Fans of indie rock can roughly be sorted into two categories: Those who have the new Pardoner record Came Down Different already penciled in their album-of-the-year lists and those who haven’t heard the record yet. Sure, this may be a bit of a hyperbole but it’s hard to find fault in the record. Came Down Different is the band’s third full-length, and their first for Bar/None Records. The record showcases Pardoner at their most concise, coherent and consistent selves yet, possibly aided by a short recording window: Came Down Different was recorded in just two days with producer Jack Shirley (Jeff Rosenstock, Joyce Manor), and that was right before the pandemic started – I’m pretty sure we will see an avalanche of postponed releases now that bands starting to see the possibility of actually touring again. There is a natural flow to the record, and the songs are short and sweet (e.g., listen to 70 second earworm I Wanna Get High To The Music), leaving you wanting more. They have that cool indie rock slacker vibe, but not at the expense of songwriting and musicianship. Plenty of hits (Donna Said, Spike, Broadway – I could go on…), noise (Lucky Day), and catharsis (Fuck You!) on this one. Talk to you later, I am going to give it another spin.
Pingback: New album: Pardoner || Peace Loving People – Add To Wantlist