Pigboat
Nothing’s Ever Finished (EP)
self-released
Click to hear: “Neckfinger”
Rock and roll has become a strange beast as of late. Rather than reinvent itself as it has time and time again throughout its history, the past half-decade has seen it more often than not cannibalize itself, churning out revisionist takes on what has come before. From post-punk revivalists to hard-rock true believers, the creative consensus seems to be, “They did it first, we can do it better.”
Pigboat fall into the “Let’s relive the sleazy, hard-rock guitar riffs of the stoned-out ’70s” camp. The easiest comparison would be Kyuss or any of the number of fuzzed-out bands that polluted poster artist Frank Kozik’s now defunct Man’s Ruin label. For Portlanders who lived through Zootz’ post-hardcore heyday,Nothing’s Ever Finished may conjure up flashbacks of Stompbox – listen to the vocals on “Ask for Mussell Ramsey” – or Honkeyball (does that bass line on “Johnny Cash Rides His Coal Car Through Purgatory” ring a bell?). Broken Clown is the obvious comparison, as Pigboat guitarist/vocalist Mark Belanger and bassist Ed Porter are vets of that defunct Portland band.
The standout track comes midway through the disc in the form of “Neckfinger,” a composition that builds from an unassuming intro into a well-worked song teetering back and forth from restrained verse into overdriven chorus. Unfortunately, the next two songs fall into the same songwriting pattern dynamically, adding a sameness that dulls the end of the EP.
If I were drunk and stoned and stumbled my way into Geno’s on a cold winter’s night, I’d be more than pleased to be pummeled by this trio’s caustic take on sleazy hard rock. But the sun is shining, my mind is clear, and Pigboat has contradicted itself by proving some things are finished – like this CD in my stereo.
Lost on Liftoff
self-titled EP
Labor Day Records
True to its namesake, Lost on Liftoff’s eponymous EP is the beginning of an ill-fated journey into modern rock. It’s no surprise the effort comes off as a nü-metal band recently introduced to mainstream emo like Taking Back Sunday or Jimmy Eat World – the quartet traces its lineage back to aggro-rock units 6Gig (frontman Walt Craven) and Broken Clown (drummer Shane Kinney). After the first few spins, it left the impression of Staind or, even worse, Breaking Benjamin killing time at soundcheck with a few Fall Out Boy covers. And unlike those bands that are leading the new wave of emo, Lost On Liftoff is clearly a few steps behind.
The songs are compact and tailored to mainstream radio, complete with glossy, super-compressed production that whites out any particular instruments’ nuances – in other words, it’s perfect for your local FM station. A few of the bridges, notably on “Naked and Wasted,” are filled with inexplicable guitar theatrics that remind the listener these rockers are no Dischord Records–influenced punks, but rather some dudes who just traded in their Limp Bizkit albums for something cooler and more relevant.
Lyrically, the songs should appeal favorably to their target demographic: emotionally distressed teenagers. As I near the twilight years of my late 20s, the lyrics were merely a minor insult to my intelligence, saying nothing new nor truly capturing the residual damage a bad relationship leaves behind. It’s the kind of grade school poetry that your local JV football quarterback – fresh off his first major breakup with the prettiest cheerleader – will eat up and beg for more.
Further, as truth in advertising goes, the band commits a now-commonplace crime by declaring influences – ranging from the Police to Quicksand to Hum – that are found nowhere in the songs. I don’t care if a band listens to Loveless or13 Songs repeatedly in their van – don’t try to fool buyers by marketing your product as something better than it actually is.
All negativity aside, with the right management, a good opening slot on a national tour, and some luck, there is no reason why Lost On Liftoff couldn’t make the cover of Spin and move a hundred thousand units. It’s just that if they do, who will really care?
— Tom Mahoney
Pigboat plays a CD release show on Sat., June 24, at The Alehouse, 30 Market St., Portland, at 10 p.m. (21+). For more info, call 253-5100. Both bands’ EPs are available at fine local record stores.
