This new EP by Pony Express exemplifies everything that Velvet Blue Music is, and is a much needed shot in the arm for the Christian music scene. J. Cloud (Starflyer, Joy Electric), J. Martin (Starflyer), and D. Mitchell go for the lo-fi on "Monkey Hearts". The overall sound of Pony Express lies somewhere in the realm of early 90's Guided By Voices, with a touch of Starflyer 59 (but only if they were doing covers of Sentridoh's home recordings). Seriously this album is as indie sounding as one can get.
Making this to be an EP saves the album. Had this been a full length, it would've worn itself. But like Stanley Kubrick does in movies, Pony Express does in music. They both are able to package up the abnormal in such a way that attracts the masses, and in 6 songs or less.
The opening track "Before You Were Everyone's" is a great song, and by far the most accessible one on the album. The loops, and dark bass line, coupled with breathy heavy vocals send us to the 80's. And "Pockets of Pearls" is a shoe gazing guitar track that would make Mazzy Star cry. The rest of the album is disheveled, unstructured, and dark. Monkey Hearts could be on the Natural Born Killers soundtrack and nobody would know the difference.
It's totally a break from the other bands they play with, and it's a side of their artistry that is worth displaying. Definitely not for the mainstream fans but for those with a taste for DIY, lo-fi, or pure rock it's worth hitting up. Maybe if this album sells like crazy, Jeff Cloud will be able to take Velvet Blue Music up a notch (look at the packaging/CD/buttons and you'll see what I mean)
Other coverage for this album
Bandoppler 2000Reviewed by Earl CampbellEssentially yet another side project for Jeff Cloud and Jason Martin, with support from various other kings of indie-rock, Pony Express initially comes across as a more ambitious Starflyer 59. Make sure you listen to Monkey Hearts at least three times before resigning it to the tangent bin, though, because when your mind's ear starts to register the courageous sonic diversity, and subtle…Opus 2000Reviewed by Nolan ShigleyWalk out to use the restroom and you'll probably miss this entire EP (which clocks in at just over 14 minutes). Jeff Cloud's love for EPs is evident again in the abbreviated Monkey Hearts and gives us a glimpse of what Velvet Blue's head man sounds like. If you took the time to read our interview with him, which takes longer to read than it does to listen to Monkey Hearts, you'd pretty much know…Similar sounding releases
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