Dortmund Stoner/Garage/Grunge Duo The Pighounds Release "Tutti Frutti"
The Pighounds are an incredibly active band, with hundreds of memorable live gigs on their resume. When it comes to recording, they take a true DIY apporach, seeing to artwork, sound, mixing and videos themselves, with only their four collective hands to guide them. In addition to creating music, The Pighounds are dedicated advocates for the local underground music scene, both curating their own music festival and holding music video evenings at the neighborhood cinema.
The Pighounds have been regularly releasing music since their inception, but their latest release, Tutti Frutti, is considered to be their third full length album. It's also my first time hearing the band, and I immediately fell in love with the very natural way in which each song unfurls, the nostalgic 90s vibes the sound provides, and above all, the deeply genuine way in which both vocals and instrumentals communicate emotion. So, without further ado, here's my love letter to Tutti Frutti:
The Pighounds - Tutti Frutti
1.) Malaise
Based on this title, I was expecting a rather melancholic track, but instead, Malaise opens the album with jaunty energy. There is an undeniable hint of doubt in the air amid the lively, confident facade as the narrator makes a plea to "work it out", reminding us that it's better to feel something unpleasant than to feel nothing at all.
2.) Love Fuzz
Love Fuzz is a whirlwind combination of gritty stoner, moody grunge, and energetic alternative, effortlessly managing to be both rough around the edges and saccharine sweet, particularly in those catchy choruses.
The official music video for "Love Fuzz"
3.) Serenity
Ironically, the atmosphere of Serenity is anything but, with its apprehensive riff, pulsing drums, and turbulent choruses during which impassioned vocals coarsen with emotion. Lyrically, the song is an ode to a beloved partner, the only person in which the narrator can find solace. The edginess of the instrumentals provides a dark undertone amid an alternative rock energy, and this combined with the intensity of its memorable choruses make Serenity undeniably infectious, yet palpably raw.
4.) Bridgets
Bridges is appropriately disjointed, leaning more on a heavy rock style and big, driving pace and volume escalations in the choruses. Rather than sounding disarranged, this composition and fed-up delivery underscore the narrator's frustration here.
5.) Pay to Play
The mood of Pay to Play really got me in my feelings. Its tone is endearing, almost bittersweet; laid back with a note of sorrow that you just can't ignore. It almost reads like a standout moment of genuine gratitude for something you know won't last forever.
Much as my emotions during its duration, Pay to Play continuously grows in layers and intensity. It begins with a simple, feel-good riff and bare bones percussion, and the poppy buoyancy of the song gives it an almost beachy feel. By the second verse, the guitar and percussion add a noticeable amount of intricacy and by default, enveloping volume. The bittersweet feeling really begins to blossom at this point, ultimately creating a song that's simultaneously so joyous yet so heartbreaking, illustrating a very specific feeling with pinpoint accuracy.
The official music video for "Pay to Play"
6.) Hands of God
Hands of God has an air of newfound self-assuredness in expressing one's vexation. This track harnesses some choppy and coarse guitar tones dotted with hopeful notes that break free from the ire, as well as a discernible garage punk flair.
7.) Crush
If you were expecting sweet and lovey-dovey vibes from a song called "Crush", think again. This stormy track is gritty, almost angry, expressing exasperation at the idea of one's feelings reaching "a point of no return". I'm personally elated to hear this less talked-about side of having a crush...after all, it's referred to as being "lovesick" for a reason. Not only that, but there are times when your feelings might not occur at the right time, may not be reciprocated, may be directed toward someone who's already spoken for, etc., but those feelings don't just quietly or willingly vacate your heart just because they're inopportune. "I think about you all the time," the vocals lament amid a dark and churning riff, "I cannot stop." A repeated whisper of the word "crush" follows leading up to the chorus, a constant reminder of the love interest's seemingly permanent residence in the narrator's brain.
8.) Vadder
Much like Pay to Play, Vadder is simultaneously heartwrenching and joyous. At first blush, this song seems quite happy-go-lucky, with a carefree and light tune that instantly lifts the listener's spirits. Before long, it becomes clear that it's actually a heartfelt tribute to a friend who passed away:
"The sun was laughing through the clouds
We gathered 'round
Everyone was looking down
Last call
I'd like to tell you how it went the day we laid you in the ground..."
The lyrics are sung directly to this lost friend in a fond manner, reminiscing about dear memories, admitting to an inability to get one's "head around" the loss, and expressing gratitude.
9.) ZZZ - Cherie
ZZZ - Cherie is probably the darkest track on Tutti Frutti, both instrumentally and lyrically. The song leans hard into an acrimonious grunge sound, with vocals that take on a condemning tone as they repeat, "call me a liar," before warning, "...don't share your bed with someone else...It's not worth it!" The simplicity of the lyrics, use of repetition, and darkened grunge groove give this song an embittered and angry yet provocative air.
10.) Down with This
Down with This is so deceptively sweet with its sugary, retro pop spirit, but some darker and heavier undertones work with the lyrics and vocals to relay heartbreak. Even so, the song is utterly irresistible in its catchiness, with melodious, singable choruses and agonizing relatability.
11.) Day of the Acid
Day of the Acid is both the longest and most sobering song on the album, utilizing steely, stark, and spiraling psychedelic tones to create a sullen but mysterious atmosphere. This track showcases an entirely new and sophisticated side of The Pighounds with its almost proggy composition and stronger reliance on metaphor and scene setting than the other songs on the album, which tend to be much more obvious in their meanings and inspirations. With that said, Day of the Acid, with its doomsday inklings, ends the album in a moving way. This gravity is not only felt because of the rather heavy nature of the song, but because it proves without question that The Pighounds have infinitely more up their sleeves.
Final Thoughts
First of all, I had to constantly remind myself while listening to Tutti Frutti that The Pighounds consists of only two individuals. This duo creates a sound that's as expansive in dimension as it is in sentiment.
While it's clear that The Pighounds employ the noisiness of garage rock, the energy of alternative, the dark honesty of grunge, and the gritty, riff-driven nature of stoner, it's even more evident that their sound forms very naturally, without much (if any) regard to genre affiliation. However, it's the opinion of this author that such classifications are far less important when discussing Tutti Frutti and even The Pighounds as a band; the most notable and important feature of this album is its sheer poignancy.
Each track on Tutti Frutti wears its heart on its sleeve, communicating in a tangibly raw and honest manner. Further, each song's expressiveness unfolds in exactly that same way human emotion and response would occur, beginning with acknowledgment, gradually giving way to grief and anger, and culminating in acceptance. There's a lot of sadness and pain woven into the album, but it's met with an equal amount of optimism and healing. Tutti Frutti is an album that's as spirited as it is therapeutic, giving us both feel good, nostalgic vibes and relatable anecdotes. In this way, the heartfelt music of The Pighounds ebbs and flows like a river of catharsis.
Tutti Frutti sees The Pighounds continuing to perfect their absolutely charming and sincere method of songwriting, a style that both heals the heart and rejuvenates the mind to the tune of some irresistibly catchy rock music. More than anything, especially considering the scope of human experience covered here in addition to the unexpected and standout conclusion of the album with Day of the Acid, this album undoubtedly proves that The Pighounds are about so much more than "snotty garage rock".
More About The Pighounds
The Pighounds are:
Peter Bering - Guitar and Vocals
Alessandro De Luca - Drums and Percussion
You can follow The Pighounds and listen to their music at the following links:
Many thanks to Noisolution for the promo!
If you like The Pighounds, you might also enjoy Peach Melba!
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