Lovingly pinched from Tiny Mix Tapes: Few bands are able to move between moods and styles as flawlessly as Pontiak. Comecrudos, their latest Thrill Jockey release, showcases this elusive transitional ability. Recorded as a soundtrack to the drive from Phoenix through much of Texas without the aid of distortion or overdrive pedals, the four-part EP glides along from vast, minimal plains to loping dirges and poignant rock as effortlessly as the sea of sand and indomitable flora and fauna to which it was set.
‘Part I’ opens the EP on a richly textured seven-minute drone. Within this drone, a strummed guitar moans on with an endless decay, writhing as its amplitude interweaves with trumpets and reverberant sounds. It isn’t until a minute into ‘Part II’ when the mood is broken, where a similar drone gives way to acoustic guitar, warmly 70s bass, and vocals as if the van crests an incline on Route 385 to reveal a striking contrast of color and atmosphere on the horizon.
‘Part III’ keeps with the Boris-meets-Pink Floyd vibe laid down by the previous two tracks. The section’s first three minutes establish a funky bassline and boom-bap drum beat, over which an improvised guitar is eventually usurped and then joined by a surging brass section. This grind is re-contextualized in its final four minutes with the appearance of oddly uplifting vocals, musing on lonely ghosts and their former happiness.
Continue reading: Pontiak – Comecrudos [EP] | Music Review | Tiny Mix Tapes.
Tags: Alan Ranta, Album of the day, Comecrudos, drone, Pontiak, psychedelica, stoner rock, Thrill Jockey, Tiny Mix Tapes
This entry was posted on Monday, July 11th, 2011 at 1:57 pm and is filed under 2011, Album of the Day, Roadburn Recommended . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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