So, a new friend I recently made sent me a link to check out this band Pistol Day Parade from Detroit (thanks, Shauna!). “OK. Let’s see if something good can come out of a city basically going through Hell right now” was kind of my mindset when I first listened. Well, I can safely say that is indeed the case here. Their debut album Burn which was recently released via Goomba Music is full of fierce rockers that showcase the ballsy aspects of a band from the Motor City, but there is also some genuine, raw emotion to be found. And yes, some of the stuff sounds kind of 90’s rockish, but in a good way. As much as I make fun of that decade (it reeeeally sucked for rock!) there were a few gems to be found. Pistol Day Parade certainly would have been one of them.
“Rockstars Girlfriend” opens things up in fine fashion, an obvious jab at what could be anybody’s ex. It’s got a good groove and tempo, and we’re off to a good start. Fuller’s voice has just enough rasp and grit on “Where I Lay”, and it sounds like it would be played heavily on Sirius Octane. The angry screams to kick off “New Life” are like a kick in the nads to get your attention, which it does. And on the verses, there’s a jaded feel to them, like someone who’s been burned before. Now, “Angels On Fire” is one of the best songs on the disc. It truly sounds like something my old band would’ve been covering in the Philly clubs back in ’98-’99 due to it being all over the airwaves. If they don’t release this one as a single, I’d say they were on crack!
Speaking of singles, the latest one off of Burn is “Not Today”, and while it’s a good song, I don’t think this was necessarily a wise move. To me, it’s one of the weaker cuts on an otherwise very good album. Then again, I very often feel this way about the radio songs, so that shows how much I know, right? “Callous” is another one that’s just OK, not great. But again, these are minor bumps in the road, because I really like “Even When”. It’s got a great message, and it’s a good driving song. On the other side of the coin, “High” tells the all-too-familiar tale of the girl caught up in the vicious cycle of stripping, doing drugs, hooking, stir, repeat, stir, repeat. It’s a sad story, but a true one.
“Get Over You” slows things down for a bit, and is another really well-written song. Same goes for “Better”. Either one of these would absolutely tear up rock radio because they have just enough attitude and punch to satisfy both the guys AND the girls. That’s a hard balance to find for an up-and-coming rock band, but these guys pull it off. They also manage to craft songs that are sure to be stuck in your head hours later. Most of Burn is really, really good, and if these guys can keep putting out this kind of material, then there’ll be no stopping them, and it won’t be long before Pistol Day Parade is a household name.
STANDOUT TRACKS: “Angels On Fire”, “Even When”, “Get Over You”, “Better”, “High”
RATING: 8.6/10
