Album Reviews

Pet Need’s ‘Kind of Acoustic’ from Xtra Mile Recordings came out on January 24th 2025, and boy oh boy, it rules. 12 tracks in just over half an hour, the album is by turns cheeky and incisive. The band isn’t afraid to veer expertly between fun goofy vibes, somber pessimism, and cutting commentary.

This is great British punk, minus the distortion on the guitars. It makes for an interesting sound throughout the record. And yea, playing an acoustic at this fast a pace can often sound scratchy, almost like playing a washboard, but it fits well with the vibe the band is shooting for and you mostly get used to it by the third track.

Whether they’re blasting through, rapping, or crooning to a killer sad piano accompaniment, the band is doing great, fun, meaningful work here. The choice to use acoustic guitars with standard vocals, drumming, and keys is interesting, even if it makes the songs a bit less punchy at times.

Kind Of Acoustic tracklist:

1. Outline
2. Scratch Card
3. Fingernails
4. Ibiza in Winter
5. The Burning Building
6. Fear the Whole Damn World
7. Lost Again
8. The Age That You Were
9. Self-Restraint
10. Get on the Roof
11. Punk Isn’t Dead (It’s Just Up for Sale)
12. Overcompensating