Generic name aside, Pine‘s Preppin’ Greens is better than I would ever expect from a first release by a solo musician. It’s an album that moves across multiple genres and creates a very nostalgic experience. I’m not sure if Pine grew up during the punk and emo explosion in the United States during the early 00s or was influenced by that era. But This EP is incredible.
“Nostalgia” is the perfect companion to Finch‘s “What It Is To Burn.” It has some of the same themes and composition elements but leans more into the ambient and melancholy tones under the emo genre. Also, the fact that he’s not screaming but following the overall melody is another big difference.
“middle of The sea” carries the same genre foundation as “Nostalgia” but starts adding more rock and indie while removing some of the overbearing emo essence. It’s like chapter two as well as track two, “Quenching” moves into a theatric rock style. It’s almost too melodic with each layer that Pine adds. Like the title, the song feels like wave after wave hitting you in the face before the tide rolls out.
It’s clear that Pine favors rock as his foundation. But at the same time, I can hear some MOT. And if not MOT, then eAeon. Pine isn’t mimicking this signature soundscape. Instead, he’s harnessing the recognizable pieces and creating his path. Considering the journey Pine presents from the first track, it feels like he’s deliberately showing off these sides of his perspective.
Closing Preppin’ Greens is a more standard percussion-heavy rock song. It reminds me Parannoul, Asian Glow, and Wapddi and that collective of artists creating their own versions of recognizable genres. Pine definitely made an impression with his first EP. It’s almost like a punch in the face instead of a handshake to introduce himself.
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Written by Chris P for Korean Indie.