Eraser Stargazer

This artfully discombobulated quintet evoke the ecstatic vitality of experimentalists like Melt-Banana and Deerhoof on their fifth album. Intense pleasure-pushing is a theme both sonic and lyrical: On “Multibeast TV,” lead vocalist Kassie Carlson barks “Chocolate! Cinnamon! Sugar! Eat it!” over the sort of hard, in-the-pocket leftfield funk DFA is known for. Multipart ramshackle raves like “Grass Shack\" find the New York crew blending tough tribal rhythms with post-punk derangement and loads of cowbell. The power-poetics and wild beats reach a shuddering, Beefheart-ian climax in \"Doll Face on the Calico Highway.\"

Eraser Stargazer was written and recorded in 6 weeks of winter isolation in upstate New York. Fans of the group will hear all of the beloved hallmarks of the Guerilla Toss sound - solid bass grooves, squealing guitars, and kitchen sink percussion. Each instrument now occupies its own part of the audio spectrum, with vocalist/poet Kassie Carlson’s spirited incantations brought into focus. Album centerpiece Grass Shack is a perfect example of this leaner, yet tougher Toss. It traverses nearly seven minutes of game- show-winner keyboard stabs, mutant funk basslines, and time signature changes - all grounded by Peter Negroponte’s virtuosic drumming. Carlson describes the themes of the song as “A deep analytical depiction of a small unit of time, with heightened senses, Ripping yourself out of bed even though it might be harsh and overwhelming. Seeing patterns in the little things that make life beautiful.” Heavy subject matter permeates the rest of the record - but that doesn’t mean it’s a downer. Lead single Diamond Girls casts Carlson as a no-wave cheerleader over instrumentation reminiscent of DFA alumni Black Dice and The Rapture, culminating in the group’s catchiest chorus yet. Album closer Doll Face On The Calico Highway is the perfect summation - angular guitars, bells, and low-end vibrations interject and decompose as quickly as they appear, until a hissing cymbal is all that remains.

Guerilla Toss make a "Donkey Kong"*-*soundtrack version of punk, with synthesizers ping-ponging against screeching guitars. It's brainy music that feels immediate and visceral.

Over the years, Guerilla Toss gave their outbursts a kinetic backbone that made comparisons to highly experimental acts like Ponytail and Black Dice as well as pioneering punk-funkers like Public Image Ltd. equally apt.