It probably does not get more pop on our blog this week, or even this year, than the third PONY record Clearly Cursed, but right now I simply cannot resist its sugary hooks. Sam Bielanski and Matty Norand have appeared on the wantlist before with their side projects Heavenly Sweetheart and Pretty Matty, but honestly, their main show deserves a spot as well.

Clearly Cursed is a half hour of college radio hits with a high chance of bubbling over into the mainstream or landing on a late-night TV stage. The band’s grungy alt-pop is that appealing, that smooth, that seductive.

At a more cynical time, I probably would have dismissed a band like this for being too polished, too accessible, or too closely tied to pop gloss. That would have been my loss. This is music that takes zero effort to appreciate, but what impresses me most is that after the initial sugar rush, the shine does not wear off. Its pull only gets stronger with every listen.

Clearly Cursed is out now on Take This To Heart Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Take This To Heart