Life really isn’t fair. Like when you first fell in love with a band, but you were too young to attend concerts. And by the time you were old enough, that band had broken up. Or like that time when you discovered one of your favorite bands, after they had already been churning out tunes for ten years to your oblivious ears. By then, they had exhausted their creativity, and you could only imagine what it was like to be immersed at their genesis and height of artistic glory. Just because the World Wide Web free for all access exists, it doesn’t necessarily lessen the chance of you missing out on your favorite music. So unfortunately, it took 3 albums, 3 years, and 3wk.com to bring together the music of Pomegranates and this reviewer. Fortunately, these guys are just getting warmed up.
There is a hope in this world, when bands like Pomegranates get noticed without the aid of Twitter or a Facebook account, nor any help from the hair/makeup/wardrobe department. The Ohioans bank everything on their music – and maybe competent PR. Like the fruit they named themselves after, Pomegranates have been getting positive remarks from numerous publications, including big boost from Spin, who named them as one of the best acts of CMJ 2010 (QRO recap). And also like the fruit, the Cincinnati quartet delivers on their hype. In the similar fashion as its two preceding albums, One of Us flows effortlessly from one track to the next, which is no walk in the park, considering the plethora of music genres it pools from. "50’s" is like a three way tryst with Vampire Weekend (QRO live review), Talking Heads, and Foals (QRO live review). There are hints of Flaming Lips (QRO live review) dreamscapes on "White Fawn". "Perception" sounds like an "A" class assignment on "Engaging Ambient Instrumentals", taught by Brian Eno. "Anywhere You Go" recalls irresistible melodies and progressions of Phoenix with retro aspects of Girls (QRO live review together). While "Between Two Dreams" reveals the band’s guilty pleasure – Coldplay (QRO album review).
The variety within a song also keeps One of Us from becoming banal, and is a testament to the craftsmanship of Pomegranates. There’s a nice interplay and contrast between the two lead vocalists, Joey Cook and Isaac Karns. On "Prouncer", the slightly acidic alto is offset by tactful tenor, subconsciously taking on female and male roles. On "Create Your Own Reality", the track begins as an arty post-punk piece, channeling Spiritualized, then slows down to accentuate the bass line. Snares, guitars, and synths fill up the space, before returning to the more restrained melodies of the first verse, progressing into a breather with bass and drum interplay. "Ha – ha" backing vocals come in with frenzied guitar, accompanied by equally clamoring cymbals. Singing returns, followed by escalating beat to have the guitar take the center stage, accompanied by pounding marching band-like drumming to finish the piece with reverberating keyboard. Wow! What a bargain – felt like getting a four-course meal with wine, but only had to pay for the main course.
Made more dreamy and lush than previous albums, by the ever-popular employment of the strings in rock band these days, One of Us, at the same time, retains the energy of garage rock. The orchestration fits beautifully for the third LP with more love songs than its predecessors. But tracks like the Tokyo Police Club (QRO spotlight on)-esque, finely tuned, unrefined party house rock, highlighted by "Skull Cakin", is what makes Pomegranates endearing. If you want more band comparisons… The elements of songs on One of Us conjure up certain similarities with Aerial Pink’s Haunted Graffiti (QRO album review). They both draw from great inventory of musical styles and favor the reverb, but Pomegranates sound more contemporary and less theatrical. Aspects of grandiose glam rock, soul fusion of Oklahoma’s Evangelicals (QRO spotlight on) surface now and then on tracks like "The Positive Light" and "One of Us".
Like the fruit, music of Pomegranates has a way of taking in everything – clichés and kitschiness – and magically turns them into a refreshing sonic elixir. The process of taming the lethal is appropriately demonstrated on their album cover. The conventionally ominous human skull becomes benign by its miniscule size in the healthy-skin-like peachy-colored space, making it almost invisible – or insignificant. You’re "One of Us" – we all die and underneath it all, remains the bone to remind us we’re all alike. At the same time, the picture plays on the skull equals poison notion; pomegranates in myth are known to cleanse and purify. So in the end, everything is neutralized – just peachy.
Many indie rockers try so hard to reinvent and redefine music these days – they want to be the next Sigur Ros (QRO live review), Animal Collective (QRO album review), The xx (QRO live review), etc. Hey, The National (QRO spotlight on) has proven that you don’t need to break any new grounds to make a successful album, artistically and commercially. By not trying to be original, Pomegranates have progressively become unique. With three solid albums, expect great things from the four-year-old band for years to come. Sometimes – it’s not too late to fall in love.
MP3 Stream: "Create Your Own Reality"
