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MH-260 Her Space Holiday - XOXO, Panda And The New Kid Revival  Putting some space between himself and the computer that has provided the basis for so much of his recent work, Marc Bianchi has taken the last two years to focus on what got him into music in the first place, writing connective songs and working out the layers of sound he hears in his head. The results are a new persona, XOXO, Panda, and the reinforcement of the feelings of personal and artistic freedom that drive his music. Loose and carefree arrangements of guitar, bass, banjo, mandolin, shakers, glockenspiel, and drums lay the foundation for vocal storytelling sing-a-longs. XOXO, Panda And The New Kid Revival is a brilliant calling card for Her Space Holiday’s newly awakened alter-ego, and a watershed moment in his growth as a songwriter and performer. |
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| Reviews Summary |
| Guitar pop songs that are as charming as they are simple - Rolling Stone / That he can switch up styles so frequently and make solid records says something special about Bianchi - Pop Matters / Melodies have that wonderful undefinable quality that makes you want to hear them over and over... Killer indie pop cuts - Babysue |
| There's a Fall wind coming round the corner of the globe. It's that time when dreams of eventually making snow angels, or "shoveling the white paste off the driveway" dance around in one's head. In the Fall, it's a time of ease and relaxation before shivering in front of the fire. Her Space Holiday's Sleepy Tigers EP was a perfect glimpse into its big brother's arrival, XOXO, Panda And The New Kid Revival. Mark Bianchi claps his way into the title track, rallying for a change both externally, but within his project as well. There's a definitive switch from computers in a work room to an acoustic guitar on the back porch with friends. Bianchi continues time and again to keep the beat throughout the album, whether it's hard snares ("The New Kid Revival"), shakers ("The Truth Hurts So This Should Be Painless"), keys ("No More Good Ideas"), or even hand claps ("Sleepy Tigers"). The lo-fi guitar on "Four Tapping Shoes and a Kiss" kicks back a retro-surf appeal. Expect the record to slow down toward the end with tracks like "The Telescope," "The Day in Review" and the closer, "One For My Soul (Good Night)." As a whole, Her Space Holiday's new record may be Bianchi's best yet. There's nothing especially epic that pops out of the record, but it's completely fitting of the definition of lawn chairs and afternoon breezes. It's nothing that one will have to wrap their head around, but in fact, unwind it for a little under an hour. - Absolute Punk |
