Orville Peck
Show Pony


4.5
superb

Review

by Sowing STAFF
August 15th, 2020 | 74 replies


Release Date: 2020 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Legends never die.

Orville Peck sounds like nobody else in the country music scene right now. He’s fused the genre with post-punk and dreamy soundscapes while building it all around that uniquely booming voice of his – which is capable of carrying just about any song to dramatic and soulful heights. His 2019 debut LP Pony made it clear that Orville Peck is not aiming to become the (masked) face of country music, but rather change it from beneath its vastly rigid and mainstream surface. Show Pony is his follow-up EP, and it proves that he’s not merely content with planting his flag and walking away.

Show Pony grants listeners even more variety as Orville Peck opens up the curtains to his infinitely promising future just a little bit wider. Tracks like ‘Summertime’ are a career achievement – this sad and longing ode to a pleasant (but evasive) person, place, memory, or feeling which is symbolized by summer. The song glows with a poignant warmth atop a glistening melody, and it feels like all of Orville Peck’s strongest qualities rolled up into one gorgeous ballad. Another highlight is Shania Twain’s guest role on the track ‘Legends Never Die’, in which the two singers trade verses and occasionally join together in perfect harmony. Orville Peck illustrates his versatility with a gruffer and almost angrier side on the closer ‘Fancy’, in which he shakes loose from all the mid-tempo pleasantries to make a few points to his critics. Elsewhere, it’s the little things: the way that ‘No Glory in the West’ symbolizes his charting of new territory as an openly gay, Canadian cowboy in a scene that has traditionally shunned people like him (and as the music video of him trekking alone through the snow just to reach an empty home suggests, he worries his own journey might be in vain). It’s the steady piano progression in ‘Drive Me, Crazy’ that makes the arrival of electric guitars feel regal and magnificent; and it’s the way every single acoustic pluck on ‘Kids’ rings out with pristine, pastoral clarity. This may only be an EP, but it illustrates Orville Peck’s ability to refine his greatest strengths while simultaneously expanding his reach. Somehow, he’s still getting better.

There’s a lot to unwrap lyrically and thematically on Show Pony. It offers a layer of depth that simply doesn’t exist in certain pockets of country music, and brings all of this to the table while stretching the genre’s sonic boundaries. Orville Peck has slowly emerged as less and less of an enigma, and Show Pony’s unique brilliance will undoubtedly serve as an additional catalyst to his rise. He’s here to stay, and country fans everywhere should be glad. With Orville Peck’s Pony and Show Pony, we’re witnessing the birth of a legend.



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user ratings (62)
3.4
great


Comments:Add a Comment 
Sowing
Moderator
August 15th 2020


42529 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Honestly might end up slapping a 5 on this. I think it's even better than Pony. If there were a few more songs on here and he turned it into an LP, it'd be in my AOTY running. Awesome stuff, and if you're getting into modern country, check this out.

Colton
August 15th 2020


19204 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

Was waiting for this one. I also like it better than Pony. The songs on Pony seemed to blend together a bit for me, and they often didn't hold my interest. On this, every song has its own identity and is memorable. I feel like Drive Me Crazy is slightly worse than the rest but still solid. And I'm a little disappointed to learn Fancy is a cover, but I'll let it slide since he covered it so well.

Sowing
Moderator
August 15th 2020


42529 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Ah didn't know that either! It's still really good.

Gyromania
August 15th 2020


36215 Comments


Still haven't heard Pony

Sowing
Moderator
August 15th 2020


42529 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

You should get on this Gyro. His voice took me some getting used to but I think he will be looked back on as something of a legend.

Gyromania
August 15th 2020


36215 Comments


Man, dead of night is so good! Listening to pony atm

Sowing
Moderator
August 15th 2020


42529 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

This is even better than Pony in my opinion but glad you like what you hear thus far.

Gyromania
August 15th 2020


36215 Comments


Switched to this. Only have time for an ep length atm. No glory in the west is an instant favourite

JesperL
Staff Reviewer
August 15th 2020


4966 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

not quite as good as pony imo, but a cool continuation & i would love to hear more of that fancy-anger in the future

Sowing
Moderator
August 15th 2020


42529 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

^yes x100. That was a seriously awesome moment and I can't wait for more

Gyromania
August 15th 2020


36215 Comments


This is rly good! No glory in the west is an easy soty contender for me. Every song is solid tho

Gyromania
August 15th 2020


36215 Comments


Fancy and kids are also huge hightlights

Colton
August 15th 2020


19204 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

This is rated way lower than Pony on rym, not sure what they're hearing

theBoneyKing
August 15th 2020


23593 Comments


Need to hear this though I don’t really drink this guy’s Kool-Aid.

bigguytoo9
August 15th 2020


1346 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

The song with Shania = Good.

bloc
August 15th 2020


68831 Comments


Wait this ain't the the tattooer who specializes in American traditional?

Demon of the Fall
August 15th 2020


29118 Comments


What dis? Pony had a couple of great songs.

ChoccyPhilly
August 15th 2020


13573 Comments


is this different to pony or more of the same?

Pho3nix
August 15th 2020


1501 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Yeah this might just become the soundtrack of the month for me

Gyromania
August 15th 2020


36215 Comments


if no one checks this whole thing out at least peep no glory in the west



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