London’s Pumarosa are five people. Five! They’re making rock and roll, but it’s not minimalistic like so many of their contemporaries. Nor is it Americana or mopey. In fact, Pumarosa feels wholly original. And these days, that’s rare. It starts with a windy soundscape, then hits a midtempo groove, heavy on the bassline, for a 1990s(ish) alt rock ballad, Dragonfly, but it builds into a crashing riff. But at other places it hits a more 2000s vibe—think Interpol—and moves with a Bronze vibe (the club from a Buffy the Vampire Slayer).
On The Witch, a song about being misunderstood that recalls the Salem Witch Trials, lead singer Isabel Munoz-Newsome wails about building a fire but also sings, “Sucking on a cigarette, even though I’m bored.” The lyrics are never what you expect.
This is a truly powerful album, and there’s nobody making music like this right now. Please buy it and support new music!
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