Wondernaut: Mind the Pendulum Swing mini review

Mind the Pendulum Swing is Wondernaut’s first EP following their debut album The Youth is Wasted in 2006.  This indie rock band consists of: Billy Gro(guitars/vocals/keys) who wrote all the songs on Mind the Pendulum Swing, Shaun Angley(bass/vocals/keys), Michael Joseph (drums/vocals/keys/), and Austin Richeson(guitars).  The production value on Mind the Pendulum Swing sounds very low key, with the band themselves producing the entire EP.  While this can work from time to time, having an outside voice during production would have helped Mind the Pendulum Swing find a more cohesive sound.  With ¾ of the band singing on the album, the vocal range is all over the place; never finding a proper medium.  The bands’ guitar riffs/hooks, while sounding slightly more dynamic on tracks “It’s a Disease” and “Sigh/Smile” sounds otherwise muddled and confusing on the rest of the EP.  Even the overall sound of Mind the Pendulum Swing gives off the impression Wondernaut is still searching for its’ “voice”.  For example, songs range from the hard rocking “Dear Reason” to some kind of strange punk/grunge sound on “Delete Me”.  If raw, unpolished indie rock is your bag, then Mind the Pendulum Swing is right up your alley.