San Francisco quartet
Pardoner
continue their melange of noisy experimentation and melodic slacker pop on their fourth album,
Peace Loving People
. While the band have always brought disparate elements together with their sound, their jagged patchwork aesthetic has never been quite as on the surface as it is with some of
's more jarring left turns. "Are You Free Tonight?" starts out sounding like lazy indie rock, but at exactly the halfway point, it switches into a blasting assault of ripping hardcore. This high-powered rage spills over into the beginning of "Deadbeat" (a song with sarcastic lyrics mocking trust-fund punk poseurs) and reappears on occasion throughout the rest of the album as
weaves between different styles, often changing lanes without notice. This includes enthusiastic college rock tunes like "My Wagon" or "Cruel Gun" (one of several songs that's greatly enhanced by guest vocal contributions from
Sinclair Riley
of
the She's
),
Devo
-esque nervy riffing meeting faux sock-hop posturing on "Short Song," laconic '90s-style alternative pop on "Dreaming's Free" and several other tunes, and even paisley underground-modeled psych touches on "Get Inside!". As with previous releases,
's wild swings from low-energy indie daydreaming to angry hardcore screaming somehow gel into a unified whole. Quick switches in style end up making sense in
's bigger picture, feeling like a natural part of a cohesive larger statement rather than annoying disruptions.
's controlled playing and the considered design of the album make
a wild ride that's exciting to come along on, even during its most erratic twists and turns. ~ Fred Thomas