367 Equalizer = just more evidence of the importance of Guerilla Toss, so as we mourn their recent passing let us remem-… Wait, are they broken up/breaking up or not? Looks like they toured through the bowels of Europe as recently as December, and there are a grip of solo joints being passed around (KTB, Size Queen/Jane La Onda, the latter of whom you’ll learn about via Cerberus if you behave), so what’s the deal? I heard things, folks; I heard things. As we thresh the details out let us hear the latest from this sought-after act — this actually came out as a tape on Infinity Cat but most of you didn’t manage to clasp that one — as they figure out who they are and, in the process, help us unearth a bit we didn’t know about ourselves. It all starts with the chemistry between the bassist and drummer; it’s so tight it cuts off the circulation to my fuckin’ brAINstem, and as my face drowns in purple I know my sins will take me to hell. But until that actually occurs (don’t worry, I’ll write) I’m content to lock my head into a jackhammer stance and bang to these two all night long. Another element separating Guerilla Toss from the other sound extremists is their versatility. You never know which quadrant of the band is going to pin down the focal points of a song, and in spreading out the responsibility they endeavor to push that much harder against the sort of conventional sounds a band makes when one dude/lady is in charge. That equanimity shines all the clearer through this transparent-pink (with blue streaks) 12-inch that plays out like a four-tiered meal (if that seems like a lot remember the French are devouring a triple LP before we eat breakfast), each course offering a different aesthetic. “Cookie,” for example, is anchored by face-slapping drums and synth ping-pongs, with nary a vocal in sight, before it breaks down into a more traditional G-Toss mind-floss, with the vocals screeching out front and a bit of an AIDS Wolf sense of disease permeating the air. As the record progresses the randomness increases, but never to an intolerable degree. Truth be told I’ve never heard a single Guerilla Toss track I didn’t like, 367 Equalizer included, and that’s why I never doubted the breakup rumors. Bands this dynamic rarely last.
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