Ponytail Ice Cream Spiritual

• Words: Josiah Hughes
• Label: We Are Free
• XLR8R Rating: 7.5/10

Ponytail’s first record, 2007’s Kamehameha, was an ecstatic, blissful noise-rock suite that was as scrappy as it was playful–a fitting introduction to the bass-less Baltimore four-piece. For Ice Cream Spiritual, they’ve stepped up their game with arena-ready riffs, heavier songs, and warm ‘n’ fuzzy production from J. Robbins. Still, all of these elements take a backseat to vocalist Molly Siegel’s otherworldly caterwauls. Even the indie-pop phrasing of “Celebrate the Body Electric” can’t protect you from her yelps and screams, which, while bizarre, complete the band’s triumphant noise jams.