“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.
!!!
Myth Takes
2007 | Warp
What else can you say about this band? When they started up their set at All Tomorrow’s Parties in Long Beach, CA. a few years back I couldn’t take them seriously. It was too sloppy and I got tired of hearing the guys asking the audience about scoring weed. But this is 2007 and !!!’s best recorded material to date is a re-education in dance-rock.
The mania is all over the place, only this sounds like a finely-tuned ghetto-blaster. The focus is equally tied into party anthems and brilliant instrumentation (smart guitar passages and rich sounds that fade in and out). “Break in Case of Everything” utilizes so much musical juice with a deep-echoed guitar bridge, and then the horns come in as you anticipate another lift-off. Every component to the album is geared towards making the songs smart and timeless, not just a catchy mind-fuck.
The opening track “Must Be The Moon” starts off with a pulsating House rhythm, I think I’m in store for a rave album. But, like the rest of “Myth Takes,” the song slaps me in the face and gets funky and loose. !!! continue to score left and right with other dance anthems; “A New Name,” the jazzy breeze of “Yadnus,” and the thick guitar wash of “Bend Over Beethoven” rules. For a rock-centered guy like me this is better than I could have ever hoped for from the genre of indie dance bands that are typically dry and lifeless after two songs. !!! make music you can party to and still spend hours enjoying arrangements most bands could never come up with.
Editors sound more like Interpol than Interpol sound like Interpol. This video is for the upcoming full-length An End Has a Start and drops June 25th in the UK.
The High Llamas
Can Cladders
2007 | Drag City
Sean O’ Hagan and Co. recreate smooth elevator music mixed with a pinch of Belle & Sebastian twee on their latest album “Can Cladders” (Drag City). The vibe is very similar to 2003’s Beat, Maize and Corn only it reminds me more like walking through Newberry’s department store as a kid with space-age bubbles of hammond organ, harp, and layers of see-saw strings filling up the speakers. The High Llamas are kitchy and nostalgic, especially on “Sailing Bells” and “Bacaroo,” but that doesn’t mean it’s not worthwhile. With all the 70s-inspired rock and folk bombarding us these days this album is a healthy dose of sunny, chill-out music. Well done lads.
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