*** The Red Krayola

HAZEL

(Drag City)

Formed out of the late-'60s Texas psychedelic scene that spawned other cult obscurities like the 13th Floor Elevators, the Red Krayola made a bunch of increasingly abstract records in 1966 and '67. Then they all but disappeared until the late '70s, when sole remaining member Mayo Thompson resurfaced in England with a new generation of dada skronkers, including members of Pere Ubu, Swell Maps, and X-Ray Spex.

For Hazel, as for other recent recordings in the current RK resurgence (two albums, an EP, and a couple of singles since 1994), Thompson hooks up with Chicago avant-rock scenesters John McEntire (Tortoise) and Jim O'Rourke and David Grubbs (both of Gastr del Sol), among others. The entire cast (15 in all) produce what could be Thompson's most successful amalgamation of melody, rhythm, and experimentation yet. Where past RK outings have been jagged and opaque, Hazel emphasizes accessible ("I'm So Blasé") over impenetrable ("Boogie"). Angular and dissonant are still well represented, but so are pastoral, rocking, and even funky. Tracks like "Another Song, Another Satan" shift easily between free-form abstraction and well-crafted tunefulness; they're thoroughly listenable without sacrificing complexity.

-- Roni Sarig