Pterodactyl

Spills Out

Brah/Jagjaguwar

Dec 09, 2011 Issue #38 - 10th Anniversary Issue By J. Pace Bookmark and Share


The idea of genre is so impossible anymore: bands perversely make fools of any would-be taxonomists, dancing through enough styles to basically outrun our descriptive language. But hey, that's kind of music's beauty, isn't it? It can drift right out of criticism's reach (or capitalism's, for that matter).

Pterodactyl have the propulsion and driving dissonance of labelmates Oneida or Parts & Labor, but it's just an ingredient, a delivery system, for—what?—some kind of fractured, urban psych-pop, with melodic inclinations that are distinctly '60s. Things start out Brooklyn Noise Rock, but the second half of the album gets downright Nuggets-worthy.

Songs such as "The Hole Night" are sheer perfection, all baroque pop hooks and harmonies, executed with the subtlety of a drum kit falling down a stairwell. It's modern, it's classic, it's post, it's pre—what the hell is it? It's excellent. (www.pterodactyl.info)

Author rating: 7/10

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