Funeral Dress

If Funeral Dress is any indication, Cincinnati's Wussy exhibits little desire to re-tread the same musical black top traveled by guitarist Chuck Cleaver as a member of the beloved, now-defunct Ass Ponys. Fronted by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Lisa Walker, the band vibes like a hybrid of Mazzy Star and Fetchin Bones on songs like "Airborne." Of course there are sonic traces of Pony dung here and there, but the group lacks the tongue-in-cheek playfulness of Cleaver's former band. If drummer Dawn Burman is the quartet's weakest link -- as a fan/friend who reportedly learned to play the skins in order to join Cleaver's new band -- Walker's vocal range and Wussy's overall musicianship -- best evidenced on the fairly contagious "Yellow Cotton Dress" -- make valid reasons to check out Funeral Dress. ~ John D. Luerssen