Swallowing Stars It’s one thing to have a string of bad luck, but to be cursed…that probably feels like forces beyond our control are swaying things towards the negative. As Sam Bielanski (founding member/singer-songwriter) explains, Clearly Cursed is directly inspired by their first visit to a psychic at the age of 21. “She read my tarot cards and told me boyfriend was cheating on me,” Bielsanki says. “That was true. She also told me that I had a dark spirit attachment which she could easily vanquish if I paid her $1500. That was obviously out of my budget, so I left and decided I would have to coexist with this dark spirit for the rest of my life.” PONY take it all in stride on their third full-length record, an album that wears their core influences of power pop, indie rock and post-punk on their collective sleeves. Joined by Bielanski is guitarist Matty Morand, who leans into a more polished sound on this latest effort that highlights the duo’s complimentary playing style. PONY may be Clearly Cursed, but this album shows that this band is bound for big things from this point on.
”Superglue” opens up the record on a nice note with its steady guitar bounce and energy as Bielanski sings, “Shining so brightly / Lighting up the night sky completely / All eyes on you / Everyone can see he’s a star but me / Sucking up the sunlight so easy / Glowing around so effortlessly / Everyone can see but me,” and it gives the impression that Bielanski may be having trouble seeing what’s right in front of her. As the track unfolds, the layered vocals paired with Morand’s crisp guitar chords make for a memorable opening statement. “Freezer” follows with some programmed beats and starts and stops to the tempo, while Bielanski belts out the chorus of, “Better better off forgotten / And I suck at keeping promises / I’m dying to be her / But I’ll just die right here / Locked inside the freezer.” It’s a relatable feeling to feel unwanted by someone, and PONY describe this situation succinctly.
”Sunny Something” feels like a breezy summer day, and the burst of sunshine comes through in Bielanski’s vocal performance that remains top notch. The song reminded me a little bit of early Sheryl Crow, paired with the modern bedroom pop sensibilities of Beach Bunny. “Middle of Summer” begins with a heavy bass line paired with some vibrant keyboards, and as the track gets going, more instruments get added into the fold to paint a vivid picture. The shimmering chorus of, “And now I’m a dead weight drowner / How could you die / In the middle of summer / Can’t spend too long / Holding my head under / And I can’t tread water,” is filled with self-deprecating lyrics, but its pop-centered approach to the vocals is as catchy as anything you’ll find dominating pop radio today.
The wailing guitars on the beginning of “Hot and Mean” set a great tone for the rest of the song, and Bielanski’s great vocal performance continues throughout this vibrant track. The back half of the LP kicks off with “Blame Me” that highlights PONY’s innate ability to get to the core of what makes a great power pop song, and they make it look easy. The breezy song plays out like a blast of sunshine in your face.
The title track follows in the sequencing, and it relies on a booming bass line paired with layered vocals from Bielanski as the vocalist dives into the past of feeling the bad luck hanging over like a dark cloud. The sugary sweet vocal approach prevents the song from getting too dark, even if the lyrics find us feeling bad for the tortured singer. “Brilliant Blue” plays out like a dream pop song similar to bands like Beach House, while PONY make it their own with their eclectic songwriting style that continues to improve from each record.
”Every Little Crumb” begins with a nice, heavy guitar riff similar to classic Nirvana, while the verses allow for Bielanski to explain the current state of things. I found the verse of “Tie it up with bows / Left the seeds to rot / Inside my pocket / Dying slowly never knowing they were meant to grow,” to be particularly striking as Bielanski makes a great observation by relating her deepest of thoughts into a glowing pop song. The closer of “Swallowing Stars” ends Clearly Cursed on a sad note as Bielanski admits, “‘d rather be the coolest shade of blue / Than try to be happy without you.” The contrast between the swooning music paired with bummer lyrics has been a staple of the emo genre for years, and PONY use these stylistic choices to their advantage on another great record in their discography. I have a feeling that PONY are going to be big players in the indie rock scene for quite some time if this album is any indication of their trajectory.