"It would be more accurate to refer to Pinkston as a new machine built from familiar parts, the same car with a bigger engine and better stereo." Dallas Observer Pinkston's story is no longer about where they came from or how they got here so much as it's about where they're going. All That Causes Bruises, the band's full-length debut out in July 2002 on Dallas' own Last Beat Records is the vehicle that will get them there. So focused is this band on it's continual evolution that PiNKSTON's guitarist Josh Daugherty was looking to the future even before the artwork for the new album was completed. "I try not to, but I kind of feel like I've already moved past this record and I'm already looking ahead," he says a little guiltily. "I'm always looking to when we're going to write the next one." It's an attitude shared by the rest of the band, their collective urgency for forward motion coming through not only in Clardy-Lewis' lyrics like "Where will I be / this time next year?" ("This Time Next Year"), but even more explicitly in the rush of All That Causes Bruises rockers like "A Sea for the Sky," "Watching You Steal" , and particularly the raging instrumental "Ease The Seat Back" (a sly misnomer if there ever was one; "Grip the Wheel with Both Hands and Pray for Dear Life" would have been a more appropriate title). "The best thing about Dallas quartet Pinkston, besides their strong songs and excellent ensemble work, is that their sound can't abide hyphens. You can't call them punk rock or psychedelic rock or emocore or whatever. They've created an original rock sound that vaguely recalls other bands you may have heard but never quotes anyone directly." Hi Bias "It's taken a long time I think for all of us to click together," admits Parsons. "When we first got together, Josh wrote most of the guitar parts, and it was pretty hard to add anything to them without detracting from the overall song. Now everyone's pretty open to being told, 'Maybe you should try this, or play this.' We experiment on songs for months - there are songs that we've been working on for years that didn't make this record - but we're always willing to change things up and experiment, which is fun." "We've grown to know each other's parts better," chimes in Clardy Lewis, before laughing, "well, that sounded dirty - but we've locked into each other better and we know of what we're capable of. We've grown to know when to push the next one to do more or when to step back. We write with each other in mind and all that we can bring to it, and we did not have that when we first started." "It's pop music that took a spin into space, happened upon Beach Boys harmonies, decided rock-n-roll was where it's at, and landed back on earth." Allmusic.com Lyrically, Clardy Lewis says she's attracted to vulnerability, whether it's expressed through sadness, anger or happiness. "One of my personal favorites on the new album is 'This Time Next Year,' because the lyrics are very vulnerable and relatable," she says. "But the total flip of that is 'All I Said I Would Be,' which I think is more abstract, and I've very proud of that, too. It kind of has it's own little secrets in there that you have to listen closely for." "Beth Clardy Lewis has the type of brooding, tough-girl vocals it is so easy to fall in love with. She sounds like a former tattooed punk girl that has grown up into an accidental rock siren, with an equal propensity for powerful intensity and shimmeringly pretty pop melodies." Texas Music The group has no problem bringing all the myriad layers of beauty and melody and shifting dynamics of the album to the stage,where they bring it on full throttle every time. We decided a long time ago that we were not going to try and match our set to a band that we happen to be playing a show with. We're just going to do what we do. Come out really aggressive and strong, and tear it up right from the get-go, loud and nasty." Between All That Causes Bruises and the promise of all that lies ahead, Pinkston will fast become accustomed to such a growing, attentive audience. As the song goes, the sky's wide open.