On their much-heralded 2004 debut album Laced With Romance, Chicago-based quartet the Ponys proved fluent in an addictive and distinct strain of garage rock, primarily that of Standells/Seeds-style 60s rave-ups as refracted through the wiry late-70s vintage punk of acts like the Undertones or Richard Hell and the Voidoids. On their follow-up, Celebration Castle, the group has updated its crib-sheet's timeline to further include moody 80s post-punk, drawing references to Joy Division, Sonic Youth c. Evol, and the propulsive jangle of early R.E.M.
As with all great garage rock bands, however, the Ponys perform their shameless pillaging with such dexterity and stylish swagger that they've virtually rendered themselves immune to accusations of unoriginality. Whether or not any of their ideas are actually new feels irrelevant, and the only pertinent questions to ask regarding Celebration Castle are does the band make these borrowed sounds their own, and does it sound good? To which the only possible answers must be, respectively, without question and shit yeah.
Produced by Steve Albini, Celebration Castle is one of the cleanest and often straight-up prettiest-sounding albums from the In the Red label. Having toured almost constantly throughout 2004, the Ponys' playing here is taut and immaculately cohesive, and appropriately the album sports an engaging live-in-the-studio production.
Leading off with "Glass Conversation", a chiming guitar duel whose hypnotic soar nearly recalls classic Savage Republic, Celebration Castle works quickly through an impeccable set of songs with few excess moves. As on their debut, the oddly affected, semi-British vocals of singer-guitarist Jered Gummere continue to evoke those of Richard Hell, and here the group makes more judicious use of Farfisa, using it to provide strategic atmosphere as they make frequent use of additional guitars. This approach is particularly effective on tracks like the vibrantly melodic "Another Wound," or the pulsing, atmospheric "We Shot the World", a song whose central riff persistently threatens to morph into "Love Will Tear Us Apart" without actually managing to do so.
Other highlights include "She's Broken", which features an impressively forceful vocal turn from bassist Melissa Elias, and the closing "Ferocious", a consistently electrifying track that essentially serves as a concise summary of all things good in rock, especially as its primal thump gradually gives way a gorgeous sprawl of overdriven guitar. As with all of Celebration Castle's best moments, it's a performance spell-binding enough to have even the grouchiest garage connoisseur ready to forgive the Ponys their every trespass.
