Peace Loving People

San Francisco quartet Pardoner continue their melange of noisy experimentation and melodic slacker pop on their fourth album, Peace Loving People. While the band have always brought disparate elements together with their sound, their jagged patchwork aesthetic has never been quite as on the surface as it is with some of Peace Loving Peoples more jarring left turns. "Are You Free Tonight?" starts out sounding like lazy indie rock, but at exactly the halfway point, it switches into a blasting assault of ripping hardcore. This high-powered rage spills over into the beginning of "Deadbeat" (a song with sarcastic lyrics mocking trust-fund punk poseurs) and reappears on occasion throughout the rest of the album as Pardoner weaves between different styles, often changing lanes without notice. This includes enthusiastic college rock tunes like "My Wagon" or "Cruel Gun" (one of several songs thats greatly enhanced by guest vocal contributions from Sinclair Riley of the Shes), Devo-esque nervy riffing meeting faux sock-hop posturing on "Short Song," laconic 90s-style alternative pop on "Dreamings Free" and several other tunes, and even paisley underground-modeled psych touches on "Get Inside!". As with previous releases, Pardoners wild swings from low-energy indie daydreaming to angry hardcore screaming somehow gel into a unified whole. Quick switches in style end up making sense in Peace Loving Peoples bigger picture, feeling like a natural part of a cohesive larger statement rather than annoying disruptions. Pardoners controlled playing and the considered design of the album make Peace Loving People a wild ride thats exciting to come along on, even during its most erratic twists and turns. ~ Fred Thomas