Following his exit from Menage 'A Twang, Tony Arnold's first solo collection laid the template for his later projects The Pachinko Allahs, Macular Degenerates and Musaphonic, each of which expanded his signature style and paintbox of influences. Based in Athens, Georgia and heavily influenced by both his musical and literary backgrounds, Arnold has carved out a unique niche which melds his melodic sensibilities with the sui generis art-house approach that has become a Southern trademark. Musically adventurous and never straying far from his mischievous irony, Arnold allows the music to represent and guide him, rather than the ego-driven rock & roll lifestyle.
Matt Howarth of Sonic Curiosity writes: "This release from 2007 features 74 minutes of gripping rock music. With some exceptions, this is an album that explores various types of lyrical tunes. These gripping songs feature a conventional array of instruments: guitar, bass, keys, drums, and vocals. Listen close and you'll catch Arnold's dark take on topics like romance and purpose. Melancholia is warped with maudlin sentiments, then set to catchy melodies. The exceptions are the instrumental pieces, which flourish with sparkling beauty. These tracks generally rely on electronics (or keyboards) to achieve their attractive luster. There's a softness to these songs (a la lullabies), but that gentility is often flavored with a dash of prog spice, seasoning the pieces with an off-center attitude that is quite enchanting. And the tracks tend to muster puissance as they progress, getting snappier and stronger.
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