Piebald - "All Ears, All Eyes, All The Time"
SideOne Dummy Records

Wow, really, I've never been so happy to have a release drop into my lap as I have been with this one. Piebald is going to break big with this record. They've got the label with the distribution, they've been playing tours with Brand New and Thrice and, most importantly, they've managed to trump their previous release, We Are the Only Friends That We Have.

As great an album as that was, All Ears, All Eyes, All The Time takes all the elements of that disc and manages to make them work together in a nearly seamless fashion. The guitar work is superb, the vocals haven't suffered any from Travis' throat surgery last year, and the band makes greater use of the keyboard to great effect. There's an infectious sound to All Ears, All Eyes, All The Time that demonstrates that Piebald has made the release that may break them into the mainstream.

Coming out as it does in the middle of spring may have something to do with loving it as I do. This is going to be the soundtrack to my summer, as well as any indie kid's. The songs are all sing-alongs, and I can see the various interludes working their way into the middle of many a mix cd in the coming year.

If "Haven't Tried It" doesn't work its way into rotation on radio, I'll be surprised as anything. That song, with saloon piano and bouncing rhythm, is the perfect piano-pop song that Ben Folds wishes he could have written. "The Jealous Guy Blues" is longing exemplified, and the chorus is plaintive and longing, without dropping into Dashboard Confessional whining.

Frankly, I could go on and on until I'm simply ecjaculating praise through my keyboard, but it all boils down to the fact that this is the best pop/rock/indie release that will come out this year. Buy it, love it, rock it. E-mail Piebald and thank them for making your life better.