Pinegrove's New Album: Warmth Fades, Charm Dimmed

Pinegrove's fourth album, Marigold, delivers their signature warmth, yet the charm of their heartfelt confessionals has diminished. Originally known for fostering deep personal connections, the indie-folk band's new release, self-produced by Evan Stephens Hall and Sam Skinner, is endearingly rumpled but carries a more melancholy and dreary mood.

These songs find Hall grappling with dark, sleepless nights and moments of awe, with tracks like "Dotted Line" and "The Alarmist" offering glimpses of transcendence and a plea for reassurance. This artistic direction follows a hiatus prompted by sexual coercion allegations against Hall in November 2017, which impacted the band's previous album, Skylight.

Despite the earnest deployment of seclusion and doubt in Marigold, the album's openness leaves something to be desired artistically. Some lyrics exhibit a dated quality, and the overall effect suggests the band's once bottomless well of sincerity now feels lukewarm. While they continue to play with the desire to find new confidantes, the luster that made their initial albums exceptional has dimmed.