After signing to the independent record label Run for Cover, the group issued an anthology of their early work, titled Everything So Far. Their second studio album, Cardinal, represented a breakthrough, gathering a devoted fan listenership and appearing on many music critics' top-10 year-end lists. After recording its successor, Skylight, Pinegrove took a year-long hiatus after Hall was accused of sexual coercion by a person with whom he toured. The album saw proper release independently in 2018 and was followed by several sold-out tours. The band signed to British label Rough Trade for their next efforts, including Marigold and 11:11.
Pinegrove is known for their literary lyricism and loyal following of fans, which refer to themselves as "Pinenuts". The band's name comes from a prominent pine tree row on a nature reserve at Kenyon College, where Hall attended college. They are known for their geometric iconography, specifically using square shapes and usage of the ampersand (&) in artwork and merchandise. Pinegrove is also recognized for their alignment with progressive causes, including charitable contributions to civil rights organizations.
Pinegrove's sound has frequently been referred to as a mix between alt-country, an offshoot of modern country music, and emo, a rock genre characterized by an emphasis on emotional expression. The group has toured with acts commonly labeled emo, such as The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die, while the original label RFC is known for its association with fourth-wave emo bands. Pelly of Pitchfork notes "this affiliation makes sense: Their music is open-hearted, communal, earnest, lyrical, with a discernible ease." Cardinal's success led tastemakers to include Pinegrove among a wave of "emo revival" acts, and while Hall stopped short of labeling the group, he acknowledged his work could be "lyrically confessional, emotionally direct, and emotive vocally, frequently." In response, Hall clarified the band's mission: "emo points inwards and it's our aim to point outwards." The group also has been categorized as indie rock, math rock, and Americana; Hall himself once described the band as the "midpoint between math rock and Americana."
Musically, Pinegrove augments the standard guitar/drums/bass lineup with instruments such as banjo and pedal steel guitar. The group's style has been compared to fusion genre fore-bearers the Weakerthans, as well as Wilco, Built to Spill, "Gillian Welch, and early Death Cab for Cutie." Hall has listed My Morning Jacket and Bon Iver among the band's more direct musical influences; an early profile of the band narrativizes Hall and Levine's love of My Morning Jacket's live album Okonokos as the catalyst for starting their music careers. For Hall as a songwriter, his influences are split between music and literature; he has cited artists such as Stephen Steinbrink and Phil Elverum as inspirations, as well as writers George Saunders, William Faulkner, and Virginia Woolf. To this end, Hall has referred to Pinegrove as "language-arts rock."
http://pinegrove.bandcamp.com/
Moment
Pinegrove Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm scared to know
Got me talking in the dark
Saying anything I can
Damnit I'm scared to know
I'm scared to know
But I need to know
I encountered an animal
Scared stiff in the lights of the van
And I swerved and I flailed in the road
Then I was screaming
I was shouting in the dark
Saying anything I can
Damnit I'm scared to know
I'm scared to know
But I need to know
So
I'm in this moment
And I can't see past it
I'm in this disaster
I'm in this traffic
And it keeps on going
But it keeps me asking
What's in this moment?
The lyrics to Pinegrove’s “Moment” give an insight into the fear of the unknown and the desire to uncover the truth. The phrase 'scared to know' is repeated multiple times throughout the song, conveying an air of hesitation and apprehension. The singer of the song seems to be scared of learning something that he thinks may hurt him, despite knowing deep down that the truth needs to be known.
The lyrics further explore this fear through the relatable analogy of driving at night which brings a sense of dread and danger. The encounter with an animal further highlights the fear of the unknown, which leaves the singer screaming and shouting to relieve the pressure of the intense moment, which keeps him wondering what is in this moment. However, despite the fear of the unknown, there is still a deeper desire to uncover the truth and move past the fear, as represented in the line “But I need to know”. The song ends with the singer questioning the moment and its significance, ultimately enquiring deep within himself, trying to comprehend what it means.
Line by Line Meaning
Scared to know
Feeling afraid of the possible outcomes associated with gaining knowledge
I'm scared to know
Expressing fear of discovering the truth
Got me talking in the dark
Talking to oneself in a low tone due to the fear of being heard
Saying anything I can
Speaking without thinking about the consequences to distract oneself from the fear
Damnit I'm scared to know
Showing frustration and annoyance towards the fear of discovering the truth
But I need to know
Acknowledging the importance of gaining knowledge despite the fear
Then on the bad long drive home
Recalling a past event of driving home from an unpleasant experience
I encountered an animal
Coming across an animal while driving
Scared stiff in the lights of the van
Feeling terrified by the sudden appearance of the vehicle's lights
And I swerved and I flailed in the road
Making sudden movements to avoid hitting the animal on the road
Then I was screaming
Screaming due to the frightening situation
I was shouting in the dark
Yelling in the silence of the night
So
Conjunctive word to link the past memory to the present
I'm in this moment
Being fully present in the current situation
And I can't see past it
Feeling stuck and unable to move on beyond the current situation
I'm in this disaster
Referring to the difficult, distressing situation at hand as a 'disaster'
I'm in this traffic
Using traffic as a metaphor for the obstacle blocking the path to resolution
And it keeps on going
The obstacle seems to continue without an end in sight
But it keeps me asking
Stimulating curiosity and the desire to search for answers
What's in this moment?
Questioning the significance and meaning of the current situation
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Evan Stephens Hall
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kyle Martin
Scared to know
I'm scared to know
Got me talking in the dark
Saying anything I can
Damnit I'm scared to know
I'm scared to know
But I need to know
Then on the bad long drive home
I encountered an animal
Scared stiff in the lights of the van
And I swerved and I flailed in the road
Then I was screaming
I was shouting in the dark
Saying anything I can
Damnit I'm scared to know
I'm scared to know
But I need to know
So
I'm in this moment
And I can't see past it
I'm in this disaster
I'm in this traffic
And it keeps on going
But it keeps me asking
What's in this mome
Kenny Powers
I'm so grateful that he didn't give up on music after the controversy that surfaced online. He took a year off from music and was very sincere in his apology. He is a good soul and his art deserves to be heard.. or at least that's my two cents, and if you disagree that's perfectly fine too.
Lachlan Beckwith
Andrew Kozlowski what controversy
Joseph mitchell
What controversy
Christopher Henderson
Lachlan Beckwith with that girl I believe. Just look it up. It’s online.
Kyle S.
@Lachlan Beckwith sexual assault
Tom
God bless. Evan's acoustic versions always add life and meaning to his songs and deepens our collective appreciation!!
Ousel
Evan is the best of the new generation.
hiro progatonitis
Lol he's pushing 30 tho
Jake Stone
@hiro progatonitis he actually a boomer
knowledgefarmer
@hiro progatonitis most artists put out their best work 26-30. not saying he will.. just saying in general