Pony Girl - “Laura”

SXSW 2024 - OEB Score: 8; Popularity Index: 2

Pairs Well With…The War on Drugs, China Bears, My Morning Jacket

Pony Girl’s form of indie rock is warm and psychedelic, able to keep a catchy vibe while they explore carefully with synths and guitars alike. The Canadian duo’s fourth full-length came out last year and its an expectedly mature record that takes interesting turns track to track. Western motifs, auto-tune distortions, jazz saxophone, cinematic soundscapes - all find significant space on Laff It Off and Pony Boy have an ability to make these disparate influences come together smoothly. They are like a soft-rock band that can’t help themselves to get weird every thirty seconds or so, deceiving in their comfortability given how explorative they get on Laff It Off. When colors blend to create something new, creativity can sparkle and that’s the case here, even within the easy-listening atmosphere that Pony Girl encapsulates. Pony Girl showcases Thursday night at Swan Dive for Paper Bag Records. (Kevin McStravick)