Recommended tracks: 1, 2, 5, 7, 8
Review by Jon O’Neal
Pom Poms, a female fronted pop-rock duo from L.A., with vocalist Marlene Gold and multi-instrumentalist Billy Mohler, makes an incredible debut to the music world, with their album, Turn You Out. It opens with “GO GO,” an in-your-face rock tune that crosses the boundary into punk. It reminds me of songs by bands like Bikini Kill, Blondie and The Go-Go’s. The third track, “Lost My Head,” is eclectically reminiscent of early Doors stuff. Then there’s “Betty,” a love ballad, which is a little more melancholy than the other tracks, but still shows off Marlene’s smooth vocals. Overall, the tracks lend a 50s/60s vibe to their songwriting and style, and it works really well for them. The album, front to back, is one of those albums that is all killer and no filler. There isn’t a single bad track on this album, and I look forward to the next release from this band.