Valley of the Gwangi EP (Remastered)

by Phantom Tollbooth

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criticaljoe One of my all time favorite songs. Had it on the Homestead label LP and CD, now remastered digitally. What a great time to live in... Favorite track: Valley of the Gwangi.

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1.	Valley of the Gwangi 03:15	buy track
2.	Flip Your Lid 01:53	buy track
3.	The Whaling Ultimate 02:31	buy track

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Remaster of original 1986 release. These high quality audio files are only available on this bandcamp exclusive release.

Spin Magazine review 1986:
Valley of the Gawangi EP - 7"
"Flip, flip, flip your lid / That's what she did," wails bassist and sometimes singer Gerard Smith over a dense tom-tom pattern on the flipside and killer track of this 7" single. Phantom Tollbooth, a something-or-other punk band from Long Island speaks to you in ejaculations: blurted out bits of information or flat our sprints. Like most s-o-o punk bands, Tollbooth hauls out the requisite Neil Young/ Byrds influences. But at its best this band is a rhythm not a texture. F'instance: the "Eight Miles High"-ish "Gwangi" loses its energy in an uninspired guitar solo, then stops, inhales, and returns double strength with the drummer cracking and folding the music along new seams. The stop and start "Flip Your Lid" builds in modular, unconnected blocks with Smith's otherwise unaccompanied screaming over the drums the central figure. "The Whalling Ultimate" is a deliberately aimless instrumental jam that wouldn't shame Black Flag.

from hoboken boards primitive sound system review - Phantom Tollbooth - "Flip Your Lid" from the ep Valley of the Gwangi (Homestead Records cat. HMS 058)
Crazed vocals, time shifts, tempo changes and incredible musicianship have kept this a favorite since I purchased it some twenty-two years ago. Phantom Tollbooth lost nothing on stage. Improvised or extremely well rehearsed each song was captivating, moving and impressive. At one point during "Flip Your Lid" the vocalists assures us, "Don't worry I won't hurt you," but it would not be advisable to believe him. They ooze sarcasm and aren't afraid of injecting their heady creations with a little humor. Artistically created mayhem on the edge of sonic destruction.

from banannaspam blog - “Valley Of the Gwangi” is a blistering three minutes and fifteen seconds of super fast, psychedelia and free jazz inflected punk rock with the best start and stop on a dime timing this side of Fugazi. It also feels like an early and raw manifestation of math rock and and is just straight up bloody awesome.

credits

released March 20, 2023

all tracks by Phantom Tollbooth

Gerard Smith - bass, vocals
Dave Rick - guitar, vocals
Jon Coats - drums

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Phantom Tollbooth New York, New York

Phantom Tollbooth is a variation on the eclectic parallel-to-Hardcore of, among others, Mission of Burma and Saccharine Trust. Combining abrupt tempo and harmonic changes with dense sonic knots the trio create a classic punk/classic rock hybrid.

phantomtollboothband.com

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