| Guerilla Toss — Twisted Crystal (Sept. 14, 2018) |
Guerilla Toss — Twisted Crystal (Sept. 14, 2018) 
PinJi score: ✹✹✹✹✹✹✹✹✹,355
✹ Co máš proti ebenu? Neber to špatně, ale tady nejsme ve Smrtonosné pasti 3. V NYC však ano a scéna se rozvijí okamžitě. První úder je bublavě inteligentní, basově synťácký, hypnotický. Nezná bratra, zní však kompaktně. Kvintet z NYC se odchyluje od svých obvyklých tanečních punkových kořenů a míchá po špetkách surf~pop, big beat a postupy klasické rockové scény na albu, zkoumajícím tajemství vesmíru a lidské psychiky. Se dvěma novými členy nahrávali ve studiu Outlier Inn, Woodridge, NY. Nálady se mění: spooky, rozptýlená, viscerální, nevázaná, rozpustilá až bouřlivá, volatilní, manická, trippy, rozmarná, hypnotická, raucous, dramatická. I label DFA je ikonický, tanečně~punkový a dosud je to snad jejich nejpozoruhodnější, soustředěná a nejzábavnější práce. Album od předchozích vyniká jednoduše tím, že má chytřejší písně. Kassie Carlson zpívá robotickým hlasem o cestě celým vesmírem s mluvícím ptákem, který opět unikl zbytku pozemské existence kvůli dobrodružství světa jiného — nebo, jak to říká, „překračuje hranice od nudy k obscénnosti.“ V kompozici „Meteorological“ zjistí, že instaluje hloubky lidských emocí, kde nálady mohou být stejně nepředvídatelné, jako počasí. Vedená špinavým basovým riffem a propulsivními bicími reflektuje svou neschopnost číst reakce ostatních lidí — a dokonce i vlastní — s naprostou přesností. Carlson znovu a znovu spouští vodovodní rezervoár WC~otázek, jen aby dospěla k závěru, že většina lidských zkušeností je neproniknutelná. Když se však Guerilla Toss potýká s limity svého porozumění, bere to jako pozvánku k rozšíření jejich mysli. Ano, chaotickou produkci míchají do vypointovaného příběhu a za tím vším je až hmatatelné kouzlo. Owen Maxwell si alba cení na rovných 9.0 a píše: „Samotná produkce svítí jako druh spirálovitého efektu, kde se toho děje tolik, až cítím, že části nejsou přidávány nebo odečteny, ale rotují nějakým bizarně rytmickým způsobem...“ Guerilla Toss udeřily na novou úroveň.
Location: Boston, MA ~ New York, New York
Recording Location: Outlier Inn, Woodridge, NY
Genre: Noise Rock
Album release: Sept. 14, 2018
Record Label: DFA Records
Duration: 29:35
Tracks:
01. Magic Is Easy 3:12
02. Jesus Rabbit 2:09
03. Meteorological 3:22
04. Hacking Machine 3:47
05. Retreat 2:35
06. Come Up with Me 3:19
07. Walls of the Universe 4:05
08. Jackie’s Daughter 3:23
09. Green Apple 3:43
℗© 2018 DFA LLC
Personnel:
••• Peter Negroponte — drums, triggers, electronics
••• Kassie Carlson — vocals
••• Arian Shafiee — guitar
••• Sam Lisabeth — keyboards (2015–present)
••• Stephe Cooper — bass
Awards:
••• 2016: Listed by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the “10 Best Modern Punk Bands”
Review
by Margaret Farrell, SEPTEMBER 15 2018 / Score: 7.3
✹ The New York quintet diverges from its dance~punk roots, stirring in dashes of surf~pop, big beat, and classic rock on an album that explores the mysteries of the universe and the human psyche.
✹ Since their formation in 2010, Guerilla Toss have maintained an appealing mix of hyperactive exuberance and sonic innovation. From their dance~punk palette to their homages to LSD, the New York~based quintet’s outré energy seems to grow with each new project. Their uncanny and otherworldly instrumental concoctions complement their uncanny and otherworldly themes, whether they’re singing about a talking parrot or Jesus Christ. Twisted Crystal, their third DFA release, finds them traversing new compositional terrain in their exploration of yet another colorful abyss.
