MarsupiaL — Genus Thylacinus

When your aspiration is to traverse as many musical boundaries as possible, there is bound to be some friction along the way. As one of the most prominent members of the North Carolina progressive scene (see also: jam band), Asheville’s MarsupiaL (www.marsupialmusic.com) has successfully melded rock, jazz, Southern roots and whatever else happens to strike them into four albums of worthy musical praise to their pronounced influences.

Their latest, Genus Thylacinus, bears the imprint of years spent immersed in the sounds of the Grateful Dead, Frank Zappa and King Crimson — eight tracks of sharply produced and well-polished playing. But like a lot of prog rock, it sometimes just doesn’t seem to go anywhere. The opening track “Lead On” seems to speak to their propensity to break down musical barriers in their work, but while the five-minute instrumental bridge sounds nice, it’s purpose to the piece is somewhat dubious. Pair that with the nine-minute “Naked in the Hall of Seduction” and the album seems repetitive and formulaic at worst. At best, however, their instrumentation is inspired and stimulating. “Sucker Punch” is a forceful sludge-rock instrumental that brings most of the album’s hard bite, while “In Between” is an island-flavored quickhitter that offers a much needed break from the extended jams. It ends on a lyrical high note with “There Is a Better World,” an evocative track about letting go. Applaud them for being able to shift directions as an entire unit on a dime, though exploration merely for exploration’s sake can easily get you lost.

by Ryan Snyder