REVIEW: REX ORANGE COUNTY NEW ALBUM “PONY” ALL ABOUT HOPE

KATIE HIRV, TRUMPET STAFF WRITER

Simply put, “Pony” by Rex Orange County is a delightful, innovative addition to the artist’s discography. With 10 songs and a running time of 33 minutes and 56 seconds, this is an average length for an album by today’s standards.

However, Rex Orange County’s album is anything but average.

The album kicks off with “10/10,” with the message of aspiring to self-improvement and desiring to be a “10.” This song provides great insight to the rest of the album, with a mix of influences from electronica, indie and pop. The next track, “Always,” nods to the message of self-improvement as well. “It’s hard to make yourself believe that it’ll get better when you feel defeated and carrying on is easier said than done. It took a while to see that I was in need,” Rex says.

As the album continues, there is a nod back to Rex’s traditional mix of electronica and indie style,
with “Face to Face” and “Stressed Out” boasting simple melodies that give the listener a glimpse into his personal experiences.

Following the release of “Pony,” Rex took to Instagram to discuss “Face to Face,” writing, “This song is about being away from home, feeling trapped in an undesirable situation and finding it difficult to trust people.” “Pluto Projector” is the seventh track on the album and has a slower pace. The instrumental performance provides variety on the album. “Every Way” began as a simple piano ballad with Rex singing about someone he loves.

This is a shorter song, with a running length of two minutes and 13 seconds, but Rex fills each second with genuine feeling.

As a whole, this album really gives the listener an inside glimpse into Rex’s life. The singer shares his insecurities, doubts and private feelings about people in his life and the world around him. The album recognized the importance of self-reflection and mental health in the tracks “Always” and “It’s Not the Same Anymore.”

“Pony” offers raw, unfiltered emotion that was refreshing. In a day and age where diving into emotions and processing in a healthy way is at times pushed to the back burner, the album provided the listener with upbeat hope and encouragement.