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By all accounts, Jonny Polonsky should be a major star.
Discovered by Frank Black, signed to American Records
by Rick Rubin, and his 1996 debut, Hi My Name Is Jonny,
was critically acclaimed. Unfortunately, shortly after its release,
American lost distribution rights leaving the 22 year old without
a label. In 2001 he managed to release a six track EP, There
Is Something Wrong With You, with indie label Eggbert. Now
nearly eight years from his full-length debut, Jonny Polonsky
returns energized with a more than worthy successor, The
Power Of Sound.
Clearly Polonsky has outgrown his fixation with the Pixies
as The Power Of Sound has many more textures than
his previous works. At times cathartic, at times melancholy,
at times raunchy, the album has a nice balance of diverse moods.
Jonny combines his signature power-pop riffs with flirts of
punk and metal. Among thrashing guitars and breathy vocals,
Jonny croons his way through tough tracks like "Let Me
Out" and "Even The Oxen". Giving a well deserved
nod to Billy Corgan, "Where The Signs End"
has an unmistakable Gish vibe. While Polonsky plays nearly
every instrument on the record, drummer Josh Freese (A
Perfect Circle, Vandals) sits in on two tracks, "Much
Love" and "Calling All Babies". The acoustic
"All This Freezing" breaks from form with somberly
penned lyrics and sparse production.
Co-produced by Ken Sluiter (Smoking Popes, Jesus
Lizard), The Power Of Sound is 10 tracks of shear
energy and flawless composition. And while this record is long
overdue, it was certainly worth the wait.
-Tony Engelhart
Track Listing:
1. Let Me Out
2. Even The Oxen
3. Shitstorm
4. Much Love
5. My Secret Life
6. Calling All Babies
7. Where the Signs End
8. How Much Do You Know?
9. All This Freezing
10. Live For The Light
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