Purling Hiss

Weirdon (Drag City)

Purling Hiss continues its evolution from wild animal pyrotechnics to shaggy-dog pop on its fifth album Weirdon. “Learning Slowly,” “I Don’t Wanna Be a …,” and “Where’s Sweetboy” bend the band’s usual power trio dynamics to the will of leader Mike Polizze’s tuneful ambitions while still leaving room for his six-string explosions. “Aging Faces,” “Airwaves,” and “Another Silvermoon” explore jangle pop by letting winsome melodies do the arm-twisting. “Running Through My Dreams” and the oddly titled “Reptili-a-Genda” sound like lost Sixties relics from a superstar band’s acoustic sessions. Polizze lets his lyricism do the talking, even as he doesn’t stint on fancy fingerings. Like the Brian Jonestown Massacre playing the Dinosaur Jr. songbook, Purling Hiss digs deep into the concept of ragged but right. (11:45pm, Beerland)

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This article appears in November 7 • 2014.

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Michael Toland started writing about music in 1988 on the Gulf Coast, moved to Austin in early 1991, and has inflicted bylines upon the corporeal and digital pages of Pop Culture Press, The Big Takeover, Blurt, Amplifier, Austin.citysearch, the Austin American Statesman, Goldmine, Sleazegrinder, Rock & Roll Globe, High Bias, FHT Music Notes, and, since 2011, The Austin Chronicle.