SF three-piece Pono celebrate the release of their third album — as well as the city that inspires them. Along with samples of San Francisco noises, Indie Rock to the Blues incorporates kazoos, live show excerpts, and political commentary. Their eclecticism mirrors the diverse artists they're compared to: the Velvet Underground, Magnetic Fields, Air and Liz Phair. With their quirky experimentation, Pono aim to surprise. They are a band gleefully out of control. (CT)
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Considering that San Francisco can claim birthright to the Residents and Negativeland, it's not much of a surprise to find a 415 area code on Pono's Indie Rock to the Blues. For its third album, Pono continues in the vein of their first two releases, with a bluesy foundation that slips purposefully but chaotically into a noisy pop miasma. "Grace" starts like it could have been translated from Eno's "Another Green World" demos then lurches into quirky post-modern pop deconstructionism (does anyone remember Fetchin' Bones?), while "New Defense System?" offers a similar soundtrack punctuated with samples of children's toys, electronic blipage and snippets of television news and drama (and it's the same thing, right?). 

 

Atonal string arrangement, kazoo, angular guitar screed, pulsing ambience, bean pod shakers and electronic gizmodgery are all integral parts of Pono's fascinating lo-fi sonic collage.

-Brian Baker
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Obscure brand new release that my hands and ears have come across.

I only hoped the rest of the album was as interesting as the cover suggested... and it is! It's like Enon-meets-Bjork and extremely fun to listen to.
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"Indie Rock To The Blues" is a very different record, for it follows one superb concept from beginning to end, the idea being an experiment on how what we call the indie sound can be mixed with the blues.   
 
On this record r'n'r and r'n'b have become one unique element. Pono's songs could start a new trend that would have people inventing new words and labels for describing it. 

Since there's no such term, let us expand: the music contains the edges and the sensibilities (with the focus on the latter) of a noise pop band, combining them with the voluptuousness and sensuality of the blues. In a sense, Pono are for r'n'b what Portishead are for soul, and they do everything without the drama, but with an adventurous and playful spirit instead.    

Pono are a band that give generous doses of ingenious music hitting you with emotion and keeping you guessing for what's next.
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