GutterPutter

Vylet Pony is a pseudonym made from an online fan of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. She might not be the most notable brony in the world, but she does possess some serious talent in making music. As far back as in 2013 was she involved in making electronica and back then, she’s only in her mid-teens. Being a part of a cultural phenomenon that attracts people of all ages to a kid’s cartoon should be laughable, but it instead births a wave of inspired works from innovative fanfics to, y’know, music. Long after the show ends in 2019, the fandom, often referred to as bronies, continues to march on, taking pride in their fire-forged bonds when their one common interest would’ve been mocked by the mainstream media for coming off as being childish. Sounds like a good concept for a coming-of-age TV show if you ask me.

can opener‘s notebook: fish whisperer is a concept album, released on 22nd February, that’s based on one of the original characters (or OC for short) that Vylet has made. Described as being “about overcoming art block, being transparent about yourself, and learning to find love in every corner of love”, it’s written from the perspective of the titular Can Opener who’s described in the Bandcamp description as a “neurodivergent unicorn”. The main conflict lies in how they happen to be tied up between their success as a marine biologist and their aspirations of being a musician as symbolised by attending the Hippogriff Festival. Yet, they find resistance and scrutiny from their parents for wanting to achieve that goal. When the opportunity to partake in the Hippogriff Festival comes around, Can Opener finds themself at risk of having to pick between their dreams and their designated path. To some, this might feel uncannily familiar to having to pick between acknowledging your inner geekiness (and embracing it) and eroding it away fit in with most of society.

The album is based on glitchy indietronic pop which crosses between Porter Robinson and maybe the Postal Service with aquatic motifs found throughout. ‘the yak song’, as one example, goes ham in its climax when the last third switches between a meltdown of the whole song, like a disk that’s scratched completely on one side, and Can Opener’s chant of being “the devil” against their critics. ‘the hippogriff festival’ has a twee chorus that’s brim with hope as our main character feels at peace in the event that they only dreamt of being in. “At the hippogriff festival/ Colourful flags and fanfares” has a lovely cadence whether the event’s name is sung with a delayed vocal doubling for a cute echo effect. ‘dream library / time water / mayflower notebook’ is dripped in heavenly synths on top of bouncy, dubstep-influenced beats as the lyrics allude to how our dreams will always find a place of acceptance.

Of course, the subtext of the album being more about the conflict between being a part of an online community that had helped you discover your identity and mainstream backlash does pop up every now and then. ‘typewriter’ has a strong sense of escapism when Can Opener pleads ‘Won’t you find me solace?/ Is it so simple?/ To fix a broken promise?’ amidst danceable drum patterns. ‘telephone’ feels like a companion piece where the phone is used as a metaphor for a getaway from an abusive household, mixed with a hyperpop-esque vocal manipulation. Meanwhile, ‘fish whisperer’ feels like a middle finger to the need of sticking with your group only in favour of exploration, transitioning from gentle fingerplaying with ambience to shoegaze-like eruption halfway through. Throw in the fantastical mix of folktronic pop that is ‘good grief!’ which captures the excitement of being outside in a whole new world, can opener’s notebook express as much love to discovering a new community to be a part of as it does in telling a narrative.

There are issues that I find with the album in that it can come off as being unclear in its ‘worldbuilding’ and narrative. You might need to be deep into the very show that forms a core part of Vylet Pony’s identity in order to understand the references to the yaks and what their characteristics is. Another problem is that when its attempt to cuss can feel juvenile as noted in ‘you’re not a real musician’ where, as beautiful as the beginning is with its piano and the stringed accomplice, a line like “Shut your fucking mouth” comes off as being too childish. The same point can apply to ‘ANGELFISH [loser say what?]’ when Can Opener vents out with ‘You’re such a bitch’. While you wouldn’t (and shouldn’t) expect poetry out of fan-made music, it can feel so abruptly lacklustre in its execution and the blatant pop punk sound does not help it one bit. That could be one way to start writing a better song.

When you get down to it, can opener’s notebook does wear its heart up its sleeve. It feels nice to see someone who, after spending nearly their whole teen-hood in one of the biggest online phenomenons, decides to use their favourite cartoon as a key influence in her songwriting. ‘soundscape diary’ is best described as an odyssey of different compositions and structures, one that you could compare to Radiohead’s ‘Paranoid Android’, as we traverse between bits of folk pop with keyboards being played, ambience, and a Porterson-esque art house music. The finalisation of Can Opener continuing to pursue their dreams with ‘There’s a place for everything’ feels cathartic and when we finally get to ‘for the love of music’, the more conventional pop structure just feels right for this occasion. ‘Burning up in all the pessimism/ My life is my own and I’ll live it out’ is simple, but lovely little pre-chorus that seeks to push for chasing your ambitions.

can opener’s notebook isn’t a kind of work that is instantly accessible. As mentioned earlier, it’s mostly a fan-made fanservice for bronies to listen to once My Little Pony is over—albeit with inevitably more mature themes and language used which can come off as being ‘edgy’. However, it’s a definite capsule of talent and genuine enthusiasm layered up when the artist tackles a theme that is explored often in a kid’s cartoon. The indietronic pop genre fits like a glove and while I’m not privy of the more evident rock parts, the occasional use of an acoustic guitar is a nice touch in making the record feel more cozy. Fans of the show will enjoy it either for its storytelling or out of nostalgia. For others, I would still recommend you to go give it a listen for its instrumentation and its overall love of its influences.