Album Review

New Young Pony Club – The Optimist

• 7th Mar 2010

Welcome back, New Young Pony Club.

It’s certainly been a while, where have you been?

Potentially off somewhere having an identity crisis by the sound of their new single.

Shaking off the shackles of being guilty by association with past touring partners and old labelmates, being unburdened by their previous bubblegum singles and returning with a deeper darker sound that starts like an indulgent noodling album filler verging on prog rock until the actual song decides to make an appearance.

The vocals kick in and you are now listening to the gloomiest, most downtrodden track called ‘The Optimist’ that you are likely to encounter, Tahita Bulmer is making it clear that Fantastic Playroom’s party is over.

The music takes it’s cue from the monochrome sound of Interpol and is knocked about by a pounding unrelentless drum beat, later becoming laced with haunting synths and a swirling nauseum of sound that swims round your head like the hangover from Modular’s 2006 New Years Eve Party.

Yes, New Young Pony Club are back, and yes, they sound different.

But nobody said that is a bad thing.