Words: Robin Mumford
Pullstring are a Minneapolis-based indie band. This month, they finish a productive year with the release of their debut album ‘All I Know Is What I’ve Seen’ – a 10-track collection of American road trip-worthy ballads that features the instantly winsome single ‘The Only Thing’.
A soothing love song that features a rhythmic guitar section, reflective lyricism, and a clever structure throughout – the standout track in their biggest release yet is a brilliant indication to what we should expect from Alex, Connor, Josh, and Tristan in the coming years.
From the very start, you are offered a warm welcome to the track, with an acoustic riff you feel you’ve already heard a million times before and would happily experience over and over again. Although you almost certainly haven’t heard the song before because of its recent release, it provides an intimate familiarity you only get when your favourite song from the 90s comes on the radio.
What Pullstring makes you realise through their musicianship is that you can be the best guitarist and the best singer/songwriter, but without the intrinsic dexterity to connect with your audience, you are just another musician in a world where we all yearn to be talented. In short, the Minneapolis band are gifted not only in music but also in the warmth they radiate.
That very warmth has made it into packed bars around the Midwest, including The 7th St Entry, Amsterdam Bar & Hall, and Mousetrap Tavern. In just six months, Pullstring has gone from strangers in a studio to opening for international touring rock band ‘We Are Scientists’. Since April, they have released an EP, a debut album, and four singles, delineating their tremendous work rate to reach the top.
‘The Only Thing’ is a homely, familiar-sounding indie rock song that will make you feel you’ve got a connection with the band that produced it. But you’d be wrong, they’re just getting started!