anthony "crystalline roses" pasquarosa & john "sunburned" moloney: my pharaoh, my king

"This new duo LP, the first recorded by guitarist Tony Pasquarosa and drummer John Moloney (aka The Meatball Twins), is a masterpiece of lateral drift. Recorded as something like a tribute to the spirit of Farrell 'Little Rock' Sanders (also known as 'The Son' in the saxophonic Holy Trinity, along with Coltrane's 'The Father,' and Ayler's 'The Holy Ghost') there is no music here specifically recalling Sanders's work. But much of it seems to spring from a place that is illuminated by Sanders's artistic freedom, and his utilization of Middle Eastern symbols and motifs both inside his music and as part of his artistic statements. Tony's acoustic guitar playing makes me think of the work of India's great string master, Brij Bhushan Kabra. Raga-like twirls and filigree emerge like puffs of wet smoke, drifting away lazily in the sharp light of a winter's afternoon. And Moloney, who is best known for throwing down thunder with Sunburned, Chelsea Light Moving, Dino Jr, Caught On Tape and other Giants of Thud, matches Tony's mood effortlessly. Sweet light rhythm patterns are not something one often associates with Moloney's music, but his playing here with both percussion and wind show a very different side of his chops. At some points the overall sound recalls one of Sandy Bull's 'Blends' with Billy Higgins, but the music on My Pharaoh, My King is entirely its own trip. And it is a damn good one. Enjoy it with a meatball today!" --Byron Coley, 2017 Edition of 500.