Holy Pinto – Adult

I’m not one to shy away from my love of Death Cab For Cutie or The Decemberists, but aside from the handful of mellow indie rock staples I’ve glommed onto over the years, it isn’t something I actively seek out these days.  So when I first came across Milwaukee, WI’s Holy Pinto with the duo’s 2016 full length Congratulations, I was instantly taken aback by how naturally the band slipped in with my backseat preferences.  Evidently inspired by the latter and a slew of 90’s emo bands like The Promise Ring, it was a sound that simultaneously felt familiar yet refreshing.

A few years have past and the band is back with a new offering, Adult, which picks up naturally where Holy Pinto left off.  It should be noted that the “band” now only consists of a single member.  Ryan Hurley’s departure leaves front man Aymen Saleh as a soloist supported by a roving cast of friends and hired guns.  Thankfully, Saleh retains the continuity originally set out in Holy Pinto’s shared vision, making Adult a clean continuation of the duo’s initial mission.  The band has defined itself with clear imagery adeptly chosen to reflect moods and feelings.  Lead single “Gold Leaf” realizes such vision in the conflicted statement, “I buy you flowers from a petrol station, just to prove that I miss your touch, you say you still love my music, but I go away too much, I go away too much.”  Self imposed barriers and distance are explored humbly as only a musician touring in a van could tell from experience.

Holy Pinto is a smooth, peppy creation, and Adult explores the ups and downs of stumbling into adulthood with poise, wonder, and a healthy skepticism.  The album is bookended by “Adult #1” and “Adult #2,” which are the most explicit explorations of the album’s theme.  “I am the product of my choices, obsessions and vices,” sings Saleh as he goes on to list all of the adolescent flaws and challenges that have followed him into adulthood.  The song serves as a short intro leading into “Daisy Chain,” which describes the misinterpretation of events in the melodic chorus line, “I loved you but I couldn’t feel it.”  A combination of singable lyrics, soft guitar and periodic piano notes make for a somber listen that sets the tone throughout. Closing with “Adult #2,” featuring a combination of acoustic and piano notes, Holy Pinto’s final statement is quietly inviting with the passage, “the best is yet to come.”  Down but not out, lost but not forgotten, Holy Pinto keeps a hopeful flame alive.

Adult perfectly captures the discomfort and distress of transitioning life stages.  The tension between chronological age and the lived experience of fumbling with independence is unapologetically authentic.  Presented in the catchy, low-key indie and emo tones that define Holy Pinto’s accessible style, Adult is a follow-up that offers very few reasons not to tune in.  If Holy Pinto hasn’t been on your radar in the past, Adult is about to change that.