Baltimore's Ponytail may be a little overwhelming for some. FRANK HAMILTON

'Ice Cream Spiritual' is overwhelming to the casual listener

Date published: 7/17/2008

BY JOHN KOVALCHIK

One could only imagine the collaborative chaos and scattered musical ideas flying about a room when Ponytail practices. The band plays a brand of progressive noise-pop that comes across as if The Go! Team decided to have a baby with Sonic Youth and then raised it in Baltimore.

The foursome is signed to the small (consisting of only three bands), yet up-and-coming noise label We Are Free. "Ice Cream Spiritual" is the band's sophomore release and first album on the label.

The full-length--if you could call it that--consists of only eight tracks. But the tracks tend to drag on, some reaching seven minutes. Characteristic of noise music, the songs seem to blend together and sound similar, repetitive and, sometimes, annoying to an average listener.

However, Ponytail brings unique sense to its recordings. The band doesn't differ from other noise outfits in the all-over-the-place, scratchy guitars. And there still isn't any verse, chorus, bridge or any kind of structure to the tracks they manage to build on hooks. But, contrary to the status quo of the noise style, Ponytail has turned down the distortion and turned up the tempo.

Probably the most distinguishing characteristic of Pony-tail is the vocals. "Singer" Molly Siegel squeals and yelps jibberish that is more like a drum machine than actual singing.

"Ice Cream Spiritual" is, at times, too overwhelming and noisy--but can be a great listen for someone who's ever wondered how Elvis Costello would have turned out if he had been into The Sound of Animals Fighting or Jawbox. And that really sums the entire album up as an energetic, poppy mess, where you can envision the band members having giggly schoolboy humors, appetites for ice cream and the most fun anyone can have playing music.

John Kovalchik is a rising sophomore at Stafford High School.

Date published: 7/17/2008