The Ponsonby DC's - That's What All The Girls Say!
2008, EMI Music
I struggled with how to classify The Ponsonby DC's for my readers, and then I realized that many of you may have heard their cult classic G'Day Mate. Release in 1986, G'Day Mate was something of a novelty splash in the US, as well as in the band's native New Zealand. Like most Americans I know little of the New Zealand Psyche, but The Ponsonby DC's did as much to define New Zealanders for US audiences as the Jacko did to provide us a national consciousness of Australians. For good or for ill, The Ponsonby DC's decided in 2007 to have an in-studio reunion without much rehearsal or forethought, just to see how it would go. I am happy to report that the resulting album, entitled That's What All The Girls Say!, is more than we could have even hoped for.
The Ponsonby DC's are comprised of Gavin Buxton (Polyvocal Hyper Jive, The Membranes); Keith Dion (Corsica, 3:05 AM, Martial Law); Jay Foulkes (The Finn Brothers, Bic Runga, Martial Law, Shona Laing) and Christ Watts (The Newmatics). Accordingly The Ponsonby DC's are something of a super group. If you can imagine The Beautiful South having their genes spliced with They Might Be Giants and Wilco then you'll have a vague idea of the sound here.
That's What All The Girls Say! is a sonic treat of 16 songs mixing mellow rock, Americana and reggae with humor and panache. Highlights include Pluto's Not A Planet Anymore, Girls!, Pink Flamingo (McCartney), Eat Dirt and Little Baby You're Mine. Above and beyond highlights, check out Son Of A Street Fighting Man, which may be one of the finest pop songs I've heard this year.
Interestingly enough I didn't like this disc on first listen. I popped in a couple of weeks ago got about five songs in and took it out. I don't know if it was a mood thing or the fact that I was at work and not able to give it full attention, but I was more than pleasantly surprised when I sat down to listen to it again and found myself enjoying it like crazy. The moral of the story is to give That's What All The Girls Say! a couple of listens before passing judgment. It's just got this great groove to it that draws you in and holds on tight. The Ponsonby DC's have made a special album, almost by accident. This is definitely a disc you want in your collection.
2008, EMI Music
I struggled with how to classify The Ponsonby DC's for my readers, and then I realized that many of you may have heard their cult classic G'Day Mate. Release in 1986, G'Day Mate was something of a novelty splash in the US, as well as in the band's native New Zealand. Like most Americans I know little of the New Zealand Psyche, but The Ponsonby DC's did as much to define New Zealanders for US audiences as the Jacko did to provide us a national consciousness of Australians. For good or for ill, The Ponsonby DC's decided in 2007 to have an in-studio reunion without much rehearsal or forethought, just to see how it would go. I am happy to report that the resulting album, entitled That's What All The Girls Say!, is more than we could have even hoped for.
The Ponsonby DC's are comprised of Gavin Buxton (Polyvocal Hyper Jive, The Membranes); Keith Dion (Corsica, 3:05 AM, Martial Law); Jay Foulkes (The Finn Brothers, Bic Runga, Martial Law, Shona Laing) and Christ Watts (The Newmatics). Accordingly The Ponsonby DC's are something of a super group. If you can imagine The Beautiful South having their genes spliced with They Might Be Giants and Wilco then you'll have a vague idea of the sound here.
That's What All The Girls Say! is a sonic treat of 16 songs mixing mellow rock, Americana and reggae with humor and panache. Highlights include Pluto's Not A Planet Anymore, Girls!, Pink Flamingo (McCartney), Eat Dirt and Little Baby You're Mine. Above and beyond highlights, check out Son Of A Street Fighting Man, which may be one of the finest pop songs I've heard this year.
Interestingly enough I didn't like this disc on first listen. I popped in a couple of weeks ago got about five songs in and took it out. I don't know if it was a mood thing or the fact that I was at work and not able to give it full attention, but I was more than pleasantly surprised when I sat down to listen to it again and found myself enjoying it like crazy. The moral of the story is to give That's What All The Girls Say! a couple of listens before passing judgment. It's just got this great groove to it that draws you in and holds on tight. The Ponsonby DC's have made a special album, almost by accident. This is definitely a disc you want in your collection.
Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)
You can learn more about The Ponsonby DC’s at http://www.corsicaband.com/. Keep checking back for purchase information!
You can learn more about The Ponsonby DC’s at http://www.corsicaband.com/. Keep checking back for purchase information!
Posts
1 comment:
Thanks for giving the album a second listen & thanks for the thoughtful review Wildy. It's a thrill to have somebody on the other side of the planet listen to my songs and get it.
Gavin Buxton
The Ponsonby DC's
buxton-blue@xtra.co.nz
Post a Comment