Pterodactyl - Pterodactyl (CD)

All Music Guide

NewYorkbywayofOhio rockers Pterodactyl soar in on their selftitled debut with all the epic badassery of their namesake. This is screamridden smartkidrock that plays dumb; it's a hulking sauropod of a disc that takes math rock in its meaty claws and rips it to shreds. It hops and jerks like early Modest Mouse, it shrieks like the Pixies, and it has just a touch of grimy, glittery glam rock reminiscent of early Jane's Addiction. As messy as they might sound to the uninitiated ear, Pterodactyl are very much a thinking man's band. Deathdefying feats of drumming are accomplished here thanks to Matt Marlin, and bassist Kurt Beals (formerly of the Union of a Man and a Woman) leaps all over these songs like a feral progrock beast while Joe Kremer screams like a Muppet on fire. There's a constant pushandpull between accessible pop sensibilities and insular sonic experimentation, and Pterodactyl succeed in holding this tension throughout the disc. Moments of melodic clarity, such as in the openi...ng strains of "Esses" or in the Softboysesque vocal harmonies of "Safe Like a Train", are isolated gasps in the midst of dissonant, distorted, at times violent waves of noise. It's a jarring listen, and it's also strangely forgettable which might just be symptomatic of the band's dogged insistence on whipping up wellread noise instead of catchy riffs. But if it whips by like an allnight bender, it's fun while it lasts fun as a kick in the teeth or a few spins on the Zipper, that is. - Margaret Reges , All Music Guide Read more Less