PONDEROSA, PONDEROSA (self-released)

[July 11th, 2007]

[EXPERIMENTAL FOLK] Acoustic-core duo Ponderosa is a rare musical act spawned from the unlikely combination of banjo and cello—two things as likely to share a stage as Rosie O'Donnell and Donald Trump. But the chilling connection of cellist Bill Nichols and banjo player Stephen Kierniesky—who started playing music together as kids in the small town of Gettysburg, Pa.—features a lot less trash-talking. The duo's first, self-titled release under the alias Ponderosa, rather, is a graceful, mature effort covering dense ground, from traditional folk and bluegrass to the sharp and unpredictable elements of modern indie rock. And the outcome is nearly impossible to classify.

Part of this stems from the duo's atypical approach to songwriting: In the absence of a vocalist, there is more freedom to stray from a traditional verse-chorus framework. (This is not to imply jammyness; there are no strung-out pockets of instrumental masturbation to be found here.) Instead, each instrumental piece is married to the next with thoughtful transitions that—even when catching you off guard—never sound awkward, unpleasant or out of place. Opening track "Turducken," for example, takes off with a mournful, end-of-the-world tone only to break down into a hyper-twangy, happy bit that'll make you want to bury your face in the earth like a lunatic hippie. Other times, the banjo and cello press forward in near cartoon-like drama: During "Baby Sue," you're captivated by quick, chaotic banjo and dark cuts of cello one moment and pleasantly surprised by a mellow melodic breakdown the next. As a whole, the moody climaxes and pensive lows feel like a well-written story.

Likewise, album highlight "Penn's Woods," an old-timey number with a delicate banjo melody, begins sparsely and then takes off like a pack of wild horses. It's the type of foot-tapping hobo music that would make a great soundtrack to train hopping. But since people aren't as prone to adventure these days, it'll likely wind up being a favorite at some neo-folkster's vegan barbecue, where everyone looks homeless and talks about how much they'd rather be in the country. But rather than let our tight pants cut off the blood-flow to our brains, let's loosen up and take 'em off. Come on, go to a natural food store, snort a bunch of those freaky herbals, turn on Ponderosa and stay awhile. .