B-Side Guys

Truck stop bathroom mirrors reflect infinite iterations of memory in “Bronco,” the latest single from Olympia’s folk-punk maximalists Pigeon Pit. Recorded in a basement through a 4-track onto half-inch tape, the track captures both the limitations and liberation of analog recording while serving as preview of their upcoming album “Crazy Arms.”

Frontwoman Lomes Oleander’s lyrics create a vivid collage of self-destruction and survival: “cross-tops, old bitter coffee just for good luck” collides with “happy birthday birthright enemy” in a stream of consciousness that feels both carefully crafted and desperately urgent. The band’s evolution from previous recordings is evident in how they support rather than smooth these raw edges.

The production’s inherent restrictions – achieved by recording live to tape with minimal overdub possibilities – serve the material perfectly. When Oleander sings about being “dragged all over the place by the things that haunt us,” the arrangement mirrors this emotional turbulence through its own carefully managed chaos.

Particular attention should be paid to how the six-piece band navigates dynamic shifts within these technical constraints. Having grown from their early days into a nationally touring outfit (with experience ranging from Tiny Desk concerts to Australian tours), Pigeon Pit demonstrates remarkable control over their expanding sound without sacrificing the immediacy that defines folk punk.

The chorus’s metaphor of riding “your highs and lows” like a bronco gains power through repetition and context. Each iteration accumulates new meaning as the verses pile up details of self-medication, midnight confessions, and “quiet harm.” The band’s arrangement supports this building intensity while maintaining enough restraint to let the lyrics land.

Recorded in Vivienne’s basement with a borrowed piano that wouldn’t quite fit in the studio space, “Bronco” maintains the DIY spirit of folk punk while pushing into more ambitious territory. The technical limitations become creative advantages, forcing the band to capture the energy of their evolved live show in single takes.

When Oleander declares “these gears are fixed, baby, there ain’t no slowing down,” it serves as both personal confession and artistic statement. The track’s momentum builds like a bike with no brakes heading downhill, yet the band maintains perfect control over this controlled chaos.

The song stands as perfect preview of “Crazy Arms,” suggesting an album that will honor both The Weakerthans and CRASS while carving out its own territory. It’s evidence of a band that’s grown comfortable with chaos while maintaining the raw honesty that originally defined them.

Through its exploration of being “psycho” and “dragged all over the place by the things that can’t control,” “Bronco” creates something beautifully human out of apparent chaos. It’s a love song to imperfection that suggests Pigeon Pit’s evolution is far from complete.