Pony Up! - Pony Up!

Genre rock Publisher Dim Mak External Links Dim Mak

Pony Up!, the self titled CD-ep from the all-female Montreal quintet, subjects the listener to some of the most irritating melodic strains and completely uninspired vocals. Having said that, I must add that these are a group of skilled musicians with the potential for creating something redeemable - just not on an ep whose bent is a feeble, crepe paper version of Liz Phair/Breeders chick power rock.

"Shut Up and Kiss Me" offers an introduction to Lisa J. Smith's droning, albeit pretty decent bass, and a toy piano that needs to be flung off a building. Laura Wills' vocals have the effect of a singing medical assistant in a proctologist's office: clear, articulate, and accommodating, but absolute anesthetic. Any expression of emotion seems sacrificed for a dry, faux-cheerful delivery of a sarcastic lyric, a phenomenon also echoed in the attempt at irresistible sex-kitten wit in the grating "Matthew Modine." "Minstrel" sounds constantly off-key. I have no idea why Camilla Wynne Ingr sings at all...ever.

"Marlon Brando's Laundromat" is a soulful, haunted diversion with some real lyrical finesse: "I'd rather be with you asleep then anywhere awake". This one stands out as a more refined, mature piece and shows off some solid bass and guitar. I can hear the Liz Phair comparison here, barely. Another less painful selection is "Going Nowhere" which builds up tension nicely in a baby anger crescendo.

I just want to kill myself for having heard "Toy Piano." As if the agony of it wasn't obvious enough, they title a song after the very harpy that's been annoying us throughout the entire album.

These women would do well to put the focus on their strong musicianship instead of trying to force an image. I enjoy a very vivid mental picture of L7 just beating the crap out of them, gnawing away from their Puma knockoffs up, picking the bits from their teeth with flimsy, pop gal bones.