One-time
Columbia recording artists Poi Dog Pondering return with their first studio
effort in five years, seemingly entering a third stage of the group's 20-plus
years on the road of rock ’n’ roll: Formed as a world-infused, folk-rock outfit
in Hawaii, their following days in Austin, Texas, and Chicago yielded dance and
electronic-tinged forays.
Now
though, having spent the last couple of years digesting and taking cues from
the Arcade Fire, the three original members (plus newcomers) offer a soul and
groove-heavy seventh album. 7 wallows
in lush string arrangements, horns and adult contemporary, middle-of-the-road
rock.
Via
the earthiness of Rusted Root and the sensibilities of Coldplay or U2 in its
better moments, 7 alsooffers indie-striving droners
("Butterflies"), a faux Al Green crooner ("Baby Together"),
Springsteen-esque angst ("Lemon Drop Man") and semiliterate offerings
of midtempo twang that occasionally reach Poi's earnest yearning for
Midwestern, button-down soul.
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