Xoxo Panda And The New Kid Revival

Layered indie pop full of catchy lyrics & rhythms from Bay Area artist Marc Bianchi. He’s dropped the electronic emphasis of past efforts, but his careful arrangement remains in the use of live instruments – banjo, mandolin, and glockenspiel along with the guitar/bass/drum basics. A mixed bag: there’s some good stuff in here, but the overall lack of depth left me unimpressed. Try #1, 7, 9, 10, 14.

1.** Very catchy rhythm: drums, tambourine & lots of clapping. Upbeat lyrics with dark undertones.
2.Banjo & plodding rhythm, folky.
3.Slow, melancholic. Lyrics about parting ways.
4.Tune that never quite reaches the joyful heights the song is about.
5.Kinda frenetic with pounding organ, drums & more clapping. Sound doesn’t match lyrics.
6.Tepid folk tune with bouncy vocals.
7.**Good solid pop. Cute love song.
8.Begins soft, electric guitars punctuate lyrics at end.
9.*Gentle, tender vocals & acoustic guitar.
10.*Rockin’ with harmonica, electric guitar. Good, full sound.
11.Slightly theatrical, kinda bland.
12.Punky pop. Distant vocals subsumed by heavy drums. Some crazy organ riffage toward end.
13.Doo wop rhythm, mostly spoken vocals, some nice whistling.
14.*Upbeat, a bit jangly, return to elements of album’s first track.