IN THE PRESS
Album Reviews For The Pinder Brothers, Ordinary Man:
Caught In the Carousel BY: ALEX GREEN
My guitar sings softly/I believe/It's inside me," sings Matt Pinder on The Pinder Brothers' sophomore effort Ordinary Man. He's not kidding. The sons of Moody Blues founder Mike Pinder, Matt and his brother Michael Lee have got music in their blood. But DNA aside, Ordinary Man, is one of the most fully realized pop albums in recent memory. Armed with the immediacy of Material Issue "Dear Diane") and the prefect brotherly melodicism of Evan and Jaron ("Hold Me Tonight") The Pinder Brothers know exactly how to land a pop uppercut. Keeping this in boxing terms, Ordinary Man is a pretty clean knockout. "Holiday" brings to mind Dulicnea-era Toad The Wet Sprocket, "Inside Me" suggests Crowded House and the thoughtful "Waves Crash" is a ruminative wonder. Elsewhere, the dead-on harmonies of "Oh Woman" are crushingly beautiful; the punchy pop of "Whisper" is hard to resist and the album closer "Empty Street" is truly elegant. Like The Feeling, whose Twelve Stops And Home singlehandedly brought back the notion of a song boasting a catchy chorus, The Pinder Brothers don't shy away from the big hooks. So it's no surprise that they reel you in every time.
Absolute PowerPop
Putting the "pop" into power pop, the brothers Pinder are back with their second disc, Ordinary Man, and fans of Mitch Linker, Jeff Larson, Kyle Vincent, The Rembrandts and other artists who place sweet melodies and harmonies paramount are going to enjoy this one quite a bit.
The Pinders are based in California and the opening track "Dear Diane" is the kind of near-perfect sunny California pop that will hook you in from the get-go.
"Hold Me Tonight" almost sounds like classic Swedish pop like The Merrymakers or The Tangerines, and "Waves Crash" is a silky smooth tune. "Oh Woman" is old-school balladry not unlike early Beatles classics like "If I Fell" and "And I Love Her", while "Inside Me" is midtempo sweetness. There's really not a bad track here, and your pop sweet tooth will thank you.
Album Review For The Pinder Brothers, Jupiter Falls:
The Pinder Brothers BY: DR MUSIC
The Pinder name might ring bells for some of you. Mike Pinder was a founding member of the legendary Moody Blues and fulfilled the band's mellotron duties, as well as being part of the band's great harmony vocals. But Pinder's greatest contribution to music just might be in his offspring. Both of his sons, Matthew and Michael Lee, display enormous talent both instrumentally and in songwriting skill. Their full-length CD, "Jupiter Falls," is one of the brightest discs of the year.
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The Pinder Brothers tie the harmony vocals of Crosby, Stills and Nash together with the songwriting style of Simon & Garfunkel, and ultimately put their own modern spin on everything in the end. Songs like "Goodbye Say Hello" and "Closer To Mars" find the band harmonizing frequently and perfectly, with all of it layered on top of a wonderfully light pop arrangement. The band displays their songwriting prowess and harmonizing skills throughout "Jupiter Falls," with a few pleasant surprises dispersed along the way. For example, "On T.V." draws heavily from its silly and fun lyrical passages and a more upbeat electric pop sound; and "Wait For The Moon" is a hybrid of a CSN-style song that erupts into a gripping guitar solo. The Pinder Brothers talent was recently recognized when their song, "Hang On Tight," was awarded 1st Runner Up in the UK Songwriting Contest under the Indie/Rock category, and was also a finalist in the Pop category.
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If you are a fan of well written pop music in the same vein as CSN, Simon & Garfunkel, or even Crowded House, this is a band you will absolutely love.
​Album Reviews For MELANCHOLY SEA
The Pinder Brothers, Melancholy Sea BY: Chris C (Bloody Good Music: A Haven For Music Nerds)
“Every so often, a record comes along that remembers what pop music used to be, and can lift your spirits. By the end of the first four minutes of the record, you have a pretty good idea that “Melancholy Sea” is going to be a warm and inviting record. It’s refreshing to hear a group trying their hand at songs that don’t all follow the same boiler-plate pattern, while still retaining a core sound that ties them together.”