The phrase might be a little generically applied in this case, but if you’re a band who make music in amongst the grist of psychedelia, releasing a double album is something of a cliche. But then again the members of Pond are variously part of or mates with the likes of fellow Aussie scene heads Tame Impala, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard and the Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, so it’s a cap that doesn’t fit too badly.
Stung! is a sprawling, fourteen song project where the quintet’s last four releases had all been trimmed of self indulgent fat, but the space to breath here is for the most part used to entertaining effect. As if to illustrate the point the album’s opening five numbers all veer off towards their respective individual horizons, with the title track – named so as an in-joke about being dumped – an infectious straight shooting boogie.
As with many trials-by-songwriting ambition sometimes outstrips ideas, but Elephant Gun, Boys Don’t Crash, and the consciously over the top closer Fell From Grace With The Sea all score high marks. The centerpiece though is Edge Of The World Pt. 3, a masterfully overblown wig-out that will have listeners wondering where parts one and two lurk. Those outback roads are long and dusty, and usefully for those camper van road trips Stung! is both your good time and your long time.
You can read a full review here.
The Voice Of Unreason 