Pony Bones prove they can add chaos to chaos with their unruly new song “Clyfford”. The band is a side project of Speedy Ortiz guitarist Matt Robidoux and Kate Hanlon of Kendra, who have compiled their past musical experience and influences to create a full-tilt grunge storm. The song builds anticipation, beginning with a simple drumbeat, then adding in the melodic swing of guitar line, and finally breaking into a frenzy of distortion and dissonance. The strained funneled vocals intrude over the mountains of sound, coming in only at the peaks, bringing the song to the full force of its musical turmoil. Yet this is an organized chaos, as even with the the jumble of heavy, distorted elements, the song ultimately settles into a strong and mesmerizing rhythm. The more frantic pieces are deliberately placed, and the end of the song pulls these back, stripping away the instrumentals piece by piece until it ends with the same hypnotic guitar and drum based rhythm it began with. A dissonant force loaded with grungy fuzz, “Clyfford” is bound to be one of many songs with this somewhat experimental, low-fi aesthetic on the band’s upcoming release.
Pre-order the full EP, Pony Bones II, before it is released on April 29th on the one and only Exploding in Sound.