Holy Pinto

King / Very Adult (2017)

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Holy Pinto put out their debut full-length a little over a year ago, but they’re already back with a new single.

“King” finds singer/guitarist Aymen Saleh embracing his softer 90s alt tendencies. Holy Pinto could open for Frank Turner but “King” has more in common with Third Eye Blind. When Saleh sings, “You’ll be the one kicking and screaming ‘cause I’m right. I know I’m right,” it’s easy to hear the Stephan Jenkins’ influence. It’s a big universal statement but dig deeper and there’s more to it. Though it won’t exactly reinvent the genre, it gives Holy Pinto a noticeable edge. Plus, drummer Ryan Hurley adds an extra kick to the end when things speed up.

The B-Side “Very Adult” is the stronger track. It’s a plucky emo number but definitely feels more fun. “It all got very adult. Let’s not ruin this by thinking too much,” is a good mantra for this band. A speedy release like this shows Holy Pinto working out some new tricks. Ones for the better that they are clearly proud of.