Panther

Anthony Kiedis if he was back on speed? Maybe a more accurate analogy for Portland’s latest proto-dance punk sultan would be if Xiu Xiu’s Jamie Stewart was schizophrenic instead of just bipolar. Excruciating, lamented yelps characterise Panther’s drawn out hooks on the preferential "How Well Can You Swim?” and "Take Us Out.” Front to back, Secret Lawns would have been better off keeping half these tracks in the backyard; "Here We Stand” runs barely running a minute, ending just as you’re about to wonder how he plans on drawing it out for a full song. Overall, it makes me question what people are doing with this dance punk, lo-fi electro-clash shit. I want to reply to "How Does It Feel?” by saying "annoying,” but it’s not exactly un-stellar; it’s kind of like the ADD kid with brilliant ideas that just needs to learn to shut up. If nothing else, "Rely on Scent” is narrative comic genius.