Name: The Ponzi Scheme
Brand: PSP Co Ltd
SKU: 1326570
Price: 181 USD
Availability: InStock

Performer Notes

Originally released on Jet Set Records 11.
Firewater: Oren Kaplan (guitar); Hahn Rowe (violin); Tim Otto (saxophone); Paul Wallfisch (piano, organ); Tod A. (bass, vocals); George Javori (drums).
Additional personnel: Duane Denison (guitar); Jane Scarpantoni (cello); Birgit Staudt (accordion); Kurt Hoffman (saxophone); Dave Ouimet (piano, organ, trombone); Jim Kimball, Tamir Muskat (drums).
The St. Ungracious Girls School Marching Band: Tim Otto (conductor, saxophone); Jenny Hill (saxophone, piccolo); Joe Ben Plummer, Susan Graham (alto saxophone); Paula Henderson (baritone saxophone).
Recorded at RPM, New York, New York; Excello, Brooklyn, New York.
Reissue has been remastered and contains 5 new mixes by Sylvia Massey.
Gabay is out and George Javori is in on the drumming tip, among numerous others, but Firewater still swings with the best of them, as The Ponzi Scheme shows in spades. A near perfect film noir start, sleazy sax, and Duane Eddy-meets-piano line and more with the aptly titled "Ponzi's Theme" gets things going -- Tod A himself sits this number out vocally, letting everyone vamp and snarl with the best of them before cutting loose on "Green Light (In Stereo)." His raspy charisma remains in full effect, while musically there are hints of Nick Cave's various musical fusions and a relatively more conventional rock approach to boot. Even if The Ponzi Scheme doesn't totally threaten and artistically intrigue like Get Off the Cross did, though, it's still a good time had by all. Doug Henderson once again does a fantastic job on production, while Sylvia Massy adds a bit of mixing here and there, all letting the strengths of the band burst through with its usual aggressive liveliness. Admittedly, hearing downright peaceful chiming on "Caroline" and poppy '60s-style grooves on "So Long, Superman" is more than a little surprising from the guy who once spat out tracks like "10 Dollar Bill," but time does change things. Standout tracks litter the album -- "Dropping Like Flies" is particularly great, both a strong, kicking rocker and a carefully arranged orchestral creep-out, strings adding a subtle bite to Tod A's increasingly desperate singing. Indeed, both Hahn Rowe's violin work and the regular guest appearance of cellist Jane Scarpantoni provide some of The Ponzi Scheme's best moments, like the ruined sea chantey "Isle of Dogs." There's the galumphing horn section from the circus-gone-wrong of "El Borracho" and the perfect title for the final song, "Drunkard's Lament," to name two other fun highlights of this most cool album. ~ Ned Raggett

Album: The Ponzi Scheme
#	Song Title	Time
1)	Ponzi's Theme
2)	Green Light (Mono Mix)
3)	Dropping Like Flies
4)	Caroline
5)	Whistling in the Dark
6)	Isle of Dogs
7)	Borracho (Ponzi's Relapse)
8)	Another Perfect Catastrophe
9)	So Long, Superman
10)	I Still Love You Judas
11)	Knock em Down
12)	Drunkard's Lament

Album: The Ponzi Scheme
#	Song Title	Time
1)	Ponzi's Theme
2)	Green Light (Mono Mix)
3)	Dropping Like Flies
4)	Caroline
5)	Whistling in the Dark
6)	Isle of Dogs
7)	Borracho (Ponzi's Relapse)
8)	Another Perfect Catastrophe
9)	So Long, Superman
10)	I Still Love You Judas
11)	Knock em Down
12)	Drunkard's Lament