PONYTAIL - "Do What You Whatever You Want All The Time" (We Are Free)

  A few days ago, I listened to this from front to back...three times in a row.I was painting the doors in my house, and now all I wanna do is paint and listen to Ponytail all day long.Do What You Want All The Time, is the name of this thrilling new full length, and the title couldn't be more appropriate.Their message is painfully clear from the very first note to the very last.If you are familiar with this band's unique style of avant-prog-pop, then you have some idea as to what your in for, but not completely.Since 2008's wildly awesome Ice Cream Spiritual LP, this Baltimore four piece has seriously upped their game on all fronts.The songwriting and instrumentation is virtually flawless, and it's almost as if they've created a entirely new musical language, communicating with one other without ever speaking, but through the use of their instruments.Experiencing these four do their thing in a live setting is quite magical, and would lead you to believe that there's a direct link between each of their brains, and "wild chemistry" hardly describes this intense connection between them.
  Do What You Want...takes the raw and immediate energy of their live show, and couples it with the flawless execution they bring to the studio.Everything is in it's place, and yet feels completely displaced and estranged.Axe men Dustin Wong and Ken Seeno provide an air-tight and incomparable guitar attack, bobbing and weaving in and out of each other's notes, creating rich textures and playful melodies.Fans of Deerhoof will definitely find something to obsess over in their unique style, which somehow sounds identical, and yet you can still point out who's playing what at any given time.Singer Molly Siegel has extended her future-tribe vocabulary, and yelps, squeaks, and howls in a made up fantasy language.Her voice has recently found it's way to a more melodic and joyous place, kindly accenting certain parts of songs or parts, rather than providing a storyline.There is no lead singer in Ponytail, but more of a lead noisemaker", and Siegel's stage acrobatics and wild energy, have become their trademark, on stage and on record.
  The standout track for me is "Honey Touches", it's pretty straight forward as far as rhythm and timing go, but it makes several wild turns along the way, running through a handful of different modes and key changes.The jangly guitar chords that fill it's beginning are so far off from it's big finish.Siegel mutters the word "en-er-gy" right before things get weird.Waves of sharp and breezy calypso guitar scales wash over some highly danceable drum patterns, with shifting tempos and cool prog-rock freak outs.This album is full of this kind of unexpected goodness, but this song somehow embodies most of what you'll run into, and that's a lot.This may very well be the feel good hit of the summer.Give it a listen.

KAYO DOT - "Coyote" 2xLP/CD (Hydrahead Industries)

I have to admit,this review may be a bit biased,seeing as Kayo Dot have been an big obsession of mine since their birth as a band.I really love them to death,and this record is totally mind blowing and all,but instead of the rant/rave torture...I will just give you the facts.DEAL?

Coyote is the fourth looong player from songwriter/composer/overflow of talent - Toby Driver and his main vehicle,KAYO DOT.He somehow found time in between writing an equally amazing new Maudlin of the Well reunion record(woah!)to write this entire beast of an album.Always evolving musically(as well as aesthetically),Driver has once again brought together a fantastic group of players to accompany him on his quest for a new genrea.And they sure have found it with this one.Guests spots include former member Terran Olson,trumpet man-Tim Byrnes of counterpoint-jazz troupe Friendly Bears and avant-composition act Hazel Rah.Although Driver is the main brain behind all of this,these songs show an obvious chemistry between these folks.On stage they possess an energy and unspoken confidence that most bands can only wish to adopt.It is as overtly exhilarating as it is inspiring.A perfect blend of that old "what's going to happen next? " and "Oh,I remember this..".Comfy terror?Sure.

The songs on Coyote take some semi-obvious cues from the Blue Lambency Downward era,heavy on that loose and rhythmic,blackened free-jazz-flutter they do so very well.Kind of like Ornette Coleman jamming with Dirty Three covering Return to Forever jams,in a decade yet to happen.Blue..had an unmistakable drum tone(Charlie from Behold the Arctopus) that carried the whole thing along so perfectly.This recording may have a different drummer,but he pushes the music in all direction with totally unique chops and unbearable precision,without being flashy or overbearing.Toby Driver's got this unintentionally patented guitar tone that washes over his Scott Walker-like croons and wails with such ease.Odd chords whirl around him,with a heavy reverb and delay treatment,bouncing off each other to no end.It's so far beyond cohesive that it could only work for them alone.These songs are much more than just abrasive music and clever words,they are chock-full of beautiful brass and string arrangements,orchestrated guitar compositions,and gloomy-yet-dreamy baroque jazz ballads.There are some not-so-obvious goth references being knocked around here at times,and it's just another element to add to their already massive sound collage.This is a perfect album right down to the song order.Easily their most prolific work to date,and that says ALOT for this band.

