Pixie Carnation: Fresh Poems EP

A bit of buzz surrounds Pixie Carnation as of late. With the band’s debut EP, Fresh Poems, it’s easy to understand why. Subscribing to expansive and warming Americana-infused rock over flash-in-the pan techniques, the Swedish band packs a mighty punch and uses the rising crescendos appearing on all five tracks with marvellous grace. The lead single, “When Did the Lights Go Out”, is the meatiest cut: Chugging guitars elevate the track from a simple piece of radio-ready rock to something out of Springsteen’s hidden playbook. Hooky, but never overbearing, Pixie Carnation sets a fine example for so many new bands, as it doesn’t fall into the clichéd sound that so many of the band’s countrymen have. Instead, the band relies on the music that inspired its members to serve as a solid foundation for an infectious EP.