Pony at Meteor

Pony / Talking Violet at Meteor July 23rd / $20 advanced / $25 door / 8pm doors

Contemplating the potential exorcism of a lifelong curse has never sounded so sweet. PONY is back with Clearly Cursed, an album that defies the odds of a psychic and transforms their grunge pop to its fully realized potential. As Sam Bielanski (founding member/singer-songwriter) explains, Clearly Cursed is directly inspired by their first visit to a psychic at the age of 21. “She read my tarot cards and told me boyfriend was cheating on me,” Bielanski says. “That was true. She also told me that I had a dark spirit attachment which she could easily vanquish if I paid her $1500. That was obviously out of my budget so I left and decided I would have to coexist with this dark spirit for the rest of my life.”

On Clearly Cursed, PONY’s founding members Bielanski and Matty Morand were joined by touring collaborators Christian Beale and Joey Ginald. The four worked with producer Alex Gamble, pushing PONY’s production and songwriting to a musical identity they’ve dreamed of creating since forming more than a decade ago. The resulting sound takes their signature glittery power pop and adds influences like The Cure, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Caroline Polachek, Janet Jacket, and more. It’s an album that hides its tender softness beneath layers of fuzz and fun, allowing listeners to further explore their technicolor world of possibilities.

The album comes following an extensive touring schedule that had PONY playing with acts like Jimmy Eat World, Drug Church, Militarie Gun, Pool Kids, MSPAINT, and more. Clearly Cursed is out February 13 on Take This To Heart Records. Clearly Cursed is PONY’s third album, following the previously released TV Baby and Velveteen.