True to its billing,
Everything So Far
collates all of the early recordings by New Jersey band
Pinegrove
, whose affecting amalgam of emotionally ragged indie rock and dark Americana influences have made them a critical favorite with a fervent cult following. The band revolves around the songwriting of singer/guitarist
Evan Stephens Hall
, who initially began uploading music under the
banner in 2010 while a full band began to coalesce around him. Over the next five years,
Hall
and his growing ensemble independently released a steady stream of EPs, singles, and one full-length album (2012's
Meridian
) before signing with
Run for Cover Records
in 2015. Both as a document of their evolution and a gift for completists, they anthologized their entire pre-label catalog into this self-released, 21-track set just prior to the release of their breakout 2016 sophomore LP,
Cardinal
. Ranging from lo-fi rock epics to strummed acoustic numbers that blend lonesome rural tones with desperate suburban ennui,
is a testament to a band that sounded original out of the gate. In early 2017, the collection was reissued by
Run for Cover
in deluxe vinyl and CD versions. ~ Timothy Monger