Lohio

From the first warbling, child-like verse of "last night it snowed" through almost an hour of southern-fried, post-modern, twisted, arabesque and sad indie pop-rock this album means business. The Ponys have been churning out music since the late 80's, and their legacy includes a brief stint as major-label-almost-stars thanks to the '94 single "little bastard". Thier last major label disc was the spotty "known universe" in '97.... then, the boys fell of the map for a few years. When they returned, they almost sounded like a different band. When bands return to indie lables (checkered past), it is often sort of a homecoming--- and a liberation for a group of artists previously forced to spend more time negotiating with corporate slicksters than creating music. Such was the case with "Lohio"'s predecessor, "some stupid with a flare gun". The band sounded rough, but totally revitalized, and Chuck Cleaver came through with the best batch of songs of his career.... until "Lohio". Simply put, "Lohio" is a landmark album, a masterpiece. The first song tumbles from a tender, folky ode to a crushing, slash-and-burn guitar blast all in the space of a minute and a half. It's killer, It sounds so fresh, so vital. Better than battle-scarred vets have any right to sound. And it just gets better. The 2nd track, "Kung Fu reference" is arguably the best track the Ponys have ever laid down, and easily the best song of the year. Classic pop song structure, sophisticated lyrics that are achingly poignant due to an arcane pop-culture allusion and a wonderfully sad twist at the end: "Blade Runner's at the part where Rutger Hauer dies/I don't know anything/why do I pretend to?/If I did, I'd be the one? who's living with you know." brilliant. Far too many smart-aleck pop-culture whizzes write songs that are all cleverness and no heart. Masterfully, Chuck Cleaver brings the whole emotional mass of the song crashing down on his listeners with that last sad missive, much like John Prine or Randy Newman. Jokes that break your heart. That and a devastating guitar solo make the track an instant classic.

Over the course of the rest of the record there are punky-bluegrassy sounds, dirgy guitars, wide-eyed pastoral folkiness... it's all great. There isn't anything close to a bad song on the disc.

It's easily the best Ass Ponys album, one of a handful of great albums from '01 and an instant entry into my personal Top 20.

It took a deacde and a half, but the Pony's finally built their masterpiece!

This is a brilliant album filled with melodic songs, rich lyrics, and wonderful performances. The songs are catchy (dare I even say hummable), yet they have depth and complexity created by the band's brilliant instrumental performances. Chuck Cleaver's lyrics investigate a variety of distinctly odd American characters and situations. One of the finest recordings I've heard in some time... highly recommended!

If you purchase only one Ass Ponys record, make it this one. Chuck Cleaver's much-mellowed vocals and excellent writing should win some new fans while still pleasing the die-hards. Expertly played and beautifully recorded, Lohio paints a more cohesive picture than previous releases. From start to finish, it utilizes the rural midwestern landscape as a backdrop for its carefully crafted vignettes. From first snow to late summer longing, the focus glides from one memory to the next until they start to feel remarkably like your own.

More urbane critics like to describe (read: dismiss) the subject matter as "quirky", "dark", "wacky"...i.e. too fantastic, too homespun, too whatever... But maybe I should cut them some slack... Maybe they never grew up in the middle of nowhere, and so Cleaver's personal recollections probably do sound more like fairy tales.

But I don't know... Sweetness, regret, morphine, Jesus. Sounds like a typical day to me. Told with just the right amount of sincerity and humor by four guys who get the joke.