Daily Dose: Pom Poko, “Praise”

Daily Dose is your daily source for the song you absolutely, positively need to hear every day. Curated by the Paste Music Team.

Pom Poko’s 2019 album Birthday was hard to pin down. The Norwegian band combine punk and pop sounds in a bizarre way, separated from mainstream influences in a way we haven’t really seen since bands like Deerhoof, or a more high-octane Charly Bliss. Thursday, the art-rockers shared their first track since August, “Praise.” It’s an odd song with honey-sweet guitars and Shonen Knife-esque vocals, raucous and punchy with youthful grit.

“The idea for ‘Praise’ was made in a tiny cabin in the woods, with no electricity and a lot of smoke from the fireplace clouding our the songwriting,” the band says. “The idea was to have a fast paced tune that was a bit wonky rhythmically, and it kept evolving during our touring in 2019 until it became a regular part of our setlist as ‘Praise.’ Lyrically it’s about how you can “achieve anything you want” as long as you have a clear goal, and that you’re expected to always try to be the best version of yourself.”

“Praise” sees the band moving in different, more jarring sonic territory than their already-lurching debut album. Nevertheless, they’re beginning to carve out a space as an uncompromisingly odd group, with dance-punk riffs that hearken back to the sounds of the mid-2000s and a modern, blithe attitude. You can check out the track below, as well as Pom Poko’s tour dates.

Pom Poko Tour Dates:

March

11 – Brooklyn, N.Y. @ Elsewhere Zone One
12 – New York, N.Y. @ New Colossus Festival (Pianos)
13 – New York, N.Y. @ New Colossus Festival (Bowery Electric)
14 – Chicago, Ill. @ Empty Bottle
16 – Austin, Texas @ Roskilde Festival SXSW Showcase
17 – Austin, Texas @ SXSW Showcase
19 – Austin, Texas @ Bella Union SXSW Showcase
20 – Austin, Texas @ Music For Listener Showcase
21 – Austin, Texas @ White Denim Showcase

May

01 – Fener, Italy @ Reset Festival
02 – Leeds, U.K. @ Live At Leeds
03 – Glasgow, U.K. @ Stag & Dagger

August

14-15 – Nitra, Slovakia @ Flaam Festival

January 2021

08-10 – Bognor Regis, U.K. @ Rockaway Beach Festival