Customer Reviews

Laced With Romance

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This album rocks! Its loud, noisy, rock-n-roll. Chicago has been waiting to get put back on the map as a place that rocks and this maybe the band to do that. They remind me of old sonic youth or dinosaur jr. a little bit and at times even the cure, but a lot louder and noisier than the cure. Overall this is a great album one of the better albums to come out of Chicago in years. I recommend getting this one and catching this band live before they hit it big.

I don't think I've ever heard a band quite like The Ponys, one that grabs you by the throat right out of the box, and won't let go until its done with you. Their brand of lo-fi noise pop is serrating and jarring, all the while served up with a classic punk rock attitude. Maybe you should think Sonic Youth meets The Clash, or maybe not, because such a comparison really doesn't do this group justice. Let's just say that they're raw, loud, and noisy. Did I mention they're loud?

Guitars are the name of the game, and The Ponys simply drench their sound with layers and layers of overdriven guitars. Sometimes they drone, at other times they shimmer---sometimes they do both at the same time. It's a lovely cacophony which just overwhelms the listener with sheer guitar noise. Drowning in all of these large riffs are the vocals, which gasp around for a semblance of melody in all this glorious disarray.

It all comes together nicely in songs like Fall In and Chemical Imbalance, two tracks where the mixture of pop and the wall of guitars meet perfectly. Fall Inn begins with an intro that sounds straight out of a surf movie, which then merges into a reckless pop adventure. In contrast, Chemical Imbalance begins with a bouncy guitar line possibly borrowed from London Calling, and then the song just drives along with a herky-jerky motion, hopping along with a cool start-n-stop rhythm which never quite settles into the groove. Rounding out the album is The Only One, a tune which takes the guitar onslaught to a whole new level, pummeling us with riff after huge riff, ending in a huge train wreck of noise at the end. Man, this is one mess you'll never forget.

they play very catchy pop rock songs. with kind of a glam rock singer who also sounds like the singer in the Violent Femmes. the first song is awesome. it's a very standard riff that plays over and over but it sounds great. they have a fun energy. The songs usually get into a groove and stay with it pretty much through out the song but it's great! their music makes you want to move. The band also has some songs with some different kinds of song writing. not as simple songwriting and they're great too! The band pull it off by going with what works and sounds kick-ass. this band reminds me of the Jesus and Mary Chain. and a little like the Ramones. not amazing but above above-average.

There's few experiences as rewarding as discovering a great new band, and that's just what we have here. There is awesome songcraft here: beautifully layered guitar sounds, irresistible riffs, awesome beats.
The sound is a unique blend of Blondie-esque pop punk and hard edged guitar punk.
Buy it, you won't be disappointed. And if they're playing your town, make sure to catch them. They're even better live.

this is one of the best rock records out there today. if you are a fan of dirty, poppy, snotty, loud, melodic rock music this is the joint for you! please buy this today. i got it 2 days ago and have not stopped listening to it.

Purchased and arrived in time for a friend. By far, the best of the 3 Ponys albums. Have it on vinyl but had to get in on cd. Why?

I heard the Ponys on satelite radio where I fine most of the great tunes not heard on terestrial radio. "Lets Kill Ourselves" was the song that grabbed my ear from the Album/CD "Laced with Romance". This Chicago band has been around since 2001. I'm a little behind the times to finally discover this group. In addition to "Lets Kill Ourselves", I really like "Trouble, Trouble" another cool garage/punk tune. I like all the cuts on this CD.
So if you like to hear some drivin' guitar work, good vocals and a decent hook, I suggest you ride with the Ponys.

I first discovered The Ponys through their second album, CELEBRATION CASTLE. I had been told by friends and informed by reviews that this was much better than their earlier album, LACED WITH ROMANCE, so for a while I didn't bother to become acquainted with the earlier effort. When I did get around to listening to this one, I did not find an album that was in any way inferior to the later album. The second album is a bit more polished and musically diverse, but the first smacks more of the garage, and my own taste runs more in that direction.

The Ponys make me think of a host of other bands when I listen to them, luckily all of them good. Strains of Television, the Cure, My Bloody Valentine, the Lyres, and the Talking Heads constantly arise in their songs. That isn't to say that they sound derivative merely that they are enthusiastic participants in a rich and distinguished musical tradition. They have listened to a lot of other albums, but they manage nonetheless to create one infused with their own voice.

If your idea of a great album consists of moody, tense vocals, dense, distorted guitar chords, and energetic, complex songs filled with great hooks, with the occasional organ thrown in, this will be an album you will find difficult to resist. I loved it the first time I listened to it and enjoyed it even more each time I went back through it. I pretty much enjoy every cut on the album, though some stand out more than others. My personal favorite is probably "I'll Make You A Star," one of the more musically complex numbers on the album, though I find "Let's Kill Ourselves," "Sad Eyes," and "Trouble Trouble" just as enjoyable. But the gap between these songs and a number like "I Love You 'Cause (You Look Like Me)" and "10 Fingers 11 Toes" is pretty narrow.

Anyone who likes either of the Ponys two albums should explore both. They are both stellar efforts. Although they are a Chicago band, I have to confess that I haven't seen them live, but based on how much I have enjoyed both these albums, that is going to change.

'Laced With Romance' basically combines Robert Smith wails with music that falls somewhere in between Britpop jangle and Televisions 'Marquee Moon', Johnny Marr meets Tom Verlaine. After awhile the vocals seem a bit rough, yet at the sametime, they do capture the spirit of post-punk defiance. Angular guitars, sparkling melodies, with rabble-rousing vocals.

If I hear this garbage one more time I'm gonna do something I'll regret. Take the most annoying bands from the 70s and roll them into a loud, stinky ball and you've got the Ponys. The most grating thing about this band is its singer who sounds like he is being strangled while someone is shoving peanut butter in his annoying gob. Pass. Pass. In fact RUN!