Chicago’s very own Poi Dog Pondering is back with their seventh studio album (their first since 2003) simply titled 7. To be completely honest (though) I’m not sure how many people even know of the band outside Chicago, but here in Chicago, the band can sell out almost any venue they might choose to play.
Back in the summer of 1995 (I think) I remember watching Poi Dog Pondering perform at Chicago’s annual 4th of July concert in Grant Park as a steamy rain poured from the sky and, at that moment, the band was electric and may as well have been the biggest band in the world. I liked Poi Dog’s mid 1990’s albums Volo Volo and Pomegranete quite a bit but then lost track of the band for many years. But judging from 7, not a whole lot has really changed in all those years.
Front man Frank Orrall and his band of merrymakers are still pumping out the same eclectic and worldly but universally approachable dance-inflected pop-rock that they seemingly always have. Orrall’s wordplay is still as full of sexual metaphor as it always has been but it all just seems a bit stale on 7 and somehow his heavy-handed poetics just don’t resonate with me anymore. The music just seems less energetic than it was back then. But maybe the only thing that’s changed is me.
Even so, 7 is still wonderfully played and orchestrated pop-rock with easy melodies but is just something that I’m not ready to embrace. Playful and soulful but a little too safe. It is a sound made for ears that are much more complacent than mine, but perhaps one day I’ll catch up to the band again.
MP3 | Poi Dog Pondering – From This Moment On 7
MP3 | Poi Dog Pondering – Rusted Weather 7
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yeah, looooved poi dog back in the day. believe it or not i saw them (mostly frank and co.) in hawaii in the 80’s as ‘hat makes the man’ and i knew that fella was on to something. my fave memory of poi dog though was outside of the cubby bear (or maybe it was the metro – i forget) in like 1990 or so on a crazy snowy night and while the crowd waited outside in line, the band came out and played a few songs on a snow bank to help keep our freezin’ arses warm. one of my favorite rock memories in my young rock history. thank you poi dog! new songs sound good. gonna have to check out the new one… cheers, michael
People outside of Chicago know Poi Dog but you have to be “of a certain age.” Loved them early on. Great to know they are still together.
Still love their song The Sound of Water. Shout out from Ireland, of all places to have heard of Poi Dog Pondering (transplanted Californian though)
Another non-Chicago-based Poi fan. They spent considerable time in Austin and saw ‘em rock everyone in SF sweaty. Great live! Must see.