Live at Third Man Records

Prominent members of the Boston music scene and post-rock specialists, Pile began as the brainchild (and solo project) of Rick Maguire in 2007. In the earliest incarnations, the songs were the broken bones of bigger ideas: the impassioned, ramshackle work of one dude with a momentous sense of riff and mood. In the time between then and now, the band has enjoyed a steady output and expanded to include Kris Kuss, Matt Connery, Matt Becker and, from time to time, Chappy Hull. This spring, their new critically-acclaimed LP A Hairshirt of Purpose was given a rare 10/10 by The AV Club, citing the record is “still pushing the (rock music) form to its outermost limits," and fortunately, this live LP was recorded right after its release, capturing them at a distinctly creative peak and unparalleled energy. This record is somehow chilling and explosive - kicking off with their total jam Baby Boy and including a surprise Blonde Redhead cover. It stands shoulder to shoulder with the rest of their catalog and will no doubt remain a shining example of Third Man's live series for years to come.