Pond - “Tasmania” Album Review
One of the biggest names in the resurgence of psychedelic rock is Pond. As one of the original pioneers of this new wave, and even being home to Tame Impala's Kevin Parker, it is no secret that Pond is very familiar with their field.
"Tasmania" is the band's latest entry into their discography, and it fits in snugly with their previous works. From its eye-catching artwork to its almost dream-inducing tracks, "Tasmania" is not only a great album on its own but perhaps the greatest record that Pond has released in their 11-year run.
"Tasmania" features only 10 tracks and clocks out at around 48 minutes. This album is very synth-heavy alongside its usual distorted guitars, and they are both complemented with a very rich and present percussion.
The opening track, "Daisy", which also functions as the album's lead single, is fun and a tranquil piece. It is able to rope the listener into the next few tracks with its dream-like sounds alone, and it is this type of sound that is consistent throughout the album.
Tracks such as "Sixteen Days," "Tasmania," "Hand Mouth Dancer," and "Goodnight, P.C.C." continue to make use of this synth-dominated approach, taking up half of its tracks. The latter half tends to focus on more of the bending of the guitar and voices. "Burnt Out Star," "Selené," "Shame," and "Doctor's In" are all products of this balanced soundscape, though there is no part of the composition omitted within this piece.
The lyrics, while part of the production as a whole, are simply just that. It appears that they only accompany the entire composition to give it its sound, rather than being able to be isolated and analyzed on its own. Not every track is a victim of this, such as the title track "Tasmania" and "Burnt Out Star," arguably the album’s two most focused tracks. "Tasmania" focuses on traveling to get away from the problems people face, and "Burnt Out Star" talks about a conflicted pair of individuals who are both struggling at the same time.
With occasional engineering and appearances from Kevin Parker on the record, this album is one of Pond's best sounding yet. It appears that Pond tries to create a feeling of entrancement with all of their records, and "Tasmania" does a superb job of doing so. With an entire session of synth and guitar-heavy tracks, there is no disagreement that Pond is able to engineer sounds to work in their favor. With their next record, however, it would be of great benefit for the band to place a bit more focus in their lyricism, rather than all of it in their sounds.
Whether a first-time listener to Pond or a seasoned veteran, "Tasmania" is able to please the ears on each track. It will be interesting to see what they come up with next, and many fans will surely be impatient in anticipation of the next record. For now, however, it is evident that the dream-oriented sounds of psychedelic rock are here to stay.
Rating: 7/10
Reviewer’s Favorite Track: “The Boys Are Killing Me”
Reviewer’s Least Favorite Track: “Shame”
Jack Grossman is a junior majoring in telecommunications. To contact him, email jackdgrossman@gmail.com.
