The Phoenix Network:
 
 
 
About  |  Advertise
Adult  |  Moonsigns  |  Band Guide  |  Blogs  |  In Pictures
 
CD Reviews  |  Classical  |  Live Reviews  |  Music Features

Ponies in the Surf

See You Happy | Darla
By MICHAEL BRODEUR  |  June 24, 2008
4.0 4.0 Stars
poniesinthesurfinside.jpg

Go ahead, Boston. You just keep sleeping on Ponies in the Surf and see what happens. Miss a show at P.A.’s here, a show at ZuZu there, remain casually unaware of their demo (A Demonstration) and their debut (Ponies on Fire), sure! Well, now that you’re this far into this paragraph, I’ve got news: your bullshit ends here. It’s high time the Ponies were recognized for the perfect-pop juggernaut (however gentle) they are. The voices of sister/brother duo Camille and Andrew McGregor have the sort of compatibility that can be bestowed only by the genome: smooth, warm, unsteady but assured, with little frays at the tips, like a candle’s tiny flame. Those voices carry 14 songs charming enough to be a real threat to your socks. A shared childhood in Colombia informs Andrew’s light bossa stylings on the guitar (and there’s a track titled “João”), but See You Happy is far more than nostalgic homage. It’s brimming with curious melodies (like the darkly cute skews of the title track), rich poetic detail (as lush as the orange carpet in “16A”), and a truly generous spirit (you can listen to the whole damn thing over and over). Not only are the Ponies something to get excited about, they may well be Boston’s finest songwriting team — and this is them, ever so gingerly waking you up.

Ponies In The Surf | P.A’s Lounge, 345 Somerville Ave, Somerville | June 28 | 617.776.1557 or www. paslounge.com

Related: Year in Local Pop: Local motion, High dives, Anything and everything, More more >
  Topics: CD Reviews , Ponies in the Surf, Ponies in the Surf, pa's lounge
  • Share:
  • Share this entry with Facebook
  • Share this entry with Digg
  • Share this entry with Delicious
  • RSS feed
  • Email this article to a friend
  • Print this article
Comments

[ 10/12 ]   "Folk Open Mic"  @ Center for Arts In Natick
[ 10/12 ]   Infinite Ensemble  @ Sally O'Brien's
[ 10/12 ]   "Weekly Wax: DJ Showdowns"  @ River Gods
[ 10/12 ]   Richard Goldman  @ Cantab Lounge Upstairs
[ 10/12 ]   "Songwriter Open Mic"  @ Cantab Lounge Upstairs
--> -->
ARTICLES BY MICHAEL BRODEUR
Share this entry with Delicious
  •   JUST SERIOUS ENOUGH  |  October 08, 2009
    Over the years, I’ve seen many an act try and fail to get folks up out of their seats at the Somerville. On Sunday night, all Os Mutantes had to do was play the opening notes of Jorge Ben’s “A Minha Menina” and we all spilled into the aisles like a flash flood.
  •   OUT, LOUD  |  October 07, 2009
    "Did I turn this into a big gay interview?" Given I've been folding my boyfriend's briefs throughout our conversation, I don't think Gossip's Beth Ditto has anything to worry about on that front.
  •   A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS | EXPLODING HEAD  |  October 06, 2009
    When it comes to the resurgence of all things shoegaze, only one question remains: how literal do you want it?
  •   ON A ROLL  |  September 22, 2009
    When I go bowling with bands, it’s usually to extract them from their natural habitat and place them in a controlled environment for study. In the case of my recent bowling date with Hallelujah the Hills, though, my aim was true. I just wanted to bowl.
  •   SAD HITS  |  September 16, 2009
    The cover of Damon & Naomi: The Sub Pop Years is framed like a Polaroid, and the image itself — a bluish superimposition of Damon Krukowski and Naomi Yang — reads like an unfinished double exposure on old film, the pair caught mid bloom.

 See all articles by: MICHAEL BRODEUR

MOST POPULAR
RSS Feed of for the most popular articles
 Most Viewed   Most Emailed 



  |  Sign In  |  Register
 
thePhoenix.com:
Phoenix Media/Communications Group:
TODAY'S FEATURED ADVERTISERS
Copyright © 2009 The Phoenix Media/Communications Group