NEW YORK PENN, NY by PENDING DISAPPOINTMENT
— Held Taught (This Assassin Has Piano Wire) —
— This Administration —
— You're Still Hanging Around —
— Hanged for Treason (From Her Perspective) —
— Firedamp —
— Frisked and Framed —
— Pop Culture Will Burn —
— A Rorschach Test of Your Point of View —
— I'll Leave You Behind —
— Delusions of Grandeur, Paid In Full —
— FFF=666 —
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MDRF012 | DECEMBER 2007 | Full Length CD
Obviously the name Pending Disappointment should be your first hint. But the track we discuss today, "I'll Leave You Behind," is a more explicit warning: self-deprecating, feels-good-feelin'-bad indie rock ahead. But we've jumped ahead of ourselves... The bands surrounding Boston/New York rock concern Midriff Records, including flagship act The Beatings, share common members, but the label's "sound" is less specific than you might imagine. While The Beatings channel Burma-esque postpunk, and side project E.R. proffers a folksier bent, Midriff's latest release -- Pending Disappointment's New York Penn, NY -- takes cues from '90s favorites including Archers of Loaf and Quicksand.
It is this latter influence that features prominently in the track "I'll Leave You Behind," which is a little similar to Quicksand's phenomenal rocker "Too Official" from the 1993 masterpiece Slip. Boston-based trio Pending Disappointment has curiously banished "I'll Leave You Behind" -- an MP3 of which is posted below -- to the far end of the new record (two songs proximal to the amazingly titled album closer "FFF=666", which of course nods to Jawbox's amazing For Your Own Special Sweetheart) despite the fact that it rocks most steadfastly. Punctuated with harmonics and burbling bass playing in the verse, the track would have made a nice closer or a pointed album opener. Stuttering dynamics in the bridge drive toward an ascending melody and deflating denouement. — Clicky Clicky
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Indie rock gets some backbone. In the era of Animal Collective and Passion Pit, it's refreshing to hear a brand of indie rock that isn't afraid to play with distortion. With definite punk influences and a Franz-esque vocal performance, this album entertains all the way through. While the riffs were great (a la Sonic Youth, minus 2 minutes of feedback), it would have been nice to hear them played out a bit, perhaps sacrificing some of the compact song-lengths. Overall, the composition is good, the execution delivers, and the songs pack energy. Check out Held Taught, Hanged For Treason, and Firedamp for starters. — Sputnik