Born Sandy Devotional earned the Triffids universal critical acclaim
and increased the band's indie rock fan base across Europe, especially
in Britain and Scandinavia. For the next album, the group returned to
its native Australia and took a back-to-basics approach, recording In
the Pines on an eight-track machine in a remote sheep-shearing shed for
a grand total of 1,190 dollars (340 of which were spent on booze). As
one might expect with a low-budget, lo-fi venture of this kind, the band
makes do with whatever is at hand and, in places, that means such instrumentation
as water tank, broom, metal percussion, and even floorboards. The stripped-down,
communal feel of this record beautifully captures the essence of the Triffids'
folk- and country-influenced rock and underscores frontman David McComb's
musical and lyrical talent for translating the isolated mental and physical
landscapes of western Australia. This can be heard on the group's sparse,
slightly off-kilter numbers like "Just Might Fade Away" and
the eerie "Kathy Knows," both of which boast a harsh, sinewy
guitar twang reminiscent of the Birthday Party. Less dark but no less
evocative are the title track, with its wistful mandolin melodies, and
"One Soul Less on Your Fiery List," with its melancholy pedal
steel guitar and piano. Nevertheless, there's also a playful tone in keeping
with the spirit of the project, as "Evil" Graham Lee leads a
community singalong on a cover of Bill Anderson's drinking song, "Once
a Day." Ironically, the album's most magical moment -- the haunting
"Born Sandy Devotional" -- is a sketch of a song that lasts
little more than a minute and that was, sadly, never fleshed out elsewhere.
In a deceptively simple fashion, In the Pines documents the breadth and
depth of the Triffids' music and stands as one of the group's finest achievements.
(by Wilson Neate, All
Music Guide)
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