Peach Pit - Magpie
In a world where the indie music scene consistently thrives on authenticity and relatable lyrics, Peach Pit prevails as a refreshing voice, weaving nostalgia and youthful exuberance into their sound. Hailing from Vancouver, the band captures the essence of summer nights and bittersweet memories, inviting listeners to join them on a melodic journey that feels both familiar and new. With their infectious energy and heartfelt storytelling, Peach Pit is more than just a band—they’re a soundtrack for the moments that shape our lives.
The group’s current lineup consists of singer and rhythm guitarist Neil Smith, lead guitarist Christopher Vanderkooy, bassist Peter Wilton, and drummer Mikey Pascuzzi. In the grand scheme of things, Peach Pit is by all accounts still considered a new band, as they made their debut just six years ago with their first EP titled Sweet FA. This EP was just a glimpse into how impactful the band would be, featuring some of their staple songs such as Drop the Guillotine and their humorously self-titled track, Peach Pit. Their music specifically reached attention amongst the Kilby crowds of Salt Lake City during the indie pop revolution of the late 2010s though their sound would ultimately reach more cities across the globe by the time their 2020 record You and Your Friends hit music platforms. The group continues to refine their music that’s generally founded on the styles of indie, bubblegum pop, and rock and their newest chapter brings listeners to an eleven track record called Magpie.
Compared to works such as Being so Normal, Magpie is undoubtedly softer and more in stride with the genre of strictly indie rather than a mix of styles. One could find themselves a bit bored while listening through the record, as it is extremely repetitive when it comes to the general energy of the songs on the album. The first four or so tracks are redundant with the cozy and whispery vibe that Magpie is founded on, even with the occasional guitar solo or other breakdown. Track five, however, picks up the force somewhat with Outta Here, a song that is definitely still hushed in hindsight but it gives the album the kick in the ass it needs. Smith’s vocals pose as the star within this number, which has been a rising theme of focus ever since From 2 to 3. His style of singing is incomparable to any other male vocalist in the modern scene of music both within and without indie pop, all I can really describe it as is clean and ethereal, and it works well alongside the lyrical approach the band uses which is emotional and melancholic at its heart. Moving on from Smith’s vocals in Outta Here, Vanderkooy really takes off on the guitar with a dream–like tone, if I was none the wiser I would assume that he just jammed out for the entire duration of this track because of how groovy the roots of it are.
I wish this same vibe could be said for the remainder of Magpie but alas, the energy drops yet again with Did You Love Somebody and that fun nature doesn’t return until the record’s title track, the eighth of the album. I like to think of Magpie as a little homage towards Peach Pit’s prior works due to its in-your-face manner that is careless, a bit wild, but solid as a piece of music. It’s a song ideal for driving at night with friends; windows down, hair blowing in your face, smiles all around, you get the gist. It’s a great pick me up amongst the consistent drabness of the other songs (minus Outta here, as I mentioned), a fresh breath of air pumped into an otherwise monotonous album.
Though dull compared to past projects, I do believe that Magpie is a well–built album given the right context. It’s not the sort of music you’d put on to workout or to get ready but it is the sort you’d play while studying, reading, or doing something else that involves concentration and relaxation. Its lofi elements are a big contributor to that mood, reigning similar to artists that are considered to be more subdued such as Jack Stauber and Joji rather than the lineup of bands that typically get looped in with Peach Pit like The Backseat Lovers, Flipturn, etc. This era may be rather delicate compared to what fans are accustomed to but it does have its time and place and it will surely find the right space to flourish, perhaps on the band’s upcoming tour.
In the wake of Magpie and its release, Peach Pit is set to embark on their 2025 tour in Europe, where they will span across cities such as London, Paris, Berlin, Hamburg, Vienna, Zurich, and more. No dates for the US or their home country of Canada have been announced as of publishing but fans, particularly those on Reddit that refer to themselves as Peach Pitters, are holding out hope that a North American tour will be on the band’s agenda for the Summer or Fall of 2025.