Ponytail

With a gazillion ideas snapped together like so many Legos, Ponytail's second album is an exhilarating puzzle. Tracks marked by ringing classic-rock riffs ("Beg Waves," "Small Wevs") vie for space in your brainpan alongside screechy, art-damaged affairs ("Late for School" and "7 Souls"). Presided over by Molly Siegel -- a fiery young Yoko Ono impersonator -- the disc is precocious but never precious, combining a smart, Juno-esque appreciation of old-school punk that steers clear of mere revivalism.

By Shannon Zimmerman