Dinosaur Pile-Up
Celebrity Mansions


3.5
great

Review

by this space for rent USER (15 Reviews)
June 19th, 2019 | 16 replies


Release Date: 2019 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Nostalgia trip.

If Celebrity Mansions by Leeds, UK based Dinosaur Pile-Up had been released in 1992 there is no question in my mind it would have been headed straight to Mtv’s buzz-bin. Matt Pinfield would have referenced obscure 80s punk while introducing the world-premiere video for “Thrash Metal Cassette”, a smoldering rocker conjuring images of Motley Crue and Guns’ N’ Roses at the intersection between glam and grunge. Like, there was still leather but everybody abandoned their Aqua Net. The chorus lands a bit later in our timeline, with a vocal hook clearly born of the mid 90s. I can’t quite place it but have a sneaking suspicion it may have been lifted from Dave Grohl. Regardless, both Kennedy and Jonah Hill would feel completely in their element.

Dinosaur Pile-up obviously love the music they grew up with, and pay homage to it at every turn. There is nary a single moment of music on Celebrity Mansions that doesn’t reek of the 90s as so much CK1 (I preferred Aspen). Even the album title itself seems to be an amalgamation of work from other artists. Hole (Celebrity Skin) and Weezer (Beverly Hills) immediately spring to mind. Yes reader. Beverly Hills was not released in the 90s. However, there are few bands more emblematic of 90s alternative than Weezer, and the delectably crunchy power-pop guitar tone from the Blue album is baked in to the pie here.

A number of influences should jump out when listening to Dinosaur Pile-Up. Lead singer Matt Bigland tries on many masks here, and most are at least reasonable facsimiles. A bit of snotty tude’ reminiscent of Green Day and Blink-182 is heard frequently, perhaps to best effect on “Stupid Heavy Metal Broken Hearted Loser Punk” (a personal highlight). The Anthony Kiedis impression found in the verse of “Backfoot” might feel as forced as that Wayne’s World sequel if it didn’t yield to the fierce groove of its Toadies-esque chorus. Shades of great radio-rock singles by bands like Lit and Our Lady Peace stand out to me, though your mileage may vary. Dexter Holland is in there somewhere. The Pixies stop by to jam with Matchbox 20. It’s like, a Lollapalooza fever dream…or something.

Celebrity Mansions is not a deep album. It really doesn’t need to be. It packs all the fun and nostalgia from the decade that gave us valley girls, Beavis & Butthead, and the X-Games. It’s all about blasting that noisy guitar rock and singing along to the chorus (perhaps while chugging some Surge with your bros). If you remember when a handful of distorted power-chords and a catchy chorus could launch a star (or if you can identify half of the references in this review) you should give the new Dinosaur Pile-Up album a listen. You’ll probably dig it.



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user ratings (50)
3.5
great

Comments:Add a Comment 
WatchItExplode
June 19th 2019


10523 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Fine. I guess it needed to be me.

Calc
June 20th 2019


17473 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

I was like one 15 hour day away from starting to write a review for this. this review is like 90% references though, might want to discuss the actual album in the future rather than only listing all the things it sounds like. just my two cents

WatchItExplode
June 20th 2019


10523 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

I can appreciate the sentiment but this band is 90% homage. I was even gonna do a little thing where the number of references somebody caught would indicate their level of potential enjoyment for the album. I considered A choose your own adventure style review where identifying with certain references would skip you right to the last sentence. In the end I decided I would spit this out in a 1/2 hour so there was a place for discussion.

Calc
June 20th 2019


17473 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

i figured that was you were going for. hope it makes someone want to listen to this.

WatchItExplode
June 20th 2019


10523 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

There's a handful I know who are into this maybe they will show tomorrow. New listeners? Definitely not a result of my work.

Feather
June 23rd 2019


10603 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

This album is dope. This is the first time they've had an album worth listening all the way through.

McTime50
July 18th 2019


1021 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

i'm not sure if i like this more than i do

McTime50
July 18th 2019


1021 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

on a relisten, this is actually not too bad. it might've just been the vocalist putting me off at first.

McTime50
July 18th 2019


1021 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

kinda reminds me of FIDLAR

WatchItExplode
July 18th 2019


10523 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

This album is actually incredible minus K West and Professional Freak. Even those songs aren't really bad so much as just dumb and disposable.

gschwen
January 21st 2020


989 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Digging this album. Late entry into my top 50.

WatchItExplode
January 21st 2020


10523 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Sweet. Welcome to the club.

Feather
January 21st 2020


10603 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

This album was a lot of fun, this is their best yet, took bit but they seem to be actually focused on this one.



Caught them at a small live show recently headlining and it was a blast. Last time I saw them was probably 2014 when they opened for the opener of the opener of Brand New lol

LeonardKJones
July 15th 2021


46 Comments


I think White Limo is the Dave Grohl chorus you're thinking of.

Eulogize
November 25th 2023


2996 Comments


long way down is such a fucking jam

Zac124
June 11th 2024


3146 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

The vocal effects really kill this for me. Thrash Metal Cassette and Pouring Gasoline are still pretty decent though.



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