When looking for music that brings to mind images of plaid flannel shirts, Samuel Beam-style facial hair and worn-down corduroy pants, look no further than Ola Podrida. With every solemn melody and subtle lyric, the group evokes such images. It's likely, however, that when visualized, these images don't seem all that unique. That's because they're not.
This fact says just about everything one needs to know about Ola Podrida. Like the images, they're not particularly unique. Chances are, everyone's already heard a similar sounding band. Yet this doesn't mean Ola Podrida doesn't create decent music. Instead, it means the indie beard you've managed to grow for ""no-shave November"" has a new group to add to its soundtrack alongside Horse Feathers and Iron & Wine.
Belly of the Lion is Ola Podrida's latest release, a hauntingly mellow collection of laments. In line with their lack of originality, these laments are not particularly original, all drawn from lackluster relationships and described in a way that's been heard before. Within the album, lead singer David Wingo explores these common feelings, using sedated rhythms and instrumentation to adorn his emotion.
As it turns out, Ola Podrida lacks more than distinctiveness when compared to other groups. Within itself, Belly of the Lion also lacks variation. Not one of the album's nine tracks stands out distinctively from the others. With similar melodies and rhythms, the songs start to blur together, creating a muddled listening experience.
Only when each song is listened to separately do the record's high points make themselves known. There still aren't a lot of them, but a couple pop up.
""Donkey"" is a great track that possesses a very Sufjan Stevens-esque tone, folky with a twist. Its composition is minimal, containing little more than vocals and the strumming of a banjo. Upbeat and hopeful, Wingo sings, ""We laid around / We waited for a sign / When the evening light is fading / We're still waiting for you."" This is one of the few instances on Belly of the Lion where Wingo isn't crying over his wait, but anticipating its end. This joyful outlook gives Ola Podrida more creativity to experiment with, and the end result, like ""Donkey,"" is a far better song.
""Your Father's Basement"" is another place where the album peaks. It's very traditional in demeanor and content, but because it's done exceedingly well, the lack of originality comes off as classic instead of boring. The song reminisces about the old days, recalling instances of prank calls, spying on your sister and her friends and sneaking some of the booze Dad hid behind the water heater. These seemingly pleasant memories are paired with a mournful melody, stirring up a sense of nostalgia and longing simultaneously.
To say Belly of the Lion is a bad album would be an overstatement. Instead, it should be described as a hit-or-miss collection of tracks that serves the listener best when listened to in fragments. Perhaps if individual songs are added to an iTunes playlist entitled ""Music By Bearded Guys,"" Ola Podrida's latest release can be truly appreciated.
