Local Review: panthermilk – Totem

panthermilk
Totem

Self-Released
Street: 03.12
panthermilk = Woods + TOPS

The second EP from Loganite Benton Wood’s solo project, panthermilk, reminds me of those wholesome snack food commercials where the mom and the kids are flipping their shit over their healthy treats. It’s a vision of wholesomeness. Though this association may seem negative, it’s not. Totem transcends what otherwise would be a sappy indie sound to a tangibly emotional and thoroughly whole place. Its concentration of youthful, sincere vocals (especially “Sun Lakes”), and the sunshine feel that blinks off of war- bling psychedelic effects keeps the almost Western guitar feeling tangy and fresh. This is achieved by a lovely mixture of melodic acoustics and a little dose of body and warmth adding funk, seen in tracks like “Bare Feet.” It is thorough and direct in its style but so sweet at points that it’s almost too much for my lame, calloused heart. –Erin Moore