Originating in Ohio before moving to Brooklyn, Pterodactyl spent years writing in makeshift settings, including a notorious flooded basement. Their early sound evolved after they acquired a sampler and began experimenting with thick, layered vocal harmonies, leading to their debut full-length record (self-titled, but often referred to as Blue Jay). The band’s journey took them from cramped New York basements to a temporary home in rural Connecticut, where much of their early songwriting took place. After finding a less cramped space in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, they finalized and recorded the record. Sonically, Pterodactyl fuses a noisy post-punk palette with adventurous, arresting vocals, resulting in a compelling, catchy, and scratchy sound that balances incessant tracks like “Polio” with the spaciousness of “Three Succeed.” Their sound earned early acclaim, notably when Village Voice critic Robert Christgau called a performance of “Polio” one of the best "tail ends" of a month of NYC shows. Pterodactyl consists of Joe Kremer, Matt Marlin, and Kurt Beals.
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