LA's Pins and Needles might be dismissed by some for sounding like the 80s (not the 80s of shoulder pads, bubblegum beats and neon accessories, but the Ballardian themes and apocalyptic reverb that defined the era for so many,) but Pins and Needles are among a small handful of new bands that pull it off with such expertise and talent that one may be whisked back to scribbling dystopian poetry in the back of an advanced placement English notebook while listening to a third generation dub of Killing Joke's Night Time on a black spray-painted Walkman. While one can hear the presence of both Peters (Hook and Murphy of course,) Pins and Needles' songs are original and well crafted enough to stand up as peers among many post-punk/goth staples, and come off endlessly more sincere than supposed new post-punk bands like The Killers. With talent and sincerity established, I trust they will further grow into their own sound over time, like So Does the Fire and Collapsing New People have.

Pins and Needles perform next Friday at Release The Bats in Long Beach, CA (which is not only the best name ever for a club night, but fully endorsed by Gibby Miller!) Their first LP is available on iTunes.