A review of Pulse Park’s Phonac Music
First of all, starting this blog was beginning to kick my ass a bit because of all the full album submissions. Initially, I was anticipating writing a review for a single track here and there, and not having to take the time to listen to anything longer than the occasional EP. So, when I opened up the email from Pulse Park and saw their debut full length, Phonac Music, I immediately regretted it.
Second of all, I take back everything I just said. Bands like Pulse Park are precisely the reason that this blog exists. Track 1, “Antibody,” starts off with Magnusson’s lone guitar, grimy enough to let you know he’s not here to sell you Kool-Aid, but clean enough that your mom would still let you hang out with him. Ten seconds into the track, the rest of the band shows up, not giving a shit if you call the cops or not. I cannot understand what exactly is being sung to me, but if you can picture an angry Death Cab, you’re halfway there. Throw in a little Silversun Pickups and you’ll be even closer. These guys are the real deal. (It’s at this point I google them to see if they’re already famous.) Closing in on 2,000 monthly Spotify listeners, I sincerely doubt that they’ll need any help from UpToHear, but they’re getting it anyway. The breakdown at 1:46 is somehow better than any flashy guitar solo that would have managed to fill the slot, then a strong finish. What an opener. Let’s see if track 2 can keep up.
“Sine Wave” definitely does not possess the deliciously high energy of the first, but melodic vocals and the rhythm section’s syncopation keep me interested. Don’t get me wrong, this song is fantastic, but it would definitely be the B-side to the former. More of a head bob than a head bang, but absolutely radio friendly and an opportunity for future concertgoers to recover from “Antibody,” which is my new favorite indie rock song.
“Icaric” is on par with the first two and I still hear Death Cab and Silversun, not Dinosaur Jr. or Lemonheads, as was described in their bio. I am not, by any means, requesting a refund. It is very clear that Pulse Park are serious about songwriting and production; they are not the kind of band who believe owning a microphone and a DAW is enough justification for releasing music. They put their money where their mouth is, which is a rare thing when you consider that they were founded in 2020, likely because of COVID, just as many other acts. Quarantine gave us plenty of time to practice our instruments, as is clearly displayed with Polastri’s precision in hammering out the tempo.
“Strange Matter” dials it down to sweet, poppy bounce and lets the vocals shine a bit brighter (I can almost understand the lyrics). I believe he’s saying something like, “I would change my mind if I had other plans,” but I’m telling you that this is the kind of music where the lyrics are secondary to melody, as they are practically an instrument themselves. And that sweet acoustic guitar at the song’s closing… Brilliant.
Coming at your ear holes next is “Apollonian Heart,” which calms things down a bit more– not in annoying way., but this one feels more mature than the first four. Then it’s “Aspairt,” slowly bringing back some of the energy that we’ve been thirsting for since “Antibody.” At this point, I am no longer writing a review; I’m just a dude listening to kickass music. “Factory Fire” and “The Equidistance” follow and are solid company, especially when the latter lets Hagen’s bass take a couple bows, but my eye is on the monster that will, hopefully, seal this ten song work of indie art, considering that track 9, “Realtime,” wraps a pretty bow around it relatively tightly. It is, by far, the slowest song in the batch (not bad, just mellow). It’s also the one with the easiest-to-decode lyrics, if lyrics are your thing.
The finale, “A Constant,” does not finish kicking down the door that “Antibody” blew off the hinges, nine songs ago, but I suddenly feel like I grew up with these guys in the 31 minutes and 17 seconds that I got to know them. Sure, Track 1 is, undeniably, my favorite right now, but after a few more listens, they will each find their place, as with every other record I’ve ever owned and adored.
-TM
