By Samuel Rubenfeld

Piebald’s latest record, Accidental Gentleman, is the band’s sophomore release for indie label Side One Dummy.

The band has come a long way since it was a hardcore band in Andover, Mass. They now sound more like alternative rock from the 1990’s. The band’s last album, All Ears, All Eyes, All the Time, was a significant departure from previous releases, featuring an emphasis on vocal harmonies and piano-driven melodies.

Accidental Gentleman is a return to the sound of 2002’s We Are the Only Friends We Have, with driving rock and vocal hooks. A piano is still present but it is no longer at the forefront of the sound throughout the album and now, used rather sparingly, to excellent effect. The vocal harmonizing remains and is better than before.

Standout tracks include the aptly titled “Opener,” which features an immediate burst of energy and urgency sorely lacking anywhere on All Eyes. “If you don’t want to know / Why’d you ask?” frontman Travis Shettel demands angrily at the outset. An energetic drumbeat propels the song, while guitar noise feeds in and out, but the hook lies in the bass that rumbles along mercilessly.

“Oh, The Congestion,” sounds like Ixnay¬-era Offspring and mid-’90’s emo (The Promise Ring); it has a straightforward punk riff motoring over a steady drumbeat. “There’s Always Something Better To Do” takes lounge-rock to new heights, sounding effortlessly like a blues band at a bar messing around and having fun – something the guys of Piebald always seem to be doing.

3.5 STARS