One has to wonder why fruits and vegetables have not been incorporated into more band names. With the plethora of animal related band names, you’d think someone would take note of what those animals were eating.
Obviously Cincinnati band Pomegranates were wise to this line of thinking when they formed in late 2006.
Despite a relatively short year and a half of existence, Pomegranates already have two releases under their belt.
The most recent, “Everything Is Alive,” shows what the band is capable of. They manage to be fun but never cutesy, smart but never smug, and familiar yet completely fresh.
Clocking in at barely 30 minutes, “Everything is Alive” is ridiculously short, and its breezy vibe makes it feel even shorter, leaving the listener wanting more after it ends.
“Everything Is Alive” begins with a short, atmospheric intro and then launches into the infectious “Who/Whom.” It’s crunchy, catchy, and above all else, fun. The song’s breezy attitude continues throughout the rest of the record without any sort of lapse.
The album’s highlight is “Late Night Television,” in which vocalist Joey Cook sings of waiting up late at night, wondering what his supposed girlfriend is doing.
It’s a simple relationship song, but one with a completely fresh take.
“Thunder Island” is another superb track. Its tropical drum breakdown makes it stand out on an album of standout tracks.
Though Cook handles the majority of vocal duties, guitarist Isaac Kerns can also be heard quite often. Cook has a more feminine, poppy voice, while Kerns uses a more traditional rock sound.
The vocalists never trade off of each other, but instead each have their own song segments, which allow them to stretch out and create their own unique sound.
The album has a grittiness about it not often found in records of this sort. Small imperfections pop up throughout, but they give the record character.
Much of this is probably because that the album was recorded and mixed in the span of six days.
There’s an urgency present that would have been lacking had the band used the luxury of more time in the studio.
The claim could be made that Pomegranates are simply grabbing a hold of the current indie rock trend led by bands such as Modest Mouse and Vampire Weekend, but their strong songwriting and fresh vibe gives the band their own ground to stand on.
