Loosen the Lead and Spoil the Dogs

There's a musical yin and yang to Oakland, Calif.–based musician Utrillo Kushner. The dark side of his moon blasts stormy tantrums behind the drum kit for Bay Area acid-rockers Comets on Fire. But his lighter side finds him fronting the homespun, piano-based band Colossal Yes, a project rooted in bygone folk-rock bards, DIY singer/songwriters, '70s soft rock, and movie soundtracks. “Lacroix's Run” is an instrumental that plays like the soundtrack for something between Jerry Goldsmith’s score for Logan’s Run and Wendy Carlos & Journey’s 1982 collaborations for the soundtrack to Tron. “Sterling Drums” follows like a mellower Thin Lizzy, replete with twin guitarmonies and Kushner’s reedy tenor inflecting like Phil Lynott. “The Deputy’s Game” is another instrumental that adventurously blends trace elements of dub with psychedelic ballroom–era fuzz guitar and a lazy horn section that could fall apart at any moment. With a waltzing rhythm and period-correct rock ‘n’ roll tones steeped in '50s reverb, “Vomit on Your Blue Suede Shoes” is a complicated standout. “Lacroix's Return” bookends the set with marching drums and haunting harmonies.