Worldwild

For their second full-length, Brooklyn's Pterodactyl ably synthesize the elliptical vocal pop sensibilities of Animal Collective with the anything goes, deeply effected sonic intensity and repetition of Oneida (fittingly, since the latter's label, Brah Records, put out WORLDWILD). Leavening the twitchier aspects of their debut with more patient tempos, organic songcraft, and round-influenced melodies, Pterodactyl deliver a paean to Mother Nature throughout ten tracks that--layered intricacies aside--still hit the eardrums like a hyena does a wildebeest. The standouts are many--including "Lawrence" and "December"--which both foreground a singular delayed guitar riff--and "Easy Pieces" and "Alex"--two psych-folk lullabies that offer a respite from the hyperactivity.