The Ponys + Disappears + Woven Bones + The Forgery Series

At first, the Ponys don't sound like much: mannered vocals, relatively straightforward rock with slight psychedelic influences. But their impetuous rock & roll gets better as they go along. It's a testament to the band's mastery of idioms that they can evoke both the Shangri-las and the Bad Seeds without sounding completely ridiculous. Chicago quartet Disappears plays reverby, attitude-laden art punk.