It seems that when alternative music veterans get together, they normally get things right. At least Jeff Cloud (Starflyer 59, Joy Electric) and his Pony Express project further this notion. The lineup for the second full-length from the band is composed of Cloud, Jason Martin (Starflyer 59, Bon Voyage), Frank Lenz (Lassie Foundation, The Hot Stuff), Jason Dooley (MAP), and Richard Swift.
Originally, Becoming What You Hate was going to be an EP. However, the band cranked out eleven tracks and decided to make it a full-length release. Cloud made a good decision in giving the majority of the vocal duties to Martin, whose soothing voice gives the album the kind of feel that has made Starflyer 59 such a success.
Musically, it's not surprising to find that much of the album is comparable to Starflyer 59. There are also resemblances to another all-star band of sorts, Cush. However, Jeff Cloud did a good job in his songwriting to make sure that elements exist in the music to set Pony Express apart from the aforementioned bands. The biggest difference is that Cloud is not afraid to give a song a rather quirky feel ("GPA" and "Sister Says" are prime examples of this). Despite the efforts to give the band some originality on songs like this, the best tunes seem to be the melodious ones that make you think Starflyer. "Walking Tall," "Long Island," and "Behind the Walls" showcase the guitar and vocal prowess of Martin to great success. Musically, the album's best song is "Queen of Beirut." The tempo of the song is a bit different than you would normally find with Starflyer and the piano truly sets the song apart. Martin's vocals bring life to the lyrics Darling I love you, but I've got to leave. So just put your heart on my sleeve.
The album's lyrics are top-notch. All of the songs are about relationships in some form, whether friend or lover. Many of the songs Cloud has penned bear a note of sadness, but are all the more believable for it. "Long Island" expresses concern for a friend: You're just too drunk to drive home. You're just drunk enough to drive home. On "Behind the Walls" the lyrics do well at summing up the emotion of the entire album: And it has to be getting better because it can't get any worse... unless you think it can.
The only problem with the album comes with the fact that the eleven tracks last barely over thirty minutes. Pony Express is a good thing, we just need more of it.
4 tocks
Other coverage for this album
Decapolis April 2003Reviewed by BW DiederichThe layered, whispery vocals made me think I knew exactly what to expect from the new Pony Express record. In the past Jeff Cloud's baby has delivered intelligent and talented music under the radar of the majority of the world. Thankfully he's grown as a songwriter with each release while still mining similar territory. The first album sounded like a stripped down version of Starflyer 59 for the…Opus 2003Reviewed by Jason MoreheadBecoming What You Hate finds Pony Express' Jeff Cloud making his boldest move yet as a songwriter and musician. It's tempting to see Cloud in light of his affiliation with Starflyer 59 and (until recently) Joy Electric. It's easy to see him as simply the tall, quiet guy on bass or keyboards, or the man behind the underappreciated Velvet Blue Music. I do it all the time, and therein lies the risk…Similar sounding releases
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