Pony in the Pancake - In dreams

Pony in the Pancake

​In dreams
Cuchabata Record; 2022

By Matt Jensen
​

Back in the early 2000’s Pony in the Pancake (PIP) began as an acoustic two- piece on the Albany, New York music scene. The band created a following after touring Canada and the East Coast. More recently they released a full length album entitled In dreams.

The album to my ears combines a number of different styles. I was impressed with the cross pollination of contemporary and more retro genres. Some of the songs could have been made in the ’50s or ’60s but with a more modern production style.

They get going with “I have known love” which is a lovely intro to their sound. The guitars are clean, the drums are organic but driven and there’s a steady bass. I thought the use of the synths was well done and gave the song a psychedelic feel. The vocals are well delivered and I appreciated the texture and tone of the delivery right off the bat. Great opener.

I loved the title track “In dreams.” It sounded like a mix between Real Estate and Interpol but more inspired by ’50s pop. The song contains a good amount of reverb which does give it a dream-like quality which fits perfectly with the lyrics.

That atmospheric quality continues with “We'll go walking.” I absolutely loved the vocals on this song. The instrumental aspects support the vocals and add to the cloud of serenity this song has. The energy ramps up on “The rules of love” and it was the first song that reminded me of a different band - The Shins. I loved the groove on this song, especially the lead guitar work.

“Forever” continues to showcase the band's ability to create a great song. The vocals have a Beach Boys type quality especially when the vocal harmonies are more prevalent. There’s also some really cool transitions. More energy is infused with “Mountain dead girl” and this song sounded like it could have come straight from the late ’50s or early ’60s. 

The consistency of the song quality was hard to deny. “Ocean of love” had its moments but “What do you do” felt like a certified highlight. The concept of romantic love is prevalent throughout the album and of course you need a good breakup song and “There goes your girl” hits all the right spots. The most Beatles-esque song is the closer “There she goes again.”

​I loved the album. The nostalgia and tip of the hat to classic styles was prevalent but not exactly dripping. They left enough room in the mixes to interject their own signature sound. Recommended.

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