force to their MOR. The chorus of “Kings” lacks the languorous release of their previous single’s, instead accentuating the latter half of the sweet/dramatic dichotomy that regularly runs right through to their harmonies. Empowerment pop never normally sounds so enthrallingly encumbering.
[7]

Anthony Easton: If Haim were pushing L.A. country-rock into a kind of country-synth, (more than synth rock), then The Pierces start like the Pet Shop Boys fronting for the Strawbs, then move into a kind of seamless Lorde tribute act. It’s an attractive and slightly strange mix made of predictable forms.
[4]

Patrick St. Michel: I guess it’s from a TV show, and it sounds like it was made for one.
[4]

Will Adams: There aren’t enough sister duos providing moody pop with cloudy reverb à la Say Lou Lou yet. The Pierces are just one step in the right direction.
[7]

Reader average: [7.66] (3 votes)

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7 Responses to “The Pierces – Kings”

  1. Brad, on July 1st, 2014 at 2:56 pm Said:

    They’ve been doing music for yonks, but an admittedly cursory poke at their YouTube channel indicates this is a recent stylistic turn.

  2. Scott M, on July 1st, 2014 at 3:15 pm Said:

    I don’t know, when I started to hear Haim I thought they sounded like The Pierces (though I worry that’s an overly simplistic/bordering disrespectful comparison).

  3. Will, on July 1st, 2014 at 4:16 pm Said:

    …was I the only one who thought Say Lou Lou, though?

  4. Brad, on July 1st, 2014 at 4:52 pm Said:

    Maybe? The important thing is that most of us got zinged by our own site, and that’s pretty neat.

  5. Scott M, on July 1st, 2014 at 5:28 pm Said:

    Merely saying one band sounds like another isn’t negated by them predating them though, I don’t think.

  6. Marko, on July 1st, 2014 at 5:34 pm Said:

    From what I’ve heard, they’ve always had a Fleetwood Mac quality to their sound, but their newer stuff does seem to be more 80’s influenced and reminiscent of “Tango in The Night” in the same way that HAIM is.

  7. Marko, on July 1st, 2014 at 5:36 pm Said:

    Although I also seem to get a bit of an Ace of Base with this one, or some 90s group that I can’t quite put my finger on.

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