✹ Diverging from their previous forays into punk and new wave, the album embraces sweeter melodies, stirring in dashes of surf~pop, big beat, and classic~rock showmanship. Despite this honeyed approach, things still get weird on Twisted Crystal. Occultists of sound, Guerilla Toss bend their instruments in strange, mysterious ways; guitarist Arian Shafiee employs Eastern tuning, while the album uses Eventide processing to add a coat of burnished reverb that recalls classic~rock monoliths like Led Zeppelin. Cowbell gallops in, guitar riffs zigzag in unexpected directions, and sci~fi spaceship sound effects light up the songs like burst glow sticks. As they’re exploring these novel sounds, Guerilla Toss saturate their songs with social commentary. The album captures the hysteria that comes with struggling to understand the world, and the universe, around us — tripping on blind faith, falling into potholes of ideology, and awakening oneself to paralyzing complacency in order to act against it.
✹ Twisted Crystal feels post~human and extraterrestrial, a mystical attempt to connect with a higher power. Warped, gooey guitar lines and spiraling synth flutters hit like a sugar rush, most impressively on opener „Magic Is Easy.“ The album’s production offers just the right amount of overstimulation, incorporating sounds seemingly imported from both dreams and nightmares as it emphasizes lyrics steeped in metaphysical inquiry. „Jesus, take me from this planet/You’re the leader and I’m your little rabbit,“ frontwoman Kassie Carlson sings on „Jesus Rabbit.“ It feels like a bizarre children’s song, as Carlson schemes her way off Earth, poking fun at humanity and the idea of divinity in the same breath.
✹ On „Walls of the Universe,“ skittering strings and a climactic synth crescendo conjure the infinite enormity of the cosmos. Carlson sings in a robotic voice about a journey across the universe with a talking bird, once again escaping the mundanity of earthly existence for adventure in another world — or, as she puts it, „crossing the line from boring to obscene.“ Lead single „Meteorological“ finds her plumbing the depths of human emotions, where moods can be as unpredictable as the weather. Led by a spunky bass riff and propulsive drums, she reflects on her inability to read other people’s reactions — and even her own — with total accuracy. Time and time again, Carlson launches inquiries, only to conclude that much of the human experience is impenetrable.
✹ But when Guerilla Toss are confronted with the limits of their understanding, they take it as an invitation to expand their minds. On closing track „Green Apple,“ Carlson turns her attention to the sights and sounds that surround her. Both senses awaken as she describes spirals of green~apple incense, while textural chaos erupts around her voice in the form of bandmate Peter Negroponte’s unrelenting drums and flute~like synths. Carlson leaves us with haunting questions, sowing doubt about the reliability of our own perceptions: „Did you really see?/Do you really think that?/What do you believe?“
✹ On Twisted Crystal, Guerilla Toss journey to the edge of the universe and grapple with the mysteries of human existence. Such adventures can be panic inducing, but here they conquer anxiety through curiosity, finding excitement and even solace in abstruseness. ✹ https://pitchfork.com/
Description:
✹ Analog synthesizers give tangible life to the works of Guerilla Toss. Whether it be the sound of a rocket ship, a kitten~with~a~wah, distorted dolphins, or a clavichord made out of honey~baked ham, the band consistently finds new ways to bring together the many ideas that combine to shape each new batch of art~rock puzzle pieces.
✹ Twisted Crystal, Guerilla Toss’ new LP, feels more personal than ever for the band. Angular yet irresistibly catchy, this collection of pop songs pulls influence from powerful groups like The Slits, ESG, Gina X, and early Madonna, with sing~speak vocals from Kassie Carlson nodding to legendary artists like Laurie Anderson, Grace Jones, and Lizzy Mercier Descloux — combining this all into a twisted, crystalline concoction.
