0
0
During a recent interview, singer/songwriter Marchelle Bradanini, a.k.a. Pony Boy,
was quoted as saying simply, “Words matter.” But after listening to her first
full-length album, Blue Gold, it’s obvious that I can’t take her at said word.
Between inconvenient instrumentals (“Magnolia”), dynamic changes to the
downright inaudible, and twisted syllables reminiscent of a rooster call, only
about ten percent of the lyrics here are intelligible. That’s an unfathomable oversight
considering the quote above—but even more so because there is absolutely
nothing offered up here in terms of actual music.
“Christopher” manages a tempo change, but that is bludgeoned into near
blasphemy by a smorgasbord of plodding drum beats and lame, uninspired
electric guitar solos—so much so that the absence of drums in the final track,
“Pink Elephant,” made me feel much like I would imagine a prisoner would after
being released from a prolonged period in solitary confinement.
And much like I would imagine that same prisoner’s intentions would be, I have no intention
of going back. For some things, once is enough, and that’s exactly how I feel
about this album.
I did find it funny that, out of the lyrics I did understand, one of the lines
was, “What am I to do?” Because I can think of many things that she can do—and
none of them involves making another album. However, Bradanini was also quoted
in the same interview mentioned above as saying, “I just want to like my own
music,” which is admirable for sure, but if fame ever squeezes into her
desires, she may want to change her approach.
