PIE N MASH: A Song of the Week Special

This week we have a very special edition of Song of the Week for you. It's a break from our usual format, where we review past songs picked by the community. Instead, we're reviewing a future release - the upcoming Pie n Mash, which will see its premiere outing on YouTube this Thursday evening at 8pm GMT.

We were both quite taken by surprise when asked if we'd like pre-release access in order to do this, but needless to say, it was an immediate and resounding YES!! It's always an honour and a privilege to be included, so once again we extend our heartfelt thanks to Zac. Thanks also to the very talented Noir X for providing us some great images to go along with this!

So, the premise we're working on for this special edition is to review the song as best we can, without the usual inclusion of a video, and without giving too much away.

Below are the results of our unique (to us) challenge.

Jamey's Take

The thing that I love most about the way Zac's mask evolves with each consecutive album is that the new mask usually comes before the music, as is the case here with Pie N Mash. It's almost like meeting a new character each time the mask changes, and then the music that follows tells the story of who this new character is.

In the context of this song, he wasn't exaggerating with the description “monotony fighter”, because Pie N Mash is not like anything you've ever heard from The Skinner Brothers before. This song shakes things up like a grenade in a pool full of Jello. If that is any indication of who this current character is, or how the rest of the next album is going to sound, my advice to the fans would be to buckle up and hold on tight, because it's going to be a wild ride. This first look goes hard with absolutely zero remorse, and it's not showing any signs of slowing down soon.

As I'm sure you've already noticed from the reels on social media, Pie N Mash is nothing short of electric. It's fun, it's fast, and it's the kind of show-stopping tune that feels like it was scratched on the back of a napkin in the dead of night over a carton of cigarettes and a bottle of Lagavulin 16. What's not to love? The production is deliciously raw with a crisp, hungry edge that screams at the top of its lungs until it cannot possibly be ignored.

The drums instantly snap this song to life and are closely followed by some of the cleanest guitar work you could ever hope to hear. The riff that you hear throughout the chorus comes in early, and has a hazy, almost dizzying quality that feels like it was plucked straight out of Alice in Wonderland. There's no escaping the wicked bass line that creeps up on you like a thief in the night either, and those dirty little drops? They make you feel something deep inside your chest that may or may not be medically concerning.

Every part of this track is alive, ebbing and flowing with its own distinct personality that comes together like Optimus Prime just to slap you in the face. Lyrically, it's crude in the best definition of the word, yet sophisticated enough for you to realize that this is not by accident. The first verse issues a warning right out of the gate: “I'm a chill guy, but don't test me” like a rattlesnake shaking its tail. Without wanting to give too much away, I'll say that it only pushes back harder from there.

You've already heard how the chorus explodes with the kind of hook that's going to crack the foundation when the crowd starts singing it back live, but I promise no matter how many times you've listened to those reels, you haven't actually heard it until you've listened to the song in its entirety. What you've heard so far is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. The chorus is massive on its own, but the gradual buildup with the hammering drums and relentless guitar blow the lid off the whole thing, leaving a smoldering path of destruction in its wake. Between the song itself and the video, I have a pretty strong feeling that you will all be stunned to silence by the time it's finished.

The video for Pie N Mash is a bit more difficult to dissect, because much like the music itself, some aspects of the videography change over time as well. This doesn't necessarily make them better or worse, they're just different, and they are tailored to match the overall feeling of whatever song they are paired with perfectly. To me, this video seemed sharper and more confrontational than some of the others in the past. Like if you were to describe the video for Dipped as a gut punch, this one would be an uppercut, if that makes sense. They're both going to knock you on your ass, but sometimes the journey is just as interesting as the destination.

Maybe it's because of the closeups of Zac singing paired with the aggressive nature of the lyrics? Or perhaps it's the way the video alternates between scenes in the garage and the black and red silhouette (you may remember from Patreon) that make it feel like a slow descent into madness? It could also be the vicious strobe effect on the guitar and drums that bring you as close as you can possibly get to epilepsy while still being able to keep your license. Either way, the video for this song is every bit as tactile and stunning as the song itself, and the bright pops of red on top of a slightly desaturated background give it a haunting, dreamlike feeling that is impossible to forget.

Jackie's Take

I'm beyond excited to do this, especially after listening to the song quite a few times. At the same time, it is fairly challenging to do without giving much away. My usual fallback of trying to break down the lyrics doesn't seem appropriate, because you, the reader, don't yet have access to the full song and so will miss at least some of the context. Plus I'm working to a more limited word count this week (my inner editor has a very hard time with this!). So I'll try to concentrate more on the sound and vibe of the song as a whole.