I could go on about this for an eternity,so if you dig Maudlin of the Well, City of Caterpillar, Red Sparrowes, Dysrhythmia and the epic prog-bliss dudes alike,then you are just starting to get the idea."Far beyond expectations" is their thing,and they have absolutely done it again with Coyote.Another brutal epic under their belt,and already my vote for record of the year.They are recording a new EP as I type this.Out this summer on Hydrahead.

CHILD ABUSE - "Cut and Run" LP/CD (Lovepump United)

Ok,I just read a review of this by some numbskull comparing them to Slayer!?!Actually the quote was something like "Not quite the Slayer of their sound"..WHAT does that even mean?First,Slayer IS the Slayer of their "sound"..Did you listen to more than 2 minutes of this?It's only 29 fucking minutes,dude!Ugh.Stop writing reviews,and stick to bad weed and shredding air guitar to Slayer jams in the mirror,in your skid-marked undies.But no later than 9pm,or Grandma will be pissed.

However,I actually DID hear this all the way through,a few times now.These boys have given us another brain melter of a record.If you are familiar with their past releases,you know the what kind of monster this might be.If you are green to these 3 lunatics,then yer in for a terrifying,yet oddly compelling half hour doom ride.Not unlike their first full-length,this thing scares me to death with each listen.More of that blown out-thrash-jazz treatment,only this time around things are much uglier.If this band is even capable of death,their headstone might read "distort the world" or "fuck you/kill everything"- Cut And Run is chock-full of their patent grinding bass rumble,razor sharp synth- confusion,and insane drumfuckery we've come to love and fear.This is prog-rock for intelligent scumbags,and free-jazz for short attention spans.The vocals come in the form of guttural growling,grunts,moans,and agonizing howls.Six songs of death and dying and much,much worse.For christ's sake,they are called CHILD ABUSE.If you think your favorite band is "brutal" or "tech",these dudes just called you a pussy to your face.Fits nicely along side of your Wolf Eyes ,Burmese, Health ,Lightning Bolt, and Tarantula Hawk albums.Another dirty gem from Lovepump United.

SONGBIRD MATHEMATICS: LISTEN TO SEDUCTIVE SPRIGS.

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Seductive Sprigs formed in early 1996,while both playing guitar in the avant-noise-jazz troupe known as Zs.Their love for harmonizing both vocally and guitar based,as well as their years of musical training under their belt seemed to make it almost TOO easy for their own creative outlet to transpire.The Sprigs only played a small handful of shows in their time,and recorded a short cd-r on the Sockets label with a super limited pressing.I've always considered them a charming little secret because of this.Something you tuck away and only share with the 1 or 2 other obsessive nerds you know.This duo was almost impossible to pin,never truly wearing a single influence on their sleeves,it's quite obvious that they were into "doing their own thing".They've been tagged with everything from Baroque-Prog-Pop to Post-Flamenco-Jazz Troupe...but the only way to really grasp what this duo is reaching for,is to listen to their music first hand.Enjoy.

Not unlike some earlier Zs guitar technics,they utilize their precise licks and chops as tools to mock the clever vocal harmonies and tuneful sing-song styling they've adopted.It's rare to hear a sour note in their music,unless of course it is blatantly written that way.The guitars weave in and out of the vocal interplay with ease,and nothing ever seems to be repeated.They must know every scale in the book,and then some.Total perfection on all fronts,without being overly pretentious or cocky.Lyrically,their themes are dark and humorous,but never corny or contrived.They speak of bad friends and being a terrified kid.It's relative.How often can you relate to something both challenging and borderline exhausting?Seductive Sprigs were so fresh and unique,that it pains me to know there won't be any of that amazing anticipation you feel,when you hear of a new release on the horizon.Charlie and Matt left Zs (who's new killer 'New Slaves' just dropped) a few years back,but they stay pretty busy these days.Charlie Looker is the brain behind Extra Life(their 2nd LP- 'Made Flesh' just came out) full time,as well as other projects like Sculptress(with Chuck Stern of Time Of Orchids),Period(with Mike Pride,etc),and a ton of personal compositions and studio works.Matt Hough is also doing lots of solo works,and plays guitar in Wet Ink Ensemble full time.Killer group.All of these acts are worth checking into ASAP.Click the title at the top head over to the band's myspace..You can hear some tunes there.Enjoy!