Party Intellectuals was a stellar debut album and it seems Ceramic Dog was pretty geared up for the follow-up, Your Turn. It's just as eclectic, just as rocking, and just as twisted, and has plenty of raw, noisy guitar. Your Turn is just a bit leaner with no songs even close to breaking six minutes. Easing in with "Lies My Body Told Me," the tune quickly gathers steam and snarling guitars until the band is pretty much at full-throttle for "Your Turn," an absolute scorcher. "Masters of the Internet" is a hilarious, sarcastic commentary on today's music business set to an ominous Middle Eastern dirge. "Ritual Slaughter" threatens to go off the rails at any moment but somehow manages not to. Ribot is just burning while Ches and Shahzad kick it hard. "Avanti Popolo" is a short little march that leads to "Ain't Gonna Let Us Turn Them Around," a sparse little ditty set to a reggae beat with clanking percussion and a guitar tone that sounds more like the distorted mbiras of Konono No. 1. "Bread and Roses" is an angry sort of protest tune inspired by a poem originally written in support of women's rights in 1911 but which was later given music and adopted by the labor movement in the '70s (this one features another great guitar solo). "Prayer" alternates loud and soft (but it's always pretty raw and nasty) before finding a groove and some great white-noise fuzz-wah guitar. "Mr. Pants Goes to Hollywood" is a loopy, elliptical track with a tick-tock rhythm and crazy sonic palette. "The Kid Is Back" is funny, bent vocal jazz with Cole Porter-esque phrasing which leads to the skronkiest "Take 5" you're likely to ever hear (yes, it's great). "We Are the Professionals" is another funny one with Ceramic Dog showing off their Beastie Boys side. The album ends with a Ches Smith-penned stomping. The whole album is a blast. Ribot's vocals have never been anything to write home about, but they suit this material perfectly. Instrumentally, this band can do nearly anything. Party Intellectuals may have set the bar high, but Your Turn is definitely a worthy follow-up.
© Sean Westergaard /TiVo