Toronto’s PONY signed to Buzz Records in early 2017, releasing their first singles on the label this past spring, and now the band have announced their debut EP on Buzz, ‘Do You,’ with the release of its first single, Small Things. Take a listen to the track via YouTube below.
The band’s early singles were praised by the likes of Stereogum, Nylon and FADER, drawing comparisons to bands like The Breeders and Veruca Salt for their sharply executed, punk-inflected strain of guitar pop, and their new EP offers a longer look at PONY’s adept, hook-heavy songwriting, and infectious energy.
Recorded in the summer of 2017 with producer Shehzaad Jiwani of PONY’s Buzz Records labelmates Greys, the release sees the band explore a bigger, brighter sound than their earlier singles, with Jiwani’s production elevating singer/guitarist Sam Bielanski’s reliably sharp songwriting, while foregrounding the contributions of her bandmates, bassist Eva Link and guitarist Stephen Giroux. The driving ’90s style power pop of Healthy Brain is of a piece with their earlier work, but the band reveal new wrinkles in the C86-rooted jangle pop of Monster, and the girl group harmonies on Fingernails.
On the lead single Small Things crunching power chords propel the song toward a sweeping chorus that is given new immediacy by Bielanski’s earnest performance, and a surprising key change in the final third. According to Bielanski the song was initially inspired by obsessive repeat watching of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, though its subject matter holds a more personal resonance.
“I wrote ‘Small Things’ last summer after I binge watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer for the 3rd time,” says Bielanski. “Every time I finish the series I feel like all my friends have died and it spirals me into this weird kind of sadness, like I am actually mourning my lost Scooby Gang pals. This time though, instead of hitting ‘start from the beginning’ I decided to try to be productive. This song is inspired by Buffy and Spike’s tumultuous relationship, that is honestly totally relatable to anyone who has ever been in any sort of abusive relationship, but in a supernatural I could kill you with a piece of wood kind of way.”
Track list
1) I Don’t Know
2) Healthy Brain
3) Monster
4) Fingernails
5) Small Things
PONY’s ‘Do You EP’ is due out via Buzz Records on October 27th. It’s available for preorder here.
Tour dates
09/15 Montreal, QC – Buzz Records x BSTB (Pop Mtl.) @ L’Escogriffe w/ Casper Skulls, Twist
10/20 Halifax, NS – Halifax Pop Explosion @ Khyber w/ Weaves
10/21 Halifax, NS – Halifax Pop Explosion @ Gus’ Pub w/ Julie & The Wrong Guys
