Pontiak - Living [Thrill Jockey - 2010]For the record, I've never been much for bands named after cars. Of course one time in my life I did drive a Pontiac, certainly not one of my favorite kind of vehicles. I wouldn't mind a band called Studebaker though... (Now THAT car had some class!) This band Pontiak, from smalltown Virginia, have a quite retro 70s sound to it, but with more of a 90s grunge vibe. Their website boasts that they're "the sort of band that rattles organs out of alignment with their impossibly loud live show." I smell Grand Funk Railroad here (and no I'm not saying it's necessarily a bad thing.) "Second Sun" is interesting because the guitars are a bit more sparse and spacey with lots of reverb, leading to some acoustic strumming segueing to the next track and some Pink Floyd style vocals and organ. And then on "Lemon Lady" it turns into a total 60s-style freak-out until it's back to the usual heavy riff stuff. So indeed Pontiak are hard rock, but with enough of their freak on to be engaging. Bet they're worth seeing live...    Lawrence J. Patti
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