Malachi Constant: Pride

Direct from Minnesota come Malachi Constant, a group that has continued to evolve over the course of its three albums and eight years as a unit. And it’s interesting that this evolution defines the opening “Quid Pro Quo (or) Class Action”, a quirky pop tune that slows to a piano-fuelled crawl before gathering steam again, while “The Traditions” is a similar odd but effective indie-meets-surf rock number. The first “mainstream” kind of song is the hi-hat-heavy, dance-friendly “Princess Billionaire” that soars effortlessly then veers into another realm altogether. Although sounding nothing like them, fans of groups like Spoon would love this band, because everything is simple but still large at the same time. A prime example is the polished and steady “Coquette on Horse”. Just as often, the band opts for Sonic Youth-like experimentation, as during the high-flying “Blueshammer”, but ends with a thud. A couple of these songs seem unfinished, especially “Sex Fantasy” and the soft, gentle “Telekinesis”. And “Keith on All Fours” sounds like some sort of Sloan-ish punk that is simply a waste of time.