There is a distinctly American essence to bar rock ballads which can reach through the cigarette smoke and balance disaffection with poignancy. From Billy Joel to the Hold Steady, this is the kind of music co-written by the passage of time which can’t be imitated for the sake of style or genre. Pony League have previously travelled these murky alleys of time as Atlanta stalwarts Cute Boots, and now have emerged on the other side as a new band, equipped with revived energy and emboldened wisdom.

Despite their bar rock sound, Pony League is not for audiences who seek only to numb their awareness with another round. Instead, there is something rousing in their sound, a bold internal struggle which pries whiskey-clutching hands from their endless reverie into clear-minded reflection.

It is within this reflective space that frontman Gus Fernandez blends fact with fiction. In a small town drama, he explores the chasm between who he is and who he wants to be. Yet the answer to his question seems as capricious as the autumn breeze which echoes through the track.

Throughout “Bad Habit,” each of the four members play with a confidence reflective of the band’s six-year history, but the crowning moment is Charlie Mills’ half-minute guitar solo, a surprisingly sensitive endeavor which weaves the song together. There is a windswept smoothness on the track reminiscent of Jackson Browne, but Fernandez sings with a raw Southern heart recalling the Americana leanings of the Drive-By Truckers.

Whether intended or not, by the end of “Bad Habit,” you can’t help but ponder your own identity and future self. In that sense the track is a challenge which acknowledges the winding roads which each of us have to walk. Pony League should know. They’ve been there and back again.

“Bad Habit” is the B-side to the cassette single “Harder Than a Rick Ankiel,” which will be released on Mar. 11 via Bear Kids Recordings. In addition, the band is working on a new full-length LP with a release date forthcoming.

Pony League will celebrate the release of “Harder Than a Rick Ankiel” on Thu., Mar. 10 at the Earl. Supporting them are fellow locals Blue Blood, New Junk City, and Jeremy Ray. Doors open at 9 p.m. Admission is $8.

More Info
Web: ponyleagueband.com
Bandcamp: ponyleague.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @PonyLeagueBand
Instagram: @ponyleagueband
SoundCloud: @PonyLeague
Tumblr: ponyleague.tumblr.com
Twitter: @ponyleagueband