Click on the link here for Audio Player – Pond – Giant Tortoise – single
With the current scene in Australia overflowing with the likes of Tame Impala, Jagwar Ma and scores of others, you get the impression there must be something happening with the water supply, as the influence of Trippy and Mind-Melting are pretty all -pervasive.
Which is great. Never having outgrown my love and affection for Psych, I find the current state of musical affairs in Australia refreshing, vital and exciting.
Pond, from best as I can gather, is a sort of hybrid/off-shoot/side-project of the folks from Tame Impala. There are lot of similar elements – but Pond is an entity on its own, albeit an ever-changing one. There are also two Pond’s – one studio and one live. Which is a little like the setup with Tame Impala and Jagwar Ma.
But Pond have blazed trails on their own. Their 2012 debut album prompted NME to name them “Hottest New Band In The World”, and they have collaborated with a number of people, including doing a one-off performance featuring former Can singer Damo Suzuki, whom Pond consider one of their biggest influences (I knew I loved those guys!) and inspirations.
Tonight’s track, Giant Tortoise was a single issued in February of 2013 and is off their latest album Hobo Rocket. It perfectly illustrates what Pond are all about, and is a good introduction to a band who have already been spotted playing gigs in the U.S., including a performance at SXSW in 2012.
Pond are currently on tour in Europe, scheduled to play Primavera Sound in Barcelona at the end of the month and several other gigs between then and the end of June.
Pond continues to astound – don’t miss them if they come to the States again, later this year.
