New Young Pony Club: The Optimist
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Artist:
If dating, room service and decoupage taught us anything, it's that it is quite conceivable for an album to be supremely enjoyable but nothing brilliant. New Young Pony Club's follow-up to the fantastic Fantastic Playroom (could not help myself there) from 2007 may be such a case. The Optimist, produced by band leaders Tahita Bulmer and Andy Spence, released in March on their own The Numbers label, sounds noticeably homogenous in sort of the same way as Ladytron's Velocifero, one-track-minded like butter, but really good butter.
Upside: The non-frivolous use of la la la's in verses, not as filler, has my unequivocal support. Self-made, the album sports a bigger inventory of songwriting and music producing talent. The band's creative voice sounds like it's grown up by three years, nothing scary or miraculous in the aging front.
Downside: The debut album was riskier and more momentous. The one track that overcomes the album's same-difference isn't super great. If CSS is loud and not growing a conscience, the notion of thoughtful dance-punk is, I don't know, lame.
Well, listen, The Optimist has a recurring theme: burned out, now rebooting. I think that equilibrium is its pressing concern, and diversity will be restored another time. The album isn't breathtaking but has me bobbing my head at every track, and if vegetables, space tourism and date sex taught us anything, it's that it is good to come out alive if a little bored.
Verdict: 6.5/10 and see you later.
We Want To
It was fun for five minutes
but I preferred it when I had less time,
and I'm sick of sensation.
I don't want to do any of this
without you.
The Optimist
I'm an optimist, you're a clean slate, maybe.
You have said, you have said
your name is not for me.
I try not to be disappointed.
Chaos
You like your motor on.
You like a little chaos,
we like a little thrill.
Don't take the breaks that were meant to save us.
Locating MOG account...
Comments (12)
oh, i know. i apologize for the barrage of posts. Lord knows, no one has that kind of time for reading. it's just, well, i have time to Mog now but i promise to shut up at this point.
"Chaos" is one of my favorite tracks so far this year. You could build a house on that bassline, and the harmony on the chorus is gorgeous.
Dale, Chaos was what convinced me to get the album. Good job, song! (:
I am liking these a lot! Sometimes the brilliance lies in the fact that the songs CAN be.....seemingly simple---or technically simple but creative (or artistic, or soulful, or whatever you want to call it) and come together just perfectly.
We Want To.......I LOVE the chorus harmonies. You are right, it is supremely enjoyable without being......complicated(?)
Great post! :)
ha! the review was the best part of an otherwise shitty day. I do not know if I can use that kind of language here on mog but given what I put up with in my classroom today I am going to give myself the green light
Of course you can use that kind of fucking foul language Kevin, it's mog!!!
I'm going to have to come back later since my puter is acting up & I can't hear these. Not heard of this band either.
Wow> You keep coming up with great "keepers"!
Nothing wrong w/enjoyable albums that don't wow you. Sometimes those are the ones that end up consuming us in the long run. Those sneaky growers surprise you(like the latest MGMT, which I didn't like at first but it grew on me & also the new Snowden ep).
Really liking The Optimist & Chaos. Chaos is reminiscent of Elastica quite a bit, even down to the vocals. We Want To is a bit too repetitious though.
fucking A august, I wouldn't have thunk it!
Now THAT'S the spirit tripbro! You think just because it's Poe's blog or that Dale is present we have to watch our language? Fuck NO! They've heard/read it all before anyway. . . .
part 2: it was you who introduced the equine-arianes (to me) with your supreme, still spinning, in-flight playlist. that prompted some Fantastic Playroom activity(I can do it 2) - and now here they are with a new set? what have we learned? that a supremely tight and punchy rhythm section can make-or-break? i.e. see Roxy Music
I'm feeling optimistic about the weekend now...
Andrea, thank you for saying in 1 paragraph what i tried to say in 4. ;d yes, it's peeps just having a blast with their music. good vibes overall.
Kev, i am glad the post un-shitted your day. sir, i do believe in my heart that you can say anything you like any way you like, for fuck's sake. (;
Beth, aw NYPC will be happy to know they're keepers in your book. (:
Aug, ooh, it sure is time to find me some old Elastica to play! say, i have yet to hear the latest MGMT, but now you got me all excited. and yes, some albums are excellent but so consuming to listen to.
Scott, that Roxy Music connection is a winner. bull's eye! i actually hadn't listened to FP for a long time when i wrote this, so i was really comparing release-year impressions.