Self-stylised “cowboy-grunge” band POLLY’s latest musical child ‘8-Track’, off their upcoming debut album Slump, is a must-listen for lovers of sneering post-eighties garage rockers like Sorry and Smashing Pumpkins. With coolly cynical vocals that bleed into a somewhat sinister and hypnotic guitar loop, and a hook that elevates the listener from a gentle toe-tap to a jumping head-bang at its choral climax, 8-Track serves as the perfect chaser to shots of ‘90s bedroom grunge. Citing Spaghetti Westerns as their musical muse, the single finds a steady source of energy in its mesmeric main riff (perhaps more like spaghetti hoops in its cyclicality) and builds off this base, never deviating, luring the listener into a narcotic state with its snake-charming rhythms.
With a look that melds a certain vintage class with broncobuster fit and flares, they build an idiosyncratic image around expired film, abandoned ranches, and the charisma of the antiquated, forging themselves a truly timeless identity whilst continuing to explore and experiment with their sound. One thing’s for sure; this ain’t POLLY’s first rodeo.
[Naomi Maeve – she/her]
[Image credit: POLLY]
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