Pomegranates - Everything is Alive
Rating
RIYL
Vampire WeekendModest Mouse
Frightened Rabbit
Tracklist
1. Transportation2. Whom/Who
3. In The Kitchen
4. Late Night Television
5. The Bellhop
6. Appreciations
7. Desert Hymn
8. Thunder Island
9. The Uncanny Terrace Treeclimber
10. Honey Moon Pie
11. Thunder Meadow
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One has to wonder why fruits and vegetables have yet to be incorporated into more band names. With the plethora of animal related band names, you’d think someone would take note of what those animals were eating. Obviously Cincinnati band Pomegranates were wise to this line of thinking when they formed in late 2006. Despite a relatively short year and a half of existence, Pomegranates already have two releases under their belt. The most recent, Everything Is Alive, really shows what the band is capable of. They manage to be fun but never cutesy; smart but never smug; and familiar yet completely fresh.
Everything Is Alive begins with a short, atmospheric intro, then launches into the infectious “Who/Whom.” It’s crunchy, catchy, and above all else, fun. The song’s breezy attitude continues throughout the rest of the record without any sort of lapse. The album’s real highlight is “Late Night Television,” in which vocalist Joey Cook sings of waiting up late at night, wondering what his supposed girlfriend is doing. It’s a simple relationship song, but one with a completely fresh take. “Thunder Island” is another superb track. It’s tropical drum breakdown make it stand out on an album of standout tracks.
Though Cook handles the majority of vocal duties, guitarist Isaac Kerns can also be heard quite often. Cook has a more feminine, poppy voice, while Kerns utilizes a more traditional rock sound. The vocalists never trade off of each other, but instead they each have their own verses and song segments, which really allows them to stretch out and create their own unique sound.
The album has a grittiness about it not often found in records of this sort. Small imperfections pop up throughout, but they give the record character. Much of this is probably due to the fact that the album was recorded and mixed in the span of six days. There’s an urgency present that would have been lacking had the band utilized the luxury of more time in the studio.
Clocking in at barely 30 minutes, Everything is Alive is ridiculously short, and its breezy vibe makes it feel even shorter, really leaving the listener wanting more after it ends. The claim could be made that Pomegranates are simply grabbing ahold of the current indie rock trend led by bands such as Modest Mouse and Vampire Weekend, but their strong songwriting and fresh vibe gives the band their own ground to stand on.
--Cameron Buchholtz
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Waterloo, Ontario
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