Pond are sometimes outlined by their shut affiliation to Kevin Parker’s Tame Impala. Over time, the road ups of each Aussie bands have, at times, been interchangeable – every of Pond’s core members enjoying inside Kevin Parker’s touring ensemble (multi-instrumentalist Jay Watson continues to be a full-time member of each bands), whereas Parker, himself, has lent hand to Pond album manufacturing duties on a number of events.
However the place Tame Impala went stratospheric after 2015’s ‘Currents’, Pond’s success has been extra modest as compared. In fact, that’s to not say they aren’t nonetheless worthy of comparable intrigue. Since 2008, they’ve been on an eclectic psych-rock journey of their very own, reaching peak ranges on 2017’s breezy and funky ‘The Climate’.
Three years after their acclaimed final album ‘9’, arrives ‘Stung!’: one other equally formidable effort that includes an thrilling mixture of sprawling psych-rock, speedy indie-pop and funk. Ten albums in 15 years is definitely no imply feat and the Perth band’s newest puffs its chest out to face up alongside the remainder of them. A smorgasbord of concepts brimming in confidence and lightweight.
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You’ll be able to nearly really feel the sparkles of daylight hit your eyelids on easy opener ‘Fixed Picnic’ – a monitor complimented by the refined, percussive brilliance of drummer James Eire. Following this, ‘(I’m) Stung’ is Pond at their festival-ready anthemic finest. The explosive title monitor (nicely, kinda) is carried by shimmering guitars, exploring romantic rejection and the efforts to sound cool about the entire thing: “And what I really feel don’t matter, child / So long as you’re having enjoyable / Nicely, I’m stung” laments singer and multi-instrumentalist Nick Allbrook.
On ‘Stung!’, Pond excite most when contrasting upbeat vibes with lyrical restlessness. The menacing funk of ‘So Lo’ channels Prince whereas echoing – on goal or not – the extra experimental facet of The 1975, its groove-laden sound contradicting Allbrooks unhappy boy vibe: “No / I really feel so low / I ought to’ve discovered by now to maintain my expectations / Low”. And later, on the punk-swaggering ‘Boys Don’t Crash’, Allbrook admits that “I’m so bored with residing / However I don’t need to die”, a monitor too catchy and earwormy to ever get misplaced in self-pity.
‘Final Elvis’ is one other explosive burst of catchy energy pop and infectious melody, although its eight-minute epic ‘Fringe of the World Pt. 3’ that acts because the document’s spotlight centrepiece: a charming journey of psychedelic indulgence containing droning organs, flute and saxophone solos, in addition to heavy space-rock ambitions. Following a false end, the track builds to a theatrical Pink Floyd finale to boost the drama moreover.
Arriving at 14 tracks unfold over an hour, it could be remiss to say that ‘Stung!’ could be a bit on the lengthy facet (not less than, at first), definitely their longest but anyway. However with music this exhilarating, Pond’s buzz finally lands a memorable sting. And if this doesn’t assist climb them from Tame Impala’s shadow, nothing will.
8/10
Phrases: Matthew Mclister
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