StonerPop - Self-Titled
StonerPop’s five song self-titled debut
is a collection of electro pop that harbors no apparent ambition to make you
dance. This is dire, soul-crushing laments about alienation and broken love,
but StonerPop are clearly looking to create music that breaks with norms while
still making use of the genre’s sonic template. Many outfits working in this
vein are adept at creating soundscapes but, while StonerPop’s Jimmie Maneuva
clearly can’t resist weaving some atmospherics, StonerPop largely refrains from
using its electronic firepower in such a way. Instead, the songs on StonerPop’s
debut elongate structures some, but follow precise patterns and show a clarity
of vision most first releases lack. This isn’t music that sprawls; instead,
Maudie Michelle and Maneuva keep its elements under tight control and shape the
compositions through an accumulation of effects rather than singular, dramatic
turns. They are joined by Fred Kalil from the band Porcelain People on the EP’s
final two tracks, but there’s no question that every creative decision made on
this release bears the mark of Michelle and Maneuva.
Those decisions pay off nicely from the
first. The patience and playfulness in the opener “Preachers” is hard to miss.
Michelle gives the audience an often emotive vocal, but the confidence
reflected by the song’s surprising use of its instruments, the dramatic spikes
and dips in intensity, and its slowly unwinding quality contrasting its
relatively short length make this a memorable start to the EP. The EP’s second
track “Running” raises the bar even higher. This is a song with something hot
on its heels and the stressed out qualities in the music give it an immediacy
other composers in this area might have struggled to suggest so easily. There
is something of the same stripped down effect here that we heard in the EP’s
first song, but it’s overall a much busier number. “You’re Never Listening”
wears its emotions on its musical sleeve. Much like “Running”, this song feels
under pressure from the first seconds on and only narrowly avoids blowing up.
Michelle’s singing has an almost seething sound during much of the song that
adds immeasurably to its appeal.
Fred Kalil’s contribution to “Monsters”
is primarily musical and his vocals don’t figure much into the performance.
Michelle’s voice dominates this song and she turns in what sounds like a
painful performance reliving emotions and memories that, perhaps, she has kept
long buried. His vocal turn on the EP’s finale “Fox” is quite good, if not a
little inexplicable. There’s nothing about the song lyric that should have
disqualified Michelle from singing this song, but it’s likewise a good sign in
certain respects. This decision shows how StonerPop isn’t beholden to the
audience’s expectations and will do what they deem best for their art
irrespective of other’s thoughts. This sort of blindness to the standard
operating procedure is one of the best things setting this band apart from
their contemporaries. StonerPop’s debut is an entertaining and idiosyncratic
piece of work.
9 out of 10 stars
Scott Wigley
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