✹ Oracles and enigmatic egos are common lyrical themes, but charismatic instrumentality springs the listener back to extraterrestrial comfort. Old favorite sounds ring true from the trusty Sequential Circuits Six Track Synthesizer and Clavia Drum Machine. New, more refined sounds are molded and polished by drummer/producer Peter Negroponte, whose passion for perfection and creation goes far beyond an all~consuming Tetris effect. Peter has truly excelled on this new recording, creating a complex networks of beats and sound that become easily intertwined with the rhythmic fabric of life.
✹ Raised in a devoutly religious family, vocalist Kassie Carlson started performing at the age of five. She often participated in large pastoral choral performances, as well as her family’s four~part harmony gospel quartet, making her no stranger to the stage. Growing up under the fear of God leaves a distinct footprint on your perception. An omnipresent male dictates not only your present waking life but also the rest of your eternity. Discovering a rock band was more than self~expression for Kassie, it was a manifestation of a self~healing temple, a personal pipeline for power. What better way to part the waters of toxic sludge than a matriarchal shout?
✹ Arian Shafiee, Guerilla Toss’ resident textural~guitar guru, is inspired by aspects of non~Western tuning and extended techniques. He designs moments of dense, glistening, pitch~shifted harmony and measured strumming that link classical impressionism to no~wave and early minimal music. His recent solo work truly comes through on this new record, as he tethers fantastical surreality to noise rock to deconstructed Middle Eastern pop music.
✹ Keyboardist Sam Lisabeth paws the keys with distinct virtuosity and expressive sass. A new member, Stephen Cooper (of the band Cloud Becomes Your Hand), binds the group with an urgent, disciplined, and melodic style. The hypnotic, ostinato~like basslines and up front rhythm tracks guide and grip each song like gravity, keeping the listener from swirling off into the cosmos.
✹ In albums past, Kassie’s performances resembled more of a manic, possessed high priestess; humming at the gates of hell, hacking telepathy and tugging the strings of every audience member. Twisted Crystal goes beyond this familiar darkness, leading us into a rhythmically calming charm with deep wisdom, serenity, and understanding. What is a twisted crystal? And who told you it would heal?
✹ At times the listener wanders through mazes of dizzying, alternately pulsing time signatures, but the roads always bounce, meet and magically snap back together. That meditative groove, both live and in the studio, has become signature for Guerilla Toss, drawing deep influence from 70s krautrock and experimental rock music like Tom Tom Club, Talking Heads, Brian Eno, Neu!, Cluster, Todd Rundgren, and La Dusseldorf.
✹ A constantly evolving, living breathing entity, the band now presents the album Twisted Crystal. Enjoy the same surrealistic, kinetic healing energy of live Guerilla Toss, today in your own home.
✹ „Magic is Easy. Hypnotize yourself well.“
Studio albums:
•≡• Jeffrey Johnson (2012)
•≡• GTOSS (2013)
•≡• Gay Disco (2013)
•≡• Eraser Stargazer (2016)
•≡• GT Ultra (2017)
•≡• Twisted Crystal (2018)
EPs:
•≡• GToss + Fdome = Sexdome (2012)
•≡• My Real Dad: Live in Nappa (2012)
•≡• Kicked Back into the Crypt (2013)
•≡• Rambo Part II: First Blood Volume 3 (2013)
•≡• 367 Equalizer (2014)
•≡• Smack the Brick (2014)
•≡• Flood Dosed (2015)
Live albums:
•≡• Live in Nashville (2016)
Remixes:
•≡• Homeworld — „Billy Blood Idol (Homeworld’s Echo~S Mix)“ (2015)
•≡• Giant Claw — „Giant Claw vs. Guerilla Toss“ (2016)
•≡• Jay Glass Dubs — „Jay Glass Dubs vs Guerilla Toss“ (2017)
Music videos:
•≡• „Drip Decay“ (2013)
•≡• „367 Equalizer“ (2014)
•≡• „Doll Face on the Calico Highway“ (2016)
