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The Oxygen Ponies - Harmony Handgrenade
Opening with a mellow acoustic guitar and raw, whispery vocals, Love Yr Way is a modern lullaby, hinting at a Seasick Steve slowie, surprisingly building to an orchestral magnitude with a screeching guitar solo.
Harmony Handgrenade is the second album from The Oxygen Ponies, their self-titled debut being released way back in 2006. Harmony Handgrenade sees special guests and backing artists joining Brooklyn-based Paul Megna in his new release.
The War Is Over, brings together Paul Megna’s grimy voice and female backing, as well as lone horn to his catchy and dramatic sound. Emotions are clear and frank, but not lost in his perfectly-balanced and upbeat work. This is folk-pop at its best with possibe influences cited as Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan and Jesus And The Mary Chain.
Title track Harmony Handgrenade is surprisingly one of the weaker tracks on the album – it’s a gentle one, but is lost in the rest of the album’s quest for redemption. Grab Yr Gun is a melancholy musing – all of the songs are drawn from Megna’s life experiences. Tryna Get To Heaven is a rising and fierce number, with soaring chords complementing the gritty vocals and snarling guitars throughout.
- The Oxygen Ponies
- Harmony Handgrenade (2009)
- Category: Album
- Label: Hidden Target Records
- Reviewed by: dearbarbie
- Published on: 18 May 2009
- Comments: 0
- Beat Surrender Rating:
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Add to favouritesA breezy and timeless collection if I may, with stand-out tracks being Love Yr Way and The War Is Over. Megna’s jaded outlook certainly adds to this album’s aura, pessimism does not often sound so good.
The Oxygen Ponies will be at Oxfordshire’s Truck Festival on July 26th, before a London date on July 28th.
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