Band of the Week: Ponytail

[August 3 - 9]

Ponytail
Sounds Like: Art-Rock / Experimental
Drinking Buddies: Deerhoof, Times New Viking, The Moi Non Plus, Pterodactyl
Synopsis: There's a fine line between insanity and genius, and we're jumping rope with it.

Makes You Want To...: SUGAR RUSH!; Wild out; Random play
[Myspace]

One week, one band. You know the drill.
This week, the featured artist is Ponytail.


Call it what you will, call it what you may. Call it whatever you damn well please, but whether you like it or not, music is not just music. It's not just well orchestrated sounds put on pieces of plastic. It's not just a tremendously ingrained cultural aspect within our society. No no, not in the slightest. Music is more. Music is a river a creativity, flowing through the audiovascular system to the cerebral vortex of the minds of musicians and listeners everywhere. My friendly readers, music is more than music. Music is an artform, every bit as much a creative adventure as anything you'll find in some sterile museum.

But whereas regular art is confined to canvas or a podium for visual display, music has no limits except those of your mind. You make what you wish of music by your own interpretation, and all you have to base it on is exactly how tightly wound the guitar strings of your mind are. And believe me, the more you loosen up those strings, the more fun you can have. You can quickly realize some music doesn't need words. Hell, you'll learn some songs don't even need structure. You can learn feedback sounds beautiful, screaming sounds pristine, and your voice is not just an outlet, but an instrument. Music is art, simple as that. And Ponytail is Ponytail, simple as that.

Yes, you heard me. Ponytail is Ponytail - duh - didn't know? Do you really need to judge this crazy quartet from Baltimore? Not particularly; they have two guitars, a drum set, and a few microphones. But they're just a band of folks who like making some neat music. But there's so much more to discover when you're not judging, so stop while you're ahead. Ponytail is all about loose guitar strings and just jammin' around all day. Their music doesn't really have to make sense to anyone else, because it certainly makes sense to them. Ponytail is well contented to play however they want and let you tie all the rest of the knots if you're interested enough to follow them on their auditory exploration.

They play fast, they play loud, and they play without inhibition. Ponytail dips their feet directly into that swimming pool of creativity; but they don't linger, rather, cannonball straight in and start splashing anyone who hasn't joined them. Forgoing and bass guitar, they concentrate all of their music on duel guitars, shredding away in two opposite direction before crashing back together. As if the guitarists weren't a show enough, their singer dances and sings along with inane energy seeping out of every inch of her skin, wildly yelping and rocking out to every disjointed yet harmonic note, all whilst deafening blasts of malleable beats blare from the drums backing up the whole affair. Many of my writing peers frequently described Ponytail's crazed eclecticness as a musical "sugar rush," and they couldn't be speaking more of the truths. Turn up your speakers, down a few pixie stix, and listen to "...,,,;;;:::!" by Ponytail; you might understand.

The wicked folks of Ponytail aren't very busy right now. Besides a local show scheduled in the somewhat near future, they're chilling. It's well deserved though, after heaps of touring following the release of their sophomore album, Ice Cream Spiritual, a celebration of all things huhwoahreallythat'ssocool. You'll understand what I'm talking about if you listen to "7 Souls." If you're further intrigued, you can also catch their freshman release, Kamehameha, which you can stream off of Last.fm if you're cheap and strapped for cash at the moment (like me). Or you can wander over to Daytrotter, and catch their very spontaneous acoustic session.

And all I can furthermore I hope that you enjoy.