Poni Hoax (studio album) by Poni Hoax

From sageamagoo 10/29/2012 22:21

A great album by a great band. The tracks that are good are amazing, while the tracks that aren't as good are not very listenable. In short, very hit-and-miss, but when it does hit, it's GOLD.

Overall, Images Of Sigrid is more cohesive and features better production and more dynamic range, and does not contain a single bad song. I have much more praise for that album than I do for this, HOWEVER that does not mean that this is a bad album. In fact, some parts are even better than its successor!

The first three tracks are SO great, for very, very different reasons. She's On The Radio is very dancy and has such a unique sound. It truly is one-of-a-kind, with funky electronic beats and a strong performance from their talented drummer mixed with a really memorable vocal melody and sharp shots from the guitar. The chord changes are a really interesting choice as well, both for the chorus and the bridge. It's the perfect opening song.

Budapest is a very dark juxtaposition with the first song, with a repeating key-bass line coupled with well-arranged strings and a great guest vocalist. Easily a favourite, it brings more guitar into the album and it has a great tone.

Then comes Carrie Ann, a song that's very oriented around a minimalist keyboard line and an egg shaker that soon explodes into choirs and accompanying electric guitar. Breathtaking.

Then come Involutive Star, which isn't as amazing as the first three songs, but does things you don't expect (like those hand claps... SOO cool). All in all, still a great song.

But the album starts to fall apart here. Cheerleader In My Dreams is boring to say the least. It doesn't introduce enough new things to keep it interesting for a whole 7 minutes. It's slow and the jangly guitars get annoying after a while.

Drunks And Painters On Parade is very cool in concept. It's a rough song with off-key vocals and saxophone among other things, but unfortunately it isn't pulled off as well as it could be. Perhaps if it was faster it would be more enjoyable.

I Shall Take It Anyway saves the album. Beautiful string parts coupled with cavernous vocals makes it haunting and majestic. Another favourite.

L.A. Murder motel is what Drunks And Painters On Parade wishes it could be. Great dirty guitar, this time with cowbell. Throw in a sweet bass line halfway through and a jammy section and you have a really cool song. Not spectacular, but cool nonetheless.

It's neat how the beginning of She Sells Anger echos the ending of the previous song. Anyway, this one starts off really well but doesn't change much throughout until you hit about the 6-minute mark. Then you get this acoustic piano part that sounds great and really sets up the mood for the fantastic finishing track. But the drum thing tagged onto the end is a bit of a goof.

Le Fil Du Temps is a wonderfully simple but compelling track that combines Ami Sioux's great vocals with a well-written piano part. Halfway through the piano changes to a gorgeous arpeggio that keeps you emotionally attached with the vocals. They're a wonderful match, and it provides closure to an album that went everywhere and back again.

This was a fine album.