“Bros” is taken from Panda Bear’s “Person Pitch” and hits stores on March 20th via Paw Tracks. Ween + Beach Boys?
The Besnard Lakes
The Besnard lakes Are The Dark Horse
2007 | Jagjaguwar
Another outstanding band from Montreal fronted by husband and wife duo Jace Lasek and Olga Goreas. Principal songwriter Lasek (who has produced Sunset Rubdown and Wolf Parade) brought in members of the Dears and Godspeed You Black Emperor!, but you would’ve never guessed thanks to the album’s originality and grand scope. Their sound is clearly defined with uplifting and epic sweeps of reverberated guitar, arching falsettos, rich vocal harmonies, and 70’s-inspired rock choruses (think My Morning Jacket). Vocally the band is right on target channeling the sensual yet desperate feel of Low. And musically you’ll hear moments of Pink Floyd and Slowdive. Still, “The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse” is an original and vital rock album that creates intriguing combinations of texture and emotion.
The Album kicks off with “Disaster,” a track that starts with bittersweet harmonies and delicate strings. By the time the song is finished it has become a completely different beast chugging along like a powerful locomotive in slow motion. “For Agent 13” is even more impressive and sounds like Brian Wilson covering Explosions in the Sky. “And You Lied To Me” kills it with an ornate and blistering guitar solo over a dubby bassline. “Devastation” recalls Spiritualized swallowing their best medication and features some proggy synths and filtered vocals. The drums build and flicker with more percussion during the chorus as the band continues to push you over the edge.
Things get a little mellow on “Because Tonight” but springboard back into “Rides the Rails” and the happy, almost shoegazey “On Bedford and Grand.” Piano and guitars bleed together with spooky vocals that even Mama Cass would be proud of. The final track “Cedric’s War” hops along like a summertime walk in the woods, carefree with speckles of dirt on the edges. The album never holds back at any given moment.
Trying to capture the best moments of your influences while sounding completely original and distinct is nearly impossible these days. Most albums I come across sound like smaller versions of artists I already like or album styles that have been replicated to death. The Besnard Lakes have somehow magically generated a masterpiece fusing sound, imagination, and skilled musicianship like no rock band has done in years.
“Skinny Boy” is just a taste of how good her album “Honey From The Tombs” is.
“Cryptograms” is one of the strongest albums of 2007, at least so far. This video for “Strange Lights” showcases their strength as a great psychedelic rock band.
The Ponys
Turn The Lights Out
2007 | Matador
The Ponys are the band Matador needed. Artists like Cat Power, Dead Meadow, Yo La Tengo and Stephen Malkmus are the heavyweights and veterans of that label with their loyal following of fans and highly anticipated albums. The Ponys however bring swagger, noise, and soul wrapped up into a precise wall of youthful rock ‘n roll like no one at that label can. Most of the record is reminiscent to Sister-era Sonic Youth, surf guitar melodies, and even the garage punk of classic X.
The album begins with the smooth vocal melodies of guitarist/vocalist Jered Gummere, he even sounds like Thurston most of the time when he’s not shouting. He’s pushed by deep, echoed guitar strums on “Double Vision.” Moments later you get smacked on the ass with a barrage of intense guitars and thundering bass on “Everyday Weapon,” that song fucking rules. The drums hop along and purr on “Small Talk” probably their prettiest and only pop number on the record. More variations work well with the surf guitar vibe on “1209 Seminary,” the pulsating keyboard and dueling solo on album closer “Pickpocket Song” and the Daydream Nation throwback that ensues on “Poser Psychotic.”
Why should you believe in The Ponys? It’s simple. No song is gimmicky or pretentious, just a heavy dose of big guitars and the right amount of reverberated feedback to keep you drawn into their sound. “Turn the Lights Out” is a statement of where rock should be going. A dirty blend of great bands and evidence of how getting back to the basics works. These are the kind of records that get me excited about the future of music.
Panda Bear
Person Pitch
2007 | Paw Tracks
When “Comfy in Nautica” hit the internet I was sold immediately. The surging keys that dominate the song bring a weightless feel to the dense production and head-bobbing rhythm, with no drums in sight. The vocal melodies have such a strong stench of “Pet Sounds” yet it doesn’t sound cheesy or intentionally indulgent. With “Person Pitch” the songs seem to keep going on that same path but lead us nowhere special, I felt like I missed the punchline. I guess the listener is supposed to reap the benefits from the beginning seconds of each track?
The intriguing numbers that Panda Bear should spend more time exploring are “Good Girl/Carrots” and the ambient brilliance of “Search For Delicious.” These best represent a path of uncertainty and risk without the all too obvious Brian Wilson treading, it’s a lot of the same for the majority of the album. I would much rather see a band as interesting as Panda Bear take that road with mixed results without relying on the biggest trend in Indie music.
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