Bill Rousseau and Dahlia Gallin Ramirez were once The Monolith. That is done, and this is the third album the duo has put out as Billy & Dolly. To say that it epitomizes just about every corner of the 70s might be an understatement.

Billy & Dolly Five Suns (Shit Krystal Records)

Ramirez plays the keyboards, and that means everything from a Wurlitzer to a Moog. Depends on the song. Rousseau's guitar playing can ring like Chris Bell's, or he might pile on the distortion to Sabbath-y levels. The vocals are generally sunny, if often obscured by a smoggy haze.

Oh, and you want some Kraftwerkian electronic excess? Yep, that's here, too. Not quite Kraut-like in the chill, but the robots would still be pleased. The ability of this duo to jump from sound to sound and remain sonically coherent is stunning.

A lovely jaunt. Billy & Dolly have a lovely handle on their sound, and they are more than happy to expand their range whenever that serves the song. From what I have been able to glean, this is their most ambitious set yet. By and large, that ambition is fulfilled. Dig the grandeur.

Jon Worley