Meet the PINHOLES : REVIEW OF YOUTH OF GOLD EP

MEETING THE PINHOLES - YOUTH OF GOLD
EP review by Farid “FGL” Long

For most of us, first impressions count. We are hardwired to form opinions and shape our own notions when meeting someone or hearing something for the first time. When I was a label chief in a major international recording company handling, once a month, the promo team would sit down and listen to a stack of CDs of young hopeful musicians trying and hoping for a big beak. We would give each song 10-15 seconds before moving on. If a tune hit our ears in a positive way, we would have a longer listen. It was a brutal way of selection but then again it was and in so many ways still is a brutal business.

In the course of my endeavors in soft TV, the singer songwriter series, I get requests from young musicians to appear. Famie Suliman was one such person. He sent me the link to his band, The Pinhole’s You Tube video “Sunshine”. My first impression as the opening riffs and verse kicked in was “where are these young guys from?” They sounded straight out of the 1960s. The melody was infectious. It didn’t take me long to start head bopping and finger snapping to the song. By the second chorus I was already singing along the words. “Fun, Happy music” with background vocal straight out of the do wop groups out of the 1950s. “Sunshine” had made a big major first impression on me.

A few weeks later I met the Pinholes when they appeared on soft TV. I expected them to zany, happy go lucky fun personalities and I wasn’t wrong. They performed live with a cavalier attitude. Here were four guys who loved “beat” music from the 60s. Witty and talkative, Famie and his band mates breezed thru the interview segment and definitely charmed viewers with their goofy and wacky persona, tinged with just a hint of “anti establishment” the way all good rock and rollers do.

The Pinholes EP “Youth of Gold” EP is a close as you are going to get to being in a 1960s rock & roll club. “Youth of Gold” is bursting with guitar riffs and vocal styles that instantly brought memories of bands like “The Kinks, “The Beatles” or early “The Who” material. The Pinholes possess a knack for being brutally honest their lyrical delivery and vocal style. Their raw, “in your face delivery” is refreshingly honest. Performed without compromises. I would rather listen to the Pinholes singing and playing straight out rock and roll, complete with Malay accent than listen to other singers who try to copy Western artistes and lay it on with thick Western accents. Just think of “ 500 hundred miles” , the hit by the Scottish band “The Proclaimers” with their Scottish accent and you will know what I am talking about. Good music is good music regardless of the twang.

They make no apologies nor excuses for drawing inspiration from bands from the 1960s. Manic drumming on the title track “Youth of Gold” will bring happy memories of Mom and Dad’s generation. Such happy memories, and it’s and surfs’ up alright! “Long Live Rock & Roll” and “ Preferably” has so much “mojo” that I thought for a second that I was listening to the next “Austin Powers” soundtrack. Both tracks are filled with searing guitar riffs and Hammond organ sounding keyboard work. The vocal track for “Preferably” is sung with almost wild abandonment. Patrick Chng’s mixing and mastering of the EP reminded me of the stripped down feel of the old Oddfellows recordings.

The music of the pinholes may not be every one’s cup of tea, especially in this era of contemporary music’s “pre –fabricated top 40” ish synthetic, Hip Hop, R & B, rap and other so called “now” sounds. However if you want to listen to good, refreshing, honest songs with a timeless feel for nostalgia, then behave baby and get this EP! Have a listen and tell me your first impression. Better yet, listen to the Pinholes with your parents and their opinions.


FGL rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

http://thepinholes.bandcamp.com/

Great review, very thoughtful and well written. I've been a fan of these guys for quite some time, ever since I saw them play at the Prince Of Wales in Little India in 2009, when Mamat was still playing with the band. They were just great, with their moves and humour, their uniforms and unique guitars - impeccable style and taste. Pinholes are go!! I bought their CD yesterday, and today I took my family to see them at the Esplanade. We could only stay for the first set, but I know that i will see them again. I'm happy that they've finally released their EP (the earlier release didn't represent them well), I hope this means that they'll be playing regularly and often, I will try to see them as often as I can because they haven't played around much these past years.