by Torrey Proto
On their rambunctious and irreverent third LP Came Down Different, San Francisco punks Pardoner bring their noisy sound into focus. Hidden under their layers of feedback and distorted guitars are some damn fine pop songs. The same could be said about their debut record Uncontrollable Salvation and its criminally overlooked follow-up Playin’ on a Cloud, but this time around, the trio allow the melodies to peak through their signature wall of sound a bit more. With a knowing wink, Pardoner dare you to hit repeat.
Pardoner’s maturity and dynamic approach is apparent all over Came Down Different. Songs range from scathing noise-punk, to lo-fi balladry, to scrappy and infectious alt rock, to effects-pedal driven madness and everything in between without overextending themselves. The band’s ability to explore different tones and moods in a short time span speaks to their strength as a unit as well as their ability to balance out the rougher edges of their sound with downright pretty instrumentals. This approach is used to devastating effect on brilliant sludge pop anthem “Donna Said.” Vocalist and guitarist Max Freeland poignantly pokes fun at the pitfalls of his own profession in his signature half-spoken, half-sung vocal delivery with biting self-aware lines like “because I want the money / oh yeah, I want it bad / when you got feelings and guitar, you wanna trade it for cash.” Despite the self-deprecation, the song’s standout chorus and hard-won optimism makes it abundantly clear that Pardoner are in the right place.
They prove to be sly songwriters, as the album’s sequencing and lyrical themes hint at upon close inspection. The dead-end daydream escapism of another catchy early album highlight “I Wanna Get High to the Music” is quickly interrupted by the ferocity of “Spike,” which finds Freeland narrating the familiar feeling of being abused for profit: “Feet on the desk, boss in the chair / carried the coffee up three flights of stairs / he drove up in an electric car / I’m pinching pennies to fix the guitar.” However, the best example of the band’s growth lies in Came Down’s subversive centerpiece “Lucky Day.” The slow burning ballad unfolds gorgeously, with the band sounding as quietly self-assured as Yo La Tengo at their best before an abrupt burst of noise and screamed vocals shocks the senses like a panic attack interrupting relaxation. You’d be forgiven for thinking this is another song altogether until the familiar dreamy guitar leads of the song’s intro return.
It’s hard to imagine experiments like this sticking on earlier releases, but Pardoner radiate the confidence to pull them off with aplomb throughout the album’s thirty minute runtime. Though their freewheeling approach leads to a joyously messy and occasionally dizzying set of songs, Came Down Different is all the better for it. The album plays like a well-thought out victory lap for a band that’s come a long way from its humble beginnings.