PONYTAIL “ICE CREAM SPIRITUAL” [We Are Free] / LESSER GONZALEZ ALVAREZ “WHY IS BEAR BILLOWING?” [Carpark]

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PONYTAIL “ICE CREAM SPIRITUAL” [We Are Free]
Ponytail comes back with another album after their 2006 debut Kamehameha. It is once again filled with vocalist Molly Siegel’s trademark yelps, wails and strained screams over a stampede of catchy, fast-paced guitar riffs, hissing symbols and upbeat drums. The songs come off tighter and cleaner (much better produced) than those of their debut album. Each instrument and each section makes itself known with clarity and conviction, marking an improvement from Kamehameha’s somewhat messy but definitely delightful and energetic explosions of sound while retaining that tribal vibe that’ll make you get up and dance.

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LESSER GONZALEZ ALVAREZ “WHY IS BEAR BILLOWING?” [Carpark]
Cuban-born singer songwriter Lesser Gonzalez Alvarez brings us an album of soothing lullabies and stories told in the whimsical vernacular of folk. In some tracks, he sings with the wobbly voice associated with the leading freak folk artist Devendra Banhart and he has the playful, back-and-forth guitar melodies to match. Some tracks move away from the disquieting off-cadence vibe of freak folk. In these tracks, Lesser Gonzalez Alvarez treats us to enchanting fairytales (“The Owl and The Pussycat”) and simple love stories (“A Twist In the Sky”) that emphasize the beauty of folk’s storytelling force.

By Kelly

Kelly does a new music show called “Bells and Whistles” Tuesday Afternoons from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m..

PONYTAIL "ICE CREAM SPIRITUAL" [We Are Free] / LESSER GONZALEZ ALVAREZ "WHY IS BEAR BILLOWING?" [Carpark]

6102vvmjpjl_sl500_aa240_

PONYTAIL “ICE CREAM SPIRITUAL” [We Are Free]
Ponytail comes back with another album after their 2006 debut Kamehameha. It is once again filled with vocalist Molly Siegel’s trademark yelps, wails and strained screams over a stampede of catchy, fast-paced guitar riffs, hissing symbols and upbeat drums. The songs come off tighter and cleaner (much better produced) than those of their debut album. Each instrument and each section makes itself known with clarity and conviction, marking an improvement from Kamehameha’s somewhat messy but definitely delightful and energetic explosions of sound while retaining that tribal vibe that’ll make you get up and dance.

51wksbqeo9l_sl500_aa240_

LESSER GONZALEZ ALVAREZ “WHY IS BEAR BILLOWING?” [Carpark]
Cuban-born singer songwriter Lesser Gonzalez Alvarez brings us an album of soothing lullabies and stories told in the whimsical vernacular of folk. In some tracks, he sings with the wobbly voice associated with the leading freak folk artist Devendra Banhart and he has the playful, back-and-forth guitar melodies to match. Some tracks move away from the disquieting off-cadence vibe of freak folk. In these tracks, Lesser Gonzalez Alvarez treats us to enchanting fairytales (“The Owl and The Pussycat”) and simple love stories (“A Twist In the Sky”) that emphasize the beauty of folk’s storytelling force.

By Kelly

Kelly does a new music show called “Bells and Whistles” Tuesday Afternoons from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m..