REVIEW: Pansy Division, Absurd Pop Song Romance (Lookout)
- Paul Hanson
Forget the hype. Just put it in a chest and deep-six it in the local ocean. Pansy Division are playing a pop/rock blend that is both interesting and playful, yet not musically deficient. Yes, the melodies are easy to hum and, for a band surrounded by hype regarding their sexual orientation, that is good: let the music stand on its own and let the chips fall wherever they may.
All that said, the latest PD release Absurd Pop Song Romance does a good job of twisting its way through just under an hour of material, kicking off with "February 17," which seems to be about a birthday. Thankfully, there's no corny "I forgot my girlfriend's birthday/She's going to kill me" style lyrics ala Paul Gilbert. With pounding drums and an upbeat tempo, "February 17" grabs the attention you didn't think you had. The following song, "Sweet Insecurity," might leave you confused. "Sweet" is an airy pop song, complete with two and three part backing vocals and handclaps. "I'll never Be the Same" follows and is closer to the style of "February 17."
So, is this an upbeat punk-pop band or sellout fodder for the local station that plays Backstreet Boys and awful Monica/Brandy songs? PD does not seem to know which way they should go, clearly alternating between pop and less-commercialized fluff.
And, if you can't dismiss the hype, you can blame a track like "Better off Just Friends" where the vocalist sings, "It was in the spring/ When we first met/ The time of year when young men's thoughts/ turn to other men." Yet, there is a subtle generalness to other songs. My favorite track is "Luv Luv Luv" with its lyrics "We're animals at the core/Instincts we can't ignore."
Overall, and finally, this is an enjoyable disc. I think they'd do themselves better to either be a pop band or the punk for which they're best known. This walking the tightrope sucks.
