Louder Than The Music

PYRAMID PARK - Not an Island

Artist:

PYRAMID PARK

Title:

Not an Island

Type:

Album

Released:

24 Apr 2020

LTTM Rating:

Your Rating:

Listen

Review

UK based Pyramid Park has released his new album 'Not An Island'. Pete McAllen, the force behind Pyramid Park, is based in Cambridge, UK. He first released an album titled 'Vulnerability' under the name Pyramid Park and has toured in countries including US, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, New Zealand, India and the UK.

The album opens with the song 'You Never Let Me Down', this alt pop sound is something really special here. He keeps to his alt-pop roots from his first album but there are some other hints, Pete has taken steps forward. It seems he has decided to go...
Read More UK based Pyramid Park has released his new album 'Not An Island'. Pete McAllen, the force behind Pyramid Park, is based in Cambridge, UK. He first released an album titled 'Vulnerability' under the name Pyramid Park and has toured in countries including US, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, New Zealand, India and the UK.

The album opens with the song 'You Never Let Me Down', this alt pop sound is something really special here. He keeps to his alt-pop roots from his first album but there are some other hints, Pete has taken steps forward. It seems he has decided to go all-out and create something a bit more atmospheric, even a bit more 'out there'. What jumped into my head when hearing this song first was a Pet Shop Boys vibe going on, but after listening more I think Pyramid Park sound a bit like 'Catfish & The Bottleman' as an album as a whole, but that's getting ahead of ourselves.

The alt-pop atmospheric sound continues into second track 'Bright Heart', which mixes together some clever guitars and a steady drum beat. What I enjoyed about this album is that Pyramid Park's vocal delivery isn't like anything else out there. He doesn't just do songs like a copy cat, he makes music his way and where he is at, but as a whole, the album does have a very distinctive vocal sound.

'I Know/ You Know' is the most upbeat track of all three singles and is actually the most upbeat of the album, the bit I love the most about this song is the middle eight part, Pyramid have really been given some space to let it's hair down. But the most rocky sounding track has to be the guitar driven 'Minor Land'. 'Bitterness' has this lovely sound that lets the bass guitar take the lead in driving the song forward. This song is a slow burner in the verse but really kicks into something different in the chorus.

Again the pace of the album continues on the slow burner side, which is great and keeps with the general completeness feel of the album, which then leads onto the track 'Down Down' which sounds like something the Arctic Monkeys would have recorded on their 2018 release 'Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino'. I love the creativity again in this track, this isn't an obvious sounding worship song, but I think that has always been Pyramids Park's strength. The song 'Young' is a Radiohead esq sounding beautiful track and Pyramid Park's most mature offering to date, which can also be said for the lyrics in 'Envy'.

This is a big step forward for Pyramid Park, compared to his first release in 'Vulnerability' this is so different, but also at the same time not. Pyramid Park has creatively blossomed out, but actually been more honest with this release lyrically. He deals with so much in the words and it's in that where we see the beauty of his talent. Pyramid Park is back with a great release and I can't wait for the world to hear this release.

Review by Jono Davies

LTTM Rating 5 Out of 5 Stars
Standout Tracks
Bright Heart
Down Down
Young

Video

Articles

PYRAMID PARK Releases New Album 'Not An Island'

News

Get 'Not an Island'

Track Listing

PYRAMID PARK - Not an Island

Listen

Review

Video

Articles

PYRAMID PARK Releases New Album 'Not An Island'

PYRAMID PARK

PYRAMID PARK - Not an Island

Other PYRAMID PARK Releases

Queenstown

/ə'nam(ə)li/

Unsettled

Run

Believe Ya

You Got Me