LOS ANGELES, CA- The Australian psych-rock veterans of Pond returned last week with a propulsive, ’80s-inspired studio album, Terrestrials. Its fourth single, “Skyworks,” heralded the album’s release the day before it dropped, offering a big, bright sound that begs to be heard with your car windows down and your stereo cranked to 11; fitting for the band’s 11th studio release.
For Terrestrials, Pond set some restrictions for themselves, according to the album’s press materials. Namely, no fuzz pedals… a hallmark of the genre, but not for this record. Also, no ballads. They wanted to channel ’80s Australiana, they said, “acid-washed with the eyeliner-stained post-punk of Sisters Of Mercy, Magazine and the like.”
The result was the standout album opener “Skyworks,” a song with undeniable groove, especially considering it references the fireworks display on Australia Day. For all of us non-Aussies, it’s a holiday that marks the arrival of the British in Australia in 1788; a celebration that has sparked discussion over time. The clamor of the fireworks could be reminiscent of cannons and muskets, frontman Nick Allbrook told Rolling Stone Australia, calling it “a confusing time for a confused people.”
A hint of that tension comes through in the track’s synths, but even so, it’s an earworm you can already hear ringing out from sun-drenched festival stages, propelled by bright bursts of guitar, punchy riffs, and Allbrook’s urgent vocals.
The chorus of “Skyworks,” in particular, is irresistible, and it’s made even better by its use of a bridge; a classic songwriting feature that is, tragically, heard less and less, despite remaining one of my favorite musical devices. Here, Allbrook detours into a sincere reminder that, in spite of all the country’s “doubt and buried pains,” he loves Australia. And, as with any good bridge, that temporary shift in the song’s emotional landscape makes the return of the chorus feel euphoric. I set aside the lyrics in my head and bumped the volume higher. Your mileage with air drumming may vary.
While Kevin Parker of Tame Impala… whose touring band has long shared a revolving door with Pond… has a production credit on one track, the album diverges from Parker’s latest work. As welcome as their collaboration is, it’s also refreshing to see collaborators carve out distinct musical paths rather than being relegated to the role of “side band” to other acts on the festival poster.
Still, “Skyworks” feels quintessentially Pond, albeit a leaner, meaner version, proving they can do just as much with less. Their last release, 2024’s Stung!, ran roughly 54 minutes, while Terrestrials clocks in at just shy of 38.
We’re looking forward to digging into the full album, released June 19. Pond will tour the United States beginning in July, including a run of dates opening for Djo.
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