Needles//Pins
Good Night, Tomorrow, Mint Records/Dirt Cult Records, mintrecs.com
A few years’ experience and a good amount of studio polish has dulled the punk edges of Needles//Pins, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Good Night, Tomorrow’s pop-leaning “Violet” is their most beguiling tune yet. Three albums in, the Vancouver trio is less scrappy and more bombastic. They’re still jaded, but a little less caustic. Singer Adam Solomonian’s voice has gone in the opposite direction, his growl nearing Damian Abraham (Fucked Up) territory. Being less punk doesn’t necessarily make a record less sincere, but long-time admirers will undoubtedly notice something missing in this radio-ready set. (Scott Bryson)