Music We Like

I'm not sure how most people listen to albums in their collection (do people still listen to albums?). For me, I've always had a "go to" rotation - those albums that just seem to get grabbed when I walk up to my cd rack, looking for an unknown somet...

I'm not sure how most people listen to albums in their collection (do people still listen to albums?). For me, I've always had a "go to" rotation - those albums that just seem to get grabbed when I walk up to my cd rack, looking for an unknown something. Through the years, the "rotation" has changed and morphed to reflect who I was (music newbie teen, depressed student, falling in love, etc) and what music had touched my life recently. The current list - the result of a 30 something with changing and uncertain paths before him - is a bit mellower and indicative of the searching nature of my life (find something unique, dear boy). All of the music I've heard by the Ass Ponys is on it and Lohio is my favorite. I guess you would call the Ass Ponys a country-rock band. They don't fit the mold of most 90s alternative rock in that it is conceivable that Chuck Cleaver could include a passing mention of mold in a song about a disjointed summer romance. (Bad pun) And, when he vocalized such a song, you could bet that it would be passionate, oddly sung, visually vivid, and have a chance to be the perfect composition for one of your 1440 minutes in any given day. Lohio is part of the Ass Ponys' return from the realm of major label land (not a bad realm for this band, by any stretch, from a musical perspective). The album leads with a wonderfully juxtaposed concoction that pairs a gentle, acoustic "Last night it snowed..." opening with a striking, electric conclusion. Then, the snapshot-of-an-evening "Kung Fu Reference" displays the mastery that Cleaver has of pairing together a passing night at home observation with one's philosophy of life. And, when you're singing "if you ever gave a damn for Sonny Jim, I'm sure you must remember him" (in your head, or out loud) and don't know anything about what it means (not being a Kung Fu aficionado), you start to realize how good they are. "Donald Sutherland" starts with a suicide/murder scenario. "Black Dot" is a fun, feels-like-I'm-part-of-some-gathering romp with a dog in the background (I always hear the dog). "Calendar Days" feels like a major hit in an alternate universe where stars have fiddles and a questioning lament of "do I still exist in the bottomless pit of your heart?" evokes tearful emotion. And, life's little details, a beautiful guitar, and a realization that we can't always be what we want create a masterpiece in "Nothing Starts Today" - further enhanced by the inclusion of "cybergirls" and "pissing at the moon." As I thought about writing this review, I kept thinking about the Ass Ponys as the "sound of Southwestern Ohio." But, that makes them sound too grand and exalted. So, let's try something like: the humor, phrasing, words, and vision put forth by the Ass Ponys make me feel at home. And, the quirkiness, fascinating instrumentation, and unique singing make for a heck of a listening experience. An easy recommendation, I can't see Lohio slipping off my "go to" list anytime soon.