On their short 5-song debut EP, Soft Right, Pet Lions manages to move listeners through a variety of distinct sounds. The EP begins with "Roman History," a gleeful pop song reminiscent of a guitar driven Squeeze, complete with Difford and Tilbrook-esque harmonies; pure pop joy accompanied by a 60's-style wall of sound. "Propeller Plane" and "Stuck at the Bottom" slide towards more standard post-punk fare. Angular guitar squawks and stories about hipster boys and girls inevitably lead to comparisons with the Strokes. Soft Right closes on a high note with "I Will Take You Down" and "Girls of Athens"; two songs that hint at a grittier, more expansive sound. Long bridges with noisy guitar work provide a wider landscape across which both songs find room to breathe and evolve, lending a jammier, more experimental feel. As the EP comes to a close, the question is which version of Pet Lions will show up for its full-length debut? Whichever decides to come to the party, the results should be promising.
--George Dow [November 2, 2009]
