Gritty in a Good Way

A dark, edgy vibe saturates Orgy Porgy, the second self-released EP from Los Angeles duo The Pity Party. With only four songs spanning about twenty minutes, the record cruises by in a brooding atmosphere of minor tonalities and melodic vocals. But The Pity Party make every second count.

Orgy Porgy manages to be dark without descending into self-pity or whining commiseration—it never becomes an actual pity party. “Love Lies,” a disillusioned critique of contemporary society and its uniformity, is an intricate song built on simple melodic layers. Its heavy bass and steady percussion are overlaid with low guitar riffs and Heisenflei’s deceptively sweet vocals.

“H.O.T.S.” shows that The Pity Party know how to rock. Short, high staccato lines from Heisenflei dance over guitarist M’s churning riffs and notes from a dynamic beating bass. The track is a little harder than the band’s usual material, but it balances intense bursts of angsty energy with The Pity Party’s usual attention to well-constructed songs.

The last two tracks on Orgy Porgy, “Bottom of the Hole” and “Yours, That Works,” explore somewhat stranger musical landscapes. “Bottom of the Hole” begins in a languid haze of dissonant piano chords and spacey vocals and builds in intensity, adding waves upon waves of sound. It has a hint of a jazzy waltz, with a lilting vocal line floating over a swaying chorus of voices. “Yours, That Works” is difficult at first, as its hesitant rhythm and discordant feel leave the listener waiting for something to grasp. Eventually it becomes a haunting (but rocking) declaration of revenge: when Heisenflei sings “I’ll break everything of yours that works,” it sounds like she means it.

Orgy Porgy is a refreshing take on a harder type of alternative rock, appealing even for those who generally favor something a little softer. It will be interesting to see what kind of genre-bending frenetic rock The Pity Party could create with a full studio album.