•≡• „Perfume“ (2016)
•≡• „Color Picture“ (2016)
•≡• „The String Game“ (2017)
•≡• „Skull Pop“ (2017)
•≡• „Betty Dreams Of Green Men“ (2017)
•≡• „Dose Rate“ (2018)
•≡• „Meteorological“ (2018)
Website: http://guerillatoss.com/
Bandcamp: https://guerillatoss.bandcamp.com/album/twisted-crystal-2
| Guerilla Toss — Twisted Crystal (Sept. 14, 2018) |
✹ Co máš proti ebenu? Neber to špatně, ale tady nejsme ve Smrtonosné pasti 3. V NYC však ano a scéna se rozvijí okamžitě. První úder je bublavě inteligentní, basově synťácký, hypnotický. Nezná bratra, zní však kompaktně. Kvintet z NYC se odchyluje od svých obvyklých tanečních punkových kořenů a míchá po špetkách surf~pop, big beat a postupy klasické rockové scény na albu, zkoumajícím tajemství vesmíru a lidské psychiky. Se dvěma novými členy nahrávali ve studiu Outlier Inn, Woodridge, NY. Nálady se mění: spooky, rozptýlená, viscerální, nevázaná, rozpustilá až bouřlivá, volatilní, manická, trippy, rozmarná, hypnotická, raucous, dramatická. I label DFA je ikonický, tanečně~punkový a dosud je to snad jejich nejpozoruhodnější, soustředěná a nejzábavnější práce. Album od předchozích vyniká jednoduše tím, že má chytřejší písně. Kassie Carlson zpívá robotickým hlasem o cestě celým vesmírem s mluvícím ptákem, který opět unikl zbytku pozemské existence kvůli dobrodružství světa jiného — nebo, jak to říká, „překračuje hranice od nudy k obscénnosti.“ V kompozici „Meteorological“ zjistí, že instaluje hloubky lidských emocí, kde nálady mohou být stejně nepředvídatelné, jako počasí. Vedená špinavým basovým riffem a propulsivními bicími reflektuje svou neschopnost číst reakce ostatních lidí — a dokonce i vlastní — s naprostou přesností. Carlson znovu a znovu spouští vodovodní rezervoár WC~otázek, jen aby dospěla k závěru, že většina lidských zkušeností je neproniknutelná. Když se však Guerilla Toss potýká s limity svého porozumění, bere to jako pozvánku k rozšíření jejich mysli. Ano, chaotickou produkci míchají do vypointovaného příběhu a za tím vším je až hmatatelné kouzlo. Owen Maxwell si alba cení na rovných 9.0 a píše: „Samotná produkce svítí jako druh spirálovitého efektu, kde se toho děje tolik, až cítím, že části nejsou přidávány nebo odečteny, ale rotují nějakým bizarně rytmickým způsobem...“ Guerilla Toss udeřily na novou úroveň.
Location: Boston, MA ~ New York, New York
Recording Location: Outlier Inn, Woodridge, NY
Genre: Noise Rock
Album release: Sept. 14, 2018
Record Label: DFA Records
Duration: 29:35
Tracks:
01. Magic Is Easy 3:12
02. Jesus Rabbit 2:09
03. Meteorological 3:22
04. Hacking Machine 3:47
05. Retreat 2:35
06. Come Up with Me 3:19
07. Walls of the Universe 4:05
08. Jackie’s Daughter 3:23
09. Green Apple 3:43
℗© 2018 DFA LLC
Personnel:
••• Peter Negroponte — drums, triggers, electronics
••• Kassie Carlson — vocals
••• Arian Shafiee — guitar
••• Sam Lisabeth — keyboards (2015–present)
••• Stephe Cooper — bass
Awards:
••• 2016: Listed by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the “10 Best Modern Punk Bands”
Review
by Margaret Farrell, SEPTEMBER 15 2018 / Score: 7.3
✹ The New York quintet diverges from its dance~punk roots, stirring in dashes of surf~pop, big beat, and classic rock on an album that explores the mysteries of the universe and the human psyche.
✹ Since their formation in 2010, Guerilla Toss have maintained an appealing mix of hyperactive exuberance and sonic innovation. From their dance~punk palette to their homages to LSD, the New York~based quintet’s outré energy seems to grow with each new project. Their uncanny and otherworldly instrumental concoctions complement their uncanny and otherworldly themes, whether they’re singing about a talking parrot or Jesus Christ. Twisted Crystal, their third DFA release, finds them traversing new compositional terrain in their exploration of yet another colorful abyss.
