And the Moneynotes: On the Town, on the Vine

With seven members, two strong, distinct songwriters, and an apothecary’s case full of sounds to play with, the challenge for And the Moneynotes is what not to play. After the Gypsy-flavored This Year We Hunt and the transitional New Cornucopia!, On the Town, On the Vine, a four-song, seven-inch EP, serves as a palate cleanser of sorts, closing one chapter of ATM and pointing toward the next move — whatever that might be.

Split evenly between songs by Mitchell Williams (“On the Town” and “On the Vine”) and Mike Quinn (“Magnetism” and “Souraina”), the four songs succinctly document the band’s two main thrusts: twitchy Western swing and Americana-tinged garage rock. “Magnetism”, which could pass for a Music from Big Pink outtake save for clean production by the Spinto Band’s Nick Krill (The Teeth, Pepi Ginsberg), is the most successful, a simple, straightforward ditty that will set up camp in your memory after one listen.