Penguin Prison - Penguin Prison

New Yorker Chris Glover, aka Penguin Prison, has carved out a reputation for himself over the past few years as an in demand remixer for all sorts of quirky pop acts including Marina & The Diamonds, Goldfrapp and Passion Pit. However, while it is relatively easy to make some waves by remixing other artists’ music, it is much harder to make a great record in your own right. That is the challenge facing Glover with his self titled debut album under the Penguin Prison moniker.

Penguin Prison’s sound is rooted in the kind of pop electro funk that was popularized in the late 70’s and early 80’s and has been revived and mined repeatedly throughout the last few years; think Prince, Michael Jackson, Bee Gee’s and imperial period disco.

The album is full of big, shiny hooks and bouncy, bright, electro funk rhythms; Penguin Prison certainly has an ear for a catchy melody. However, more often than not the lovely melodies and propulsive rhythms are blighted by weak, reedy vocals and witless lyrics, in particular the clichéd ‘Multi-Millionaire’ and ‘Don’t Fuck With My Money.’ It’s obvious that Chris Glover’s skill is as a producer and musician rather than as a singer and lyricist.

There is an air of AOR disco that hangs over some of the more cheesy pop tracks on the album, Penguin Prison is a much more interesting prospect when he is not sticking rigidly to a formulaic disco funk template. See, for example, the twitchy rumbling groove of ‘Something I’m Not’ and the low slung loping funk of ‘Pinocchio’ - these tracks show Glover’s clear skill as a producer and you wish this sound was developed more on the record rather than the overtly poppy sound that dominates.

Penguin Prison’s debut album is certainly a fun record that should keep Chris Glover in demand as a remixer and producer, but there is an impression that he could be capable of so much more than lightweight retrogressive electro pop.