Pentimento – Inside the Sea

Pentimento has wasted little time following up their self-titled debut. The tight timeline and steady touring has evidently served the band well. While this is just a short collection, there is plenty to love here. Channeling the best of 90s and early 00’s emo, they have created a passionate gathering of songs, filled with excessive amounts of hooks and harmonies. The vinyl editions of this release are a must own, the music is matched with absolutely beautiful packaging. It is always refreshing to hear a young band who can so successfully outdo their own superb debut, single handedly showing up the majority of bands currently in the scene.

Working with enough modern flair to fit into the current scene, Pentimento draws on a variety of influences to write songs that actually stand out from the crowd. Occasionally there are hints of pop punk in the mix, most noticeably during the whoa ohs of Any Minute Now… Other times far reaching arena rock of the 90s comes to mind, but in a way that emphasizes the good qualities and stops short of becoming corny.

Inside the Sea exudes a confidence that wasn’t yet present on their debut. While that was indeed a great album, they have expanded their sound this time around and show a subtle maturation. Growth is evident through the presence of passion that gives life to the songs. It is difficult to believe that Pentimento is a relatively new band. Instead of just being great songs to listen to, they have crafted great songs to sing along to, which is an important distinction. The irony of the introspective lyrics being tailor made for group sing alongs just adds to the likeability of the album. The emotion comes to a head in closing track It’s Okay, with the line “fast forward a couple months. I hate myself, I hate my friends… so fucking what?” and slowly chronicles the stages of post breakup heartache. The lyrics reflect the raw emotions of youth and the nostalgia that follows as one matures. 

There was a time when Taking Back Sunday took listeners by surprise with Tell All Your Friends, a passionate call and response plea to the world. Adam Lazzara has repeatedly denounced this album, but fans that fell in love with the band then still proudly hold this as their watermark. There is something equally engaging here, exposed emotions coupled with the raw music (in stark contrast to their polished debut) that elevates this release above the crowd. Pentimento have crafted four songs that fulfill the promise that TBS never managed to live up to; passionate emo laced rock music, with soaring melodies, minimal use of the scream/sing dynamic and heart felt lyrics.