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Pond Monkeys :: Demonstration IV
(ind, 2003)
I've been a sucker for big guitars for a quite a while.
With all the different kinds of music available these days, I'm surprised I haven't moved on to some obscure style of music that hasn't been reworked so much by generation after generation like ... rock music. I know, it sounds boring to me too.
But I'll be darned if Fort Scott's Pond Monkeys haven't once again floored me with their take on pounding, melodic rock that hits like Hum and Weezer rocking out in the same practice space.
With a band full of multi-instrumentalists like brothers Alex and Austin Ward, Derek Wright, and Daniel Brasuell, it's no surprise that songs like "Prepare the Noose" and "Florence" do the damage you'd expect them to, with their chunky riffs and locked-in rhythm section. What really sets the album apart is the hooks that come out of the guitar interplay as well as the equally dispersed vocal duties.
The fact that all members are not yet older than 21 really makes the varied nuances all the more impressive.
"I'll Take It From Here" is covered by a punchy piano line throughout, and the album's stand-out track, "Sweet Movement", is the furthest push away from the bombast found on "IV". With its very danceable rhythm and ferocious bridge met with catchy licks and a stuck-in-your-head-for-days chorus, Pond Monkeys show the kind of versatility on one song that most bands can't find over an entire album.
Of course, "IV" lags at certain points. "Frightened by Salad" is easily one of the weaker tracks simply by default. When most of the other tracks have a real distinction and affability, "Salad's" Primus-lite riffing and paranoia lyrics don't do the band justice.
Also, with "IV" being self-released, some songs lack the production quality that would make a big difference on an otherwise strong CD.
As soon as Pond Monkeys can make the kind of record that truly captures their explosive live show (which I've had the pleasure of catching) and continue to refine their raw attack with their polished hooks. I have no doubt they'll become even more of a force to be reckoned with.
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