Review: Pia Mater - The Living Legends

Pia Mater - The Living Legends
2009, Brain Food Music

Pia Mater rode the tiger. The band formed at the Rochester Institute of Technology in the fall of 2004, slowly building a song and repertoire that has seen them garner consistent crowds and praise in upstate New York. In December 2008 they released their debut album, The Living Legends. Personnel changes and many gigs have seasoned the band, and they are ready to step out of Western New York’s wintery shadows and present themselves to a larger audience.

Pia Mater hits the highs and lows on Living Legends, vacillating between songs that make you sit up and take notice to more obscure musical explorations that take some serious listening. What is certain is that an hour spent with Pia Mater is bound to be enlightening. Piledriver is a great start, featuring attention-getting guitar work and a punk feel. Mirror Images runs to the other end of the scale, a well-intentioned but unremarkable pop construction that slides by almost without notice. China Girl is a catchy post-punk tune full of fuzzy guitars and a lively bass line. Pia Matter runs the Progressive Rock route on Salsa, opening with some faux flamenco guitar and winding up in a power-chord driven chorus before settling into a reggae backbeat filled out with vibes and a funky, almost independent bass line. Moses Walks Along In The Desert is my favorite song on The Living Legends, between the lively bass line, the funky and intricate guitar work and Red Hot Chili Peppers-like precision, this song is a winner all around. Also be sure to check out Take Me To The Doctor and 5 In 6.

Pia Mater has an interesting sound that's part funk, part alt-rock and all energy. Pia Mater enjoys what they're doing, a fact that shines through clearly on The Living Legends. There are a couple of rough spots here, but all in all it's a great effort. Check it out!

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Pia Mater at http://www.piamatermusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/piamatermusic. You can purchase a copy of The Living Legends at www.cdbaby.com/cd/piamater.