Pony Girl is indie “art rock” band based in Ottawa/Hull (Quebec) Canada. Canada. They just released their third album Enny One Wil Love You,  their first album released with the help of Paper Bag Records. Paper Bag Records is an independent record label that “only releases much that we love”. They’ve been “selling formatted music to other human beings for over fifteen years.” The label truly prides themselves on releasing unique projects. Pony Girl is based in Hull, a cozy small town, perhaps best known for the Canadian Museum of History. 

They’re shaking up this quiet town with their experimental approach to pop music. They combined elements of electronica, synth-wave, and indie rock. They write about a distaste for 9-5 jobs and online shopping. They criticize consumerism and pop culture in the same way that visual pop-artists do. Their lead singers Pascal Huot and Yolande Laroche create something truly unique with their lyrics. They’re backed by guitarist Julien Dussault, bassist Greggory Clark, and drummer Mili Hong.

It’s been seven years since the group released their first album Foreign Life in 2015. This new album isn’t unlike their first album, with their “unpredictable and dynamic songwriting style”. I think they manage to consistently surprise the listener. The band even said they’re pushed their limits and expectations for this record.

The band has this to say about the album: 

“Running in Circles’ goes as heavy as your fantasies about killing your boss. We drew from all the jobs we never really cared for, all the shitty bosses we fled, and all the lows of the dead-end job cycle. It’s a towering, personal song that we wish wasn’t so relatable.”

This album examines the negative cycles that we all fall back into. It’s self sabotage if you don’t learn from your own mistakes. “We’re always crashing the same car in some form or another”. In a world where most people paint themselves as the protagonist, Pony Girl is painting a picture of imperfect characters.

The album also has a narrative of changing this imperfect character and finally learning from your own mistakes. I want to note that the album is pretty diverse from song to song, they delivered on their promise. The song that is really taking off on the album is “Age Of Anxious” which is a sort of chill. My favorite part might be the saxophone.

Overall, I appreciate their stylistic use of humor and cultural criticism. I also really appreciate their diverse take on alternative pop music.

Follow Pony Girl on Instagram.