Phantom Tollbooth was a

post-punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of music that emerged in late 1977 in the wake of punk rock. Post-punk musicians departed from punk's fundamental elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a broader, more experiment ...

noise rock Noise rock (sometimes called noise punk) is a noise music, noise-oriented style of experimental rock that spun off from punk rock in the 1980s. Drawing on movements such as minimal music, minimalism, industrial music, and New York hardcore, a ...

band from

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. They played a style of post punk that included elements from

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

, and

art rock Art rock is a subgenre of rock music that generally reflects a challenging or avant-garde approach to rock, or which makes use of modernist, experimental, or unconventional elements. Art rock aspires to elevate rock from entertainment to an ar ...

. This allowed Phantom Tollbooth to make sudden starts, stops, and tempo changes in their music. All of their albums were released in a four-year window between 1984 and 1988 on Homestead Records. In 2003,

Guided by Voices Guided by Voices is an American indie rock band formed in 1983 in Dayton, Ohio. It has made frequent personnel changes but always maintained the presence of principal songwriter Robert Pollard. The most well-known lineup of the band consisted o ...

frontman

Robert Pollard Robert Ellsworth Pollard Jr. (born October 31, 1957) is an American singer and songwriter. He is the frontman and leader of indie rock band Guided by Voices, which he also the band’s only constant member. In addition to this, he has also rele ...

created new lyrics and melodies for Phantom Tollbooth's 1988 album ''Power Toy''. The resulting work was released as ''Beard of Lightning''.

Members

* Dave Rick (guitar/vocals), is a former member of B.A.L.L., Bongwater, King Missile, Shapir-O'Rama,

When People Were Shorter and Lived Near the Water When People Were Shorter and Lived Near the Water was an American experimental music, experimental psychedelic rock, psychedelic rock music, rock band from New York City active from 1986 to 1996. Their three albums and several EPs consist of exp ...

, Wide Right, Wonderama,

Yo La Tengo Yo La Tengo (Spanish language, Spanish for "I've got it"; also abbreviated as YLT) is an American indie rock band formed in Hoboken, New Jersey, in 1984. Since 1992, the lineup has consisted of Ira Kaplan (guitars, piano, vocals), Georgia Hubley ...

. He currently plays with Atlantic Drone, Dew-Claw, The Martinets, Overcat and Stress Test. * Gerard Smith (bass guitar/vocals), recently recorded with Ben Miller and his band Third Border on the album "Sun of Water, Sea of Light". Produced by Roger Miller (Mission of Burma) and Laurence Miller (ex Destroy All Monsters), the album was a Grammy Award candidate for "Best Alternative Music Album of 2006." In 2010, Smith played several dates with Doug Gillard (Guided By Voices/Death of Samantha) in the Doug Gillard Electric. *Jon Coats (drums), currently of Canartic and proprietor of dank disk records.

Records

*''Valley of the Gwangi 7"'' (1986) *''Phantom Tollbooth E.P.'' (1986) *''One Way Conversation'' (1987) album cover designed by Dave's sister Jenny *''Power Toy'' (1988) *''Daylight in the Quiet Zone'' E.P. (1990) *''

Beard of Lightning ''Beard of Lightning'' is an album by Phantom Tollbooth, released in 2003 with Robert Pollard on lead vocals.Phantom Tollboothat Discogs'' Track listing Personnel *Robert Pollard Robert Ellsworth Pollard Jr. (born October 31, 1957) is an ...

'' (2003)

References

External links

Band Website
American post-punk music groups American noise rock music groups Homestead Records artists Musical groups from New York City Rock music groups from New York (state) {{US-punk-band-stub