I won't say anything about the video either, other than to say it's amazing, so don't miss it!

The first thing my ears picked up on was the beautiful guitar opening. It's low and guttural but also really melodic. The second thing was the opening line of the lyrics - I can't reveal what the words are, but I can tell you that it firmly establishes a "no fucks given" attitude that continues throughout. It's delicious and immediately draws you right into the overall theme of the song (you'll know what I mean when you hear it).

As it's been plastered all over shorts on socials in the last few days, I can quote lyrics from the chorus. One line in particular stands out for me:

Double double of that rude boy sound my way

I love it, not only because it just sounds great and adds to the attitude of the song, but anytime I hear the words "rude boy", I'm instantly reminded of A Message to you Rudy by The Specials, which I've loved for many years. Rudy being short for rude boy.

That bass guitar is the hero of the song according to my ears and helps set that heavy-hitting, fast paced train of energy. As we all know, Zac is multi-talented (sickeningly so, honestly!) but I do think he has a particular knack for writing amazingly satisfying bass lines (as well as great melodies and deceptively simple but deep lyrics). It really hits home in Pie n Mash, especially the segment that carries us through the chorus. It literally feels like you're surfing on a wave of bass, and personally speaking, this is the stuff (alongside guitars in general) that lights my heart on fire.

The genre-melding is present as usual too, but it sounds especially well done in this song. This isn't just ska, punk also takes centre stage in music, lyrics and attitude, but there's some heavy rock influences bouncing around the edges too. It all blends perfectly to give us something unique in a way that only Zac manages to do. So perfectly in fact, I think this song could be the foundation of a new genre. Skapuck? No? Just me? Ok then!

I think I'm at risk of being accused of some sort of brown nosing with what I'm about to say, but it's my honest opinion and I don't care, so I'm going to say it anyway.

Pie n Mash feels polished. Not in a big label way (there's no shallowness here for a start), but in a way that screams The Skinner Brothers are a band who have truly found their groove, and the confidence that comes with that. In this context, I'm talking more specifically about Zac himself, who writes and performs everything on the recorded songs (at least for the vast majority). This is quite obviously still The Skinner Brothers sound, with that amazing talent for blending genres seamlessly, but there's something new and fresh about it. It's the song of an artist who knows exactly who they are and what they stand for, and has absolutely no qualms about sharing that with the world.

Not that past songs haven't felt similar, but I hear a change in this one. 2025 was a huge year for The Skinner Brothers, and I felt a similar change on the tour. The energy on stage felt renewed and bolder than it had the year before, and this song feels bolder still. To witness the growth of an artist right in front of your eyes is a thing of beauty. It's a little like watching your kids grow and bloom, only less expensive and it doesn't turn your hair grey.

Pie n Mash genuinely feels like a game changer. It's honestly difficult to imagine how The Skinner Brothers could possibly get any better, yet Zac manages to do it time and time again with each new release. I think you're all going to go wild for this one, and absolutely justifiably so. I can't wait for you to hear it!

My verdict: I'm in love with Pie n Mash (both the song and the food, to be fair). It's got explosive attitude, has a break-neck pace, and feels like both a rebellion and party song at the same time. It's performed and recorded superbly, has the potential to start a whole new genre, and on top of that it's made me come over all emotional thinking about how far Zac, Claira and the rest of the crew have come, especially over the last year. Plus it manages all of this while still staying, and feeling (in the best way), fully independent.

There is so much more I could say, but I'm afraid to give too much away. Suffice to say:

Huge amounts of love for this one! Exemplary work, Zac.

Long story short, Pie N Mash doesn't just deliver on the first play through, it gets better (and bolder) with every listen. I would know, because we've probably listened to it more than Zac has at this point, and it's currently putting everything else on my playlist to shame. I hope you're all able to join us on Thursday for the premier– you definitely don't want to miss this one!

On behalf of Jackie and I, we can't thank Zac enough for trusting us with early access to this belting masterpiece, and to Noir X as well for getting back to us so quickly and allowing us to use his stellar images for this article. Big love to the entire Skinner Brothers team, and we can't wait to see what the rest of the year has in store for you!

Well, there you have it, folks. Two reviews, one song, and 48 hours to go until the Skinner Brothers release the beast that is Pie N Mash on the world. I hope you're hungry, because this one is extra saucy.