Juicy and jagged
Ronson is a juicy, experimental mix of post-punk-math-indie-rock, brimming over with awkward rhythms and jagged riffs; it's a playful record with some qualities that might remind you of 90s bands like Pavement and Dinosaur Jr but it also feels grounded firmly in the here and now. The brilliant Jesse's Fashion Show for instance has elements of this off kilter college/alt-rock feel, but move further in and you might be reminded more of Cursive's skewed but heavier riffs and intelligent melodies, what a heady mix it is.
Opener Three Little Chickens sports woozy guitar work and stuttering, changeable drums along with some cheeky little snippets of melody, it keeps you on your toes but charms at the same time and that really is the feel throughout this record . At times this album reminds me of the first time I heard Les Savy Fav, Grass is Green have the same easy feel, but whilst not being mainstream accessible they manage to combine super catchiness with a manic edge of quirky jaggedness - tracks like Nice Guy Of The Year Award are perky and upbeat for the most part but have moments where dark/gritty undertones seep through. The short sharp and manic Dance Punk Revival School For Kids comes off like a slightly more schizophrenic yourcodenameis:milo - great melody on this one and Riff Sibling is one of the highlights of the album; a simple but effective opening riff leads to sing along inducing shouts and a steady foot stomping pace, add on skewed stop start moments and blasts of squealing feedback and you're on to a winner (well you are in my book).
Ronson is full of great moments, it doesn't let you get complacent but also never steps too far outside that distinctive Grass Is Green feel, making for a cohesive and thoroughly enjoyable experience.