Antique Pony-Gay Ghosts CS (2012)

In my September review of these guys' debut EP, I noted that the production was a bit too mannered for the sort of noise skronk Antique Ponies traffic in. The Glaswegians took the gloves off for their sophomore effort, and it pays off big time. The opener, "Halloween" sets you up for a record of nice acoustic songs that mighta been recorded in Olympia for K Records 'round 1988. But it's a red herring, 'cause what you get is a tape's worth of ugly, contorted noise made by up and coming Scots who have a lot of bile left in 'em, I'm guessing. Spew forth, boys.

"Sitting in Steven's room listening to drone tapes" is a lumbering, stupidly direct piece of noise slop centered on a fight between the guitarist and drummer. It's the work of a band that just started listening to the Swans, and who do a good job of paying homage to them. "Dying in a flower bed" grabs your attention with its instrumentation: the guitar has an eerie, noirish quality that sucks you in and the mix of trashy drumming and whisper-snarled vocals is just right. The closer, "Manifold Twin," steals the show with a colossal drumbeat, spastic singing and cleverly braindead guitar.

Antique Pony has found their sound on this EP, methinks. Them and Toxic Parents are two of the best band playing in this genre these days; expect good things from both in 2013.

Listen to the tape here. You can buy a physical copy here. Hurry up, they only made 50 copies and handpainted each one-very nice touch.

Antique Pony-Museum of Blood EP (2012)

After spinning these Glaswegians' [sic?] debut EP, I can safely say that they are fans of mathrock. Their email winging the EP my way described them as a noise band, but their sound isn't as guttural as most groups I associate with that genre.

Instead, these nine tracks exhibit a pretty solid grasp of postrock songwriting. The production is a bit too mannered for my tastes, but it sounds like an aesthetic choice, not happenstance. Most of the tracks sound like the makings of jazz musicians who got fed up with playing in fancypeople bars and got into Scratch Acid. The drummer totally stole the opening roll for "novella written by retired mortician" (gee, these guys had their thesaurus at hand when naming these songs, eh?) from Joy Division, but eh, who isn't ripping off Morris & co. these days?

Anyways, you'll dig this if you like sustained, guitar-centered post-rock instrumentals. This is a lazy review, I know, but I'm on my way out of the house to get blackout drunk and try to make conversation with the anarchists of Florence, so buzz off.

Check out Antique Pony HERE.