Pom Poko - “Leg Day”

SXSW 2020 - OEB Score: 9; Popularity Index: 7

Pairs Well With…Deerhoof, Girlpool, Sheer Mag

Intense, jangly guitar rock form the basis of Pom Poko’s music, but instead of going for a modern rock or garage punk approach, their sound is consistently quirky and weird. Constantly changing with a prog-like mentality but recorded with DIY edge, Pom Poko’s music is equally challenging and catchy, dipping from hard rock to psych rock/pop territory on a dime. It’s something they often do within songs too like on “My Blood” and recent single “Leg Day”, transitioning from a vibrant, raucous verse into a paced, dream-pop chorus in a way that is far from jarring. Their balance of cerebral and visceral is impressive, propulsive post-punk densely produced, but including a subtle sense of patience to their eclectic songwriting. The Norwegian experimenters head to SXSW supporting their infectious rock debut Birthday and imaginably this sound translates great to the stage, rawly played and musically complex music that weirdly resonates.