(myspace.com/pomegranatesart)Pomegranates – Everything is Alive
(http://www.lujorecords.com)Lujo Records
Indie pop with an experimental yet natural feel.
The fruits named pomegranates are tangy, satisfying, and sweet. As it turns out, this description is also fitting for the band Pomegranates. On their first full-length album Everything is Alive, this new band delivers indie-pop with a fresh and bright sound. They have a knack for writing big-sounding songs that still feel intimate and personal, since many of them were recorded live.
The album opens with the overly fuzzy, lo-fi, psychedelic and swirling “Transportation,” but soon the album really gets started with “Whom/Who.” This song has an immediacy much more accessible than “Transportation,” with a catchy, attention-grabbing beginning. However, as “Whom/Who” develops, it becomes clear that it is much more than a catchy pop ditty. It expands into soaring melodies that have an epic feel, and ends with punchy accents.
“The Bellhop” differs from some of the danceable tracks on Everything is Alive by giving off a more laid-back and light vibe. It is tender and heartfelt, but never gets too cutesy. “The Bellhop” may not stand out at first listen of the album, but it is sure to attract notice after a few initial plays. The unique, reflective and smart lyrics are sung in a high, clear voice that really grows on the listener. Much of the same can also be said for “Desert Hymn,” a meditative, sparsely-instrumented, soothing song about faith.
However, most of the songs on this album are full, fun, and charming, like the rollicking “Appreciations” and the up-tempo “Thunder Island,” which keep the pace of Everything is Alive going.
The closer “Thunder Meadow” finishes by putting a strong cap on the album. There are many peaks and valleys, but they flow seamlessly together. Pomegranates play on their strengths by flowing between big, grand moments and quiet intimacy with ease, much like the rest of the album. “Thunder Meadow” seems to be like a mini-version of Everything is Alive.
When it ends, the listener is left feeling satisfied with the album’s completeness, but also ready to listen to the whole thing over again.
Megan Morgan
Pomegranates– Two Eyes EP
Lujo Records
Spunky indie artists make eclectic and whimsical dreams come true: bliss!
Listening to “The Children’s Progress” off Pomegranates’ Two Eyes EP reminded me of a recent finding from NASA. Scientists saw a sight never before seen but magnificent in its uniqueness: a black hole randomly shot a jet stream into the center of a neighboring galaxy. Though this event may not affect us Earth dwellers, it will have consequences for thousands of years in that far-off galaxy. Even being able to witness it is an extraordinary experience. Pomegranates’ sound is very similar to this otherworldly occurrence: in a genre where many indie artists can be overlooked, Pomegranates are making their music truly eye catching and ear popping.
I say eye-popping because without ever seeing them I can already imagine the jet streams they must shoot into the atmosphere when they perform. Especially in “Osidius the Emphatic” I see the soulful claps and stomps, as well as the bells going off not only on stage but in one’s head: “Holy shit! Is this an orchestra from space or am I dreaming?!”
One could even relate the Pomegranates’ style to the astounding and avant garde films from Michel Gondry. Gondry missed out when creating the soundtrack to his 2006 offering The Science of Sleep, because Pomegranates’ music would have fit perfectly. The music is lively, jumpy, dream-like and otherworldly, just like Sleep.
This five song EP exudes many colorful emotions and yet keeps direction in a way many indie artists fail to. Where thousands of indie rockers try to be different only a handful can actually do it; only a few can truly make Earthlings dream of stars and jet streams. Pomegranates is one of those bands.
“Why do I look at the sky?” is screamed colorfully in “Osidius the Emphatic”; refer to Pomegranates’ Two Eyes EP for further illuminations!
Marilyse Diaz
mjork@independentclauses.com