✹ Diverging from their previous forays into punk and new wave, the album embraces sweeter melodies, stirring in dashes of surf~pop, big beat, and classic~rock showmanship. Despite this honeyed approach, things still get weird on Twisted Crystal. Occultists of sound, Guerilla Toss bend their instruments in strange, mysterious ways; guitarist Arian Shafiee employs Eastern tuning, while the album uses Eventide processing to add a coat of burnished reverb that recalls classic~rock monoliths like Led Zeppelin. Cowbell gallops in, guitar riffs zigzag in unexpected directions, and sci~fi spaceship sound effects light up the songs like burst glow sticks. As they’re exploring these novel sounds, Guerilla Toss saturate their songs with social commentary. The album captures the hysteria that comes with struggling to understand the world, and the universe, around us — tripping on blind faith, falling into potholes of ideology, and awakening oneself to paralyzing complacency in order to act against it.
✹ Twisted Crystal feels post~human and extraterrestrial, a mystical attempt to connect with a higher power. Warped, gooey guitar lines and spiraling synth flutters hit like a sugar rush, most impressively on opener „Magic Is Easy.“ The album’s production offers just the right amount of overstimulation, incorporating sounds seemingly imported from both dreams and nightmares as it emphasizes lyrics steeped in metaphysical inquiry. „Jesus, take me from this planet/You’re the leader and I’m your little rabbit,“ frontwoman Kassie Carlson sings on „Jesus Rabbit.“ It feels like a bizarre children’s song, as Carlson schemes her way off Earth, poking fun at humanity and the idea of divinity in the same breath.
✹ On „Walls of the Universe,“ skittering strings and a climactic synth crescendo conjure the infinite enormity of the cosmos. Carlson sings in a robotic voice about a journey across the universe with a talking bird, once again escaping the mundanity of earthly existence for adventure in another world — or, as she puts it, „crossing the line from boring to obscene.“ Lead single „Meteorological“ finds her plumbing the depths of human emotions, where moods can be as unpredictable as the weather. Led by a spunky bass riff and propulsive drums, she reflects on her inability to read other people’s reactions — and even her own — with total accuracy. Time and time again, Carlson launches inquiries, only to conclude that much of the human experience is impenetrable.
✹ But when Guerilla Toss are confronted with the limits of their understanding, they take it as an invitation to expand their minds. On closing track „Green Apple,“ Carlson turns her attention to the sights and sounds that surround her. Both senses awaken as she describes spirals of green~apple incense, while textural chaos erupts around her voice in the form of bandmate Peter Negroponte’s unrelenting drums and flute~like synths. Carlson leaves us with haunting questions, sowing doubt about the reliability of our own perceptions: „Did you really see?/Do you really think that?/What do you believe?“
✹ On Twisted Crystal, Guerilla Toss journey to the edge of the universe and grapple with the mysteries of human existence. Such adventures can be panic inducing, but here they conquer anxiety through curiosity, finding excitement and even solace in abstruseness. ✹ https://pitchfork.com/
Description:
✹ Analog synthesizers give tangible life to the works of Guerilla Toss. Whether it be the sound of a rocket ship, a kitten~with~a~wah, distorted dolphins, or a clavichord made out of honey~baked ham, the band consistently finds new ways to bring together the many ideas that combine to shape each new batch of art~rock puzzle pieces.
✹ Twisted Crystal, Guerilla Toss’ new LP, feels more personal than ever for the band. Angular yet irresistibly catchy, this collection of pop songs pulls influence from powerful groups like The Slits, ESG, Gina X, and early Madonna, with sing~speak vocals from Kassie Carlson nodding to legendary artists like Laurie Anderson, Grace Jones, and Lizzy Mercier Descloux — combining this all into a twisted, crystalline concoction.
✹ Oracles and enigmatic egos are common lyrical themes, but charismatic instrumentality springs the listener back to extraterrestrial comfort. Old favorite sounds ring true from the trusty Sequential Circuits Six Track Synthesizer and Clavia Drum Machine. New, more refined sounds are molded and polished by drummer/producer Peter Negroponte, whose passion for perfection and creation goes far beyond an all~consuming Tetris effect. Peter has truly excelled on this new recording, creating a complex networks of beats and sound that become easily intertwined with the rhythmic fabric of life.
