Slothrust Announce New EP I Promise, Share Origins of “Pony” Cover: Exclusive
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
The post Slothrust Announce New EP I Promise, Share Origins of “Pony” Cover: Exclusive appeared first on Consequence.
Origins is a recurring series giving artists a space to break down everything that went into their latest release. Today, Slothrust take us through their cover of Ginuwine’s “Pony.”
Slothrust have announced their latest EP, I Promise, set for release on October 20th. As the first taste of the project, the rock duo has unleashed a reinterpretation of Ginuwine’s sensual classic “Pony.”
Swapping bombastic R&B for sleek, bass-driven rock, Slothrust’s “Pony” honors the original by treating it with reverence and respect, rather than poking fun. The result is a hard-rocking rendition complete with distorted low-end, syrupy guitar lines, hard-hitting drums, and hypnotic lead vocals.
“When Slothrust covers other people’s songs, our goal is always to offer them through a different lens,” vocalist Leah Wellbaum says of the cover. “We grew up listening to a lot of ’90s R&B, and ‘Pony’ was always one of our favorites. It’s so bold and fully commits to the metaphor while keeping it consensual and kinky. We love this level of commitment and wanted to match it by doing a heavy, guitar-driven interpretation of this song through a queer lens.”
And match the level of commitment they did, especially with the sparkly, suggestive music video that accompanies the release. An artful reconstruction, “Pony” manages to be a loving homage while taking the initial concept in an entirely different direction.
Check out the music video for Slothrust’s “Pony” cover below, followed by Wellbaum’s breakdown of the song’s Origins.
Pre-orders for Slothrust’s follow-up to their 2021 album Parallel Timeline are ongoing. Slothrust also have a string of US tour dates coming up. See their itinerary below, and grab tickets here.
I Promise Artwork:
I Promise Tracklist:
01. Pony
02. Maybe Maybe
03. Magic Glow
04. Somewhere Over the Rainbow
05. Pony (Extended Version)
06. Pony (Instrumental)
07. Pony (Acapella)
Slothrust 2023 Tour Dates:
10/20 – San Diego, CA @ SOMA SAN DIEGO
10/24 – Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre ^
10/25 – Albuquerque, NM @ The Historic El Rey Theater ^
10/27 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Diamond Ballroom ^
10/28 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater ^
10/29 – Dallas, TX @ The Factory In Deep Ellum ^
10/30 – Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music Works ^
10/31 – Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music Works ^
11/02 – Birmingham, AL @ Iron City Bham ^
11/03 – St. Augustine, FL @ St. Augustine Amphitheatre ^
11/04 – Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern ^
11/05 – Columbia, SC @ The Senate ^
11/07 – Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz ^
11/08 – Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore ^
11/10 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5 ^
11/11 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5 ^
11/12 – Syracuse, NY @ The Song & Dance
11/13 – Jamestown, NY @ Jamestown Skate Products
11/16 – Columbia, MO @ Rose Music Hall
11/17 – Omaha, NE @ Reverb Lounge
11/18 – Wichita, KS @ WAVE
11/19 – Colorado Springs, CO @ Black Sheep
^ = w/ The Front Bottoms
Reinterpretation:
When Slothrust covers other people’s songs, our goal is always to offer them through a different lens. We grew up listening to a lot of ’90s R&B, and “Pony” was always one of our favorites. It’s so bold and fully commits to the metaphor while keeping it consensual and kinky. We love this level of commitment and wanted to match it by doing a heavy, guitar-driven interpretation of this song through a queer lens. We cannot resist the opportunity to recontextualize and insert a guitar solo or elaborate drum fill in an unexpected place.
Improvisation:
Improvising is one of the most important things to us about music. Our extended version of “Pony” really leans into this. It is a 14-minute-long journey where me, Will, and the incomparable Brooks Allison — who graced this track with his low-end magic — really embraced seeing what showed up in the moment and leaned into a maximalist hard rock aesthetic. The guitar is a powerful instrument with such a unique design and there are so many ways to express yourself through it. We let the music play itself and it’s so satisfying to see what happens when all players are fully present and unattached, but still deeply connected to a shared intent.
Live performance:
Part of what has kept us together and active over the past decade is that we genuinely (and Ginuwinely, lol) love to perform. Our shows are really amazing because we have an incredibly diverse fanbase. We’ve never been able to pinpoint exactly who will connect with our music or show up at our concerts. We have a ton of young queer people and creatives, but we also have families with kids, service workers, and a lot of couples. That intersectionality is really powerful and it’s always fun to learn that you are a part of love in someone else’s journey and home.
Lucid dreaming:
There is a character in the music video called “Sparkle Spirit.” This character is a lucid dream guide meant to playfully introduce you to different aspects of yourself. It was partially inspired by The Muppet Christmas Carol. I have been actively lucid dreaming my entire life and have always been fascinated by the way you can access layers of consciousness in the lucid dream state, where you have an altered version of agency. Particularly as it pertains to sexuality, it’s always interesting to see what your subconscious does when it starts to wake up and take the reins with the knowledge of lack of consequence.
Slothrust Announce New EP I Promise, Share Origins of “Pony” Cover: Exclusive
Jonah Krueger
Popular Posts
The Joe Jonas-Sophie Turner Split Should Change How We Consume Celebrity Gossip
Jimmy Fallon Apologizes to Staff Following Toxic Workplace Allegations: "It's Embarrassing"
10 Fucking Cool Records Jeff Rosenstock Thinks Every Music Fan Should Own
Venue Bans Puddle of Mudd After Cancellation: "This Is 100% Wes" [Updated]
