Turn The Lights Out
by The Ponys
  • Record Label: Matador
  • Release Date: Mar 20, 2007
Metascore
68

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 23
  3. Negative: 0 out of 23
  1. Dusted Magazine
    60
    There’s not a lot behind the well-polished surfaces.
  2. Hartford Courant
    60
    Much of "Turn the Lights Off" is inspired by '80s artists who wanted to sound like they were from the '60s.
  3. Playlouder
    60
    The Ponys are the band Black Rebel Motorcycle tried so desperately hard to be.
  5. Drowned In Sound
    60
    There's a profound lack of any surprises, anything you might not expect, any... inspiration.
  6. Rolling Stone
    60
    [It] takes an echoed-up tack that's more Sonic Youth than Voidoids.
  7. Blender
    60
    Gummere’s voice is no one’s idea of pretty, and his lyrics are sometimes hard to decipher over the squall. But they’re both secondary to the nose-bloodying sonic punch.
  8. Stylus Magazine
    42
    Turn the Light Out scales everything back—the drums, the guitars, the vocals—leaving us with a clean-cut, grown-up Ponys, trying to get comfortable in their own skin when they were just fine in someone else’s.
  9. Q Magazine
    40
    More often than not, The Ponys end up stranded in a morass of pointless guitar static. [Apr 2007, p.121]
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  10. Village Voice
    40
    [The album] s clogged with reverb-choked guitar riffs too woozy to propel the garage rock they ought to carry.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 5 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 5
  3. Negative: 1 out of 5
  1. SamH
    Mar 29, 2007
    7
    This is a good record, but they need to progress their sound a little more. The raw guitar static was sweet and fresh on their debut, but The This is a good record, but they need to progress their sound a little more. The raw guitar static was sweet and fresh on their debut, but The Ponys have yet to do anything far out of the ordinary. But, these are still some damn good songs, especially "Double Vision" and the last track, which rocks harder than most people should be allowed!!!… Full Review »
  2. JonViaChicago
    Mar 23, 2007
    9
    This is a really strong return to form after the slightly disappointing Celebration Castle. I have to admit that I still do miss Ian's This is a really strong return to form after the slightly disappointing Celebration Castle. I have to admit that I still do miss Ian's contributions, but this still stands as a great album. Am I the only one that gets a recent-ish Sonic Youth vibe on a couple of these tracks?… Full Review »
  3. BeauN
    Mar 21, 2007
    10
    The Pony's have once again released another great album which the general public will ignore completely. In a way I'm kind of glad. The Pony's have once again released another great album which the general public will ignore completely. In a way I'm kind of glad. After all they're my band, not yours.… Full Review »
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