Dinosaur Pile-Up - Nature Nurture
by Adrian Huggins
published: 15 / 7 / 2013

Label:
So Recordings
Format: CD
intro
Superb punk pop on second album from much acclaimed Leeds-based outfit, Dinosaur Pile-Up
Having recorded nigh on all of Dinosaur Pile-Up’s first album ‘Growing Pains’ himself, lead singer/guitarist Matt Bigland is pretty much the main man when it comes to this band. He has set out with the intention with this third album of making “pop songs that kick in the face and wake you up”, and it doesn’t take too much time listening to ‘Nature Nurture’ to realise that he’s done a pretty decent job of that. I say it doesn’t take too much time, and by the chorus ‘Arizona Waiting’ I had come to this conclusion. Moments like ‘White T-shirt and Jeans’ and ‘Start Again’ manage to simultaneously make Dinosaur Pile-Up sound like Weezer’s moody younger brother and Fall Out Boy’s credible and cooler older brother. So maybe they’re the perfect middle child, and yes I am aware that they are younger than both bands, but you get the idea. There is enough maturity about the song writing and sound for this to rise far above the band’s pop-rock/punk status. ‘Derail’ and ‘The Way We Came’ serve up as fine examples of this. Without wishing to confuse things further, fans of Dinosaur Jr would probably very much enjoy ‘Heather’ and ‘Lip Hook Kiss’. ‘Draw a Line’, with its minimal beginning and furious yet gorgeously melodic chorus make me sort of wish John Peel could have heard this, and and as such I implore you to check it out accordingly as you probably shouldn’t be listening to music if you don’t like this. I found ‘Nature Nurture’ a slightly more complete album than the band’s previous full length effort and, although it certainly has a less carefree feel about it , the unmistakable glint in its eye is ever present throughout.
Track Listing:-
1 Arizona Waiting2 Derail
3 Peninsula
4 Heather
5 Summer Gurl
6 White T-Shirt And Jeans
7 The Way We Came
8 Draw A Line
9 Start Again
10 Lip Hook Kiss
11 Nature Nurture
Band Links:-
http://www.dinosaurpileup.com/https://twitter.com/DINOSAURPILEUP
https://www.facebook.com/dinosaurpileup
http://dddpppuuu.tumblr.com/
https://www.instagram.com/dpuofficial/
https://www.youtube.com/user/dinosaurpileup
Label Links:-
http://sorecordings.com/https://www.facebook.com/SoRecordings
https://twitter.com/SoRecordings
https://www.youtube.com/user/silvaoak
https://instagram.com/sorecordings/
soundcloud
reviews |
My Rock 'n' Roll (2011) |
![]() |
Energetic, heavily Nirvana-influenced reissue of single from last year for up-and-coming Leeds-based band, Dinosaur Pile-Up |
most viewed articles
current edition
John McKay - InterviewCathode Ray - Interview
Robert Forster - Interview
When Rivers Meet - Waterfront, Norwich, 29/5/2025
Spear Of Destiny - Interview
Fiona Hutchings - Interview
Carl Ewens - David Bowie 1964 to 1982 On Track: Every Album, Every Song
Chris Wade - Interview
Shrag - Huw Stephens Session 08.12.10 and Marc Riley Session 21.03.12
Brian Wilson - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
most viewed reviews
current edition
Peter Doolan - I Am a Tree Rooted to the Spot and a Snake Moves Around Me,in a CircleVinny Peculiar - Things Too Long Left Unsaid
Garbage - Let All That We Imagine Be The Light
Vultures - Liz Kershaw Session 16.06.88
John McKay - Sixes and #Sevens
Little Simz - Lotus
HAIM - I Quit
Pulp - More
Lapsley - I'm a Hurricane, I'm a Woman In Love
Billy Nomates - Metalhorse
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart