The Birthday Massacre - Pins and Needles

I discovered The Birthday Massacre by complete accident.  They were touring in 2009 and I was invited to go along.  As it happens I didn't end up going.  I then forgot about them until Last.fm recommended them to me some 6 months later.  Although not a genre of music I have previously been overly enthusiastic about, The Birthday Massacre's synth-rock style has completely grown on me.

I have to admit that I have a soft spot for pretty album art.  The Birthday Massacre have brilliant album art that maintains a bunny rabbit and purple theme throughout their releases.  The artwork for Pins and Needles is a little darker than the others but is truly stunning nonetheless.  The music isn't bad either!

The album opens with In The Dark.  This is one of my favourite tracks from the album filled with  the trade mark heavy guitar riffs and the stunning vocals of lead singer Chibi.  The album is filled with these riffs, electronic elements and that voice that makes me literally stop and just listen.  Shallow Grave is a great example of this.  Electronica mixed with really neat guitar riffs and intermingled with Chibi singing in the cute and angsty style she has adopted so wonderfully.

New TBM T-Shirts!

Pins and Needles is of course the title track from the album and is without a doubt the standout.  Like those that have come before I find there is always one track which I really love from each of their albums.  Pins and Needles is that track.  Really heavy riffs, criss-crossing with softer, almost pop like interludes.  Just awesome.  Other tracks that deserve a mention are Sleepwalking, Always and Control.

Although there is nothing particularly new or different about Pins and Needles in comparison to their previous albums I have to wonder whether I'd want anything new or different.  They have a winning formula and I don't think that they feel the need (and neither they should) to deviate too far from what they have been successfully doing to date.

What has made this album even more special was seeing it performed live in Corporation on the 17th October.  I would say that it was the best gig we have been to this year (and having seen Lacuna Coil a few weeks before, that is really saying something!)  They played a lot of new tracks from Pins and Needles as well as some older favourites.  I haven't danced so much at a gig before. There is something about The Birthday Massacre that draws me in and I just can't help myself.  I love having more of their tracks on my iPod and can't wait for another opportunity to see them live.