✹ Raised in a devoutly religious family, vocalist Kassie Carlson started performing at the age of five. She often participated in large pastoral choral performances, as well as her family’s four~part harmony gospel quartet, making her no stranger to the stage. Growing up under the fear of God leaves a distinct footprint on your perception. An omnipresent male dictates not only your present waking life but also the rest of your eternity. Discovering a rock band was more than self~expression for Kassie, it was a manifestation of a self~healing temple, a personal pipeline for power. What better way to part the waters of toxic sludge than a matriarchal shout?
✹ Arian Shafiee, Guerilla Toss’ resident textural~guitar guru, is inspired by aspects of non~Western tuning and extended techniques. He designs moments of dense, glistening, pitch~shifted harmony and measured strumming that link classical impressionism to no~wave and early minimal music. His recent solo work truly comes through on this new record, as he tethers fantastical surreality to noise rock to deconstructed Middle Eastern pop music.
✹ Keyboardist Sam Lisabeth paws the keys with distinct virtuosity and expressive sass. A new member, Stephen Cooper (of the band Cloud Becomes Your Hand), binds the group with an urgent, disciplined, and melodic style. The hypnotic, ostinato~like basslines and up front rhythm tracks guide and grip each song like gravity, keeping the listener from swirling off into the cosmos.
✹ In albums past, Kassie’s performances resembled more of a manic, possessed high priestess; humming at the gates of hell, hacking telepathy and tugging the strings of every audience member. Twisted Crystal goes beyond this familiar darkness, leading us into a rhythmically calming charm with deep wisdom, serenity, and understanding. What is a twisted crystal? And who told you it would heal?
✹ At times the listener wanders through mazes of dizzying, alternately pulsing time signatures, but the roads always bounce, meet and magically snap back together. That meditative groove, both live and in the studio, has become signature for Guerilla Toss, drawing deep influence from 70s krautrock and experimental rock music like Tom Tom Club, Talking Heads, Brian Eno, Neu!, Cluster, Todd Rundgren, and La Dusseldorf.
✹ A constantly evolving, living breathing entity, the band now presents the album Twisted Crystal. Enjoy the same surrealistic, kinetic healing energy of live Guerilla Toss, today in your own home.
✹ „Magic is Easy. Hypnotize yourself well.“
Studio albums:
•≡• Jeffrey Johnson (2012)
•≡• GTOSS (2013)
•≡• Gay Disco (2013)
•≡• Eraser Stargazer (2016)
•≡• GT Ultra (2017)
•≡• Twisted Crystal (2018)
EPs:
•≡• GToss + Fdome = Sexdome (2012)
•≡• My Real Dad: Live in Nappa (2012)
•≡• Kicked Back into the Crypt (2013)
•≡• Rambo Part II: First Blood Volume 3 (2013)
•≡• 367 Equalizer (2014)
•≡• Smack the Brick (2014)
•≡• Flood Dosed (2015)
Live albums:
•≡• Live in Nashville (2016)
Remixes:
•≡• Homeworld — „Billy Blood Idol (Homeworld’s Echo~S Mix)“ (2015)
•≡• Giant Claw — „Giant Claw vs. Guerilla Toss“ (2016)
•≡• Jay Glass Dubs — „Jay Glass Dubs vs Guerilla Toss“ (2017)
Music videos:
•≡• „Drip Decay“ (2013)
•≡• „367 Equalizer“ (2014)
•≡• „Doll Face on the Calico Highway“ (2016)
•≡• „Perfume“ (2016)
•≡• „Color Picture“ (2016)
•≡• „The String Game“ (2017)
•≡• „Skull Pop“ (2017)
•≡• „Betty Dreams Of Green Men“ (2017)
•≡• „Dose Rate“ (2018)
•≡• „Meteorological“ (2018)
Website: http://guerillatoss.com/
Bandcamp: https://guerillatoss.bandcamp.com/album/twisted-crystal-2