Datawaslost : DWL026 : Deltoro

01 Now that You're Dead [ mp3 ]
02 You're So Cold
03 Tear Me Down
04 Secret
05 To be Considered
06 Hole in Your Head
07 Black Keys [ mp3 ]
08 Shower
09 Hatespills
10 Flee the Scene
11 Insert
12 I'm No Angel
13 (Bonus Track)
14 (Bonus Track)
15 (Bonus Track)
16 (Bonus Track)
17 (Bonus Track)
18 (Bonus Track)
19 (Bonus Track)

Deltoro - Ashtray Yoga
DWL026 . Released January 2002 . Out of Print . iTunes Music Store . eMusic Description Deltoro's first and only full-length, complete with seven unlisted bonus tracks. After their brief track on Datawaslost's 'Building' compilation, I have been deeply anticipating Deltoro's first album. Well, well - guess what showed up in the ol' PO Box recently? Why, 'Ashtray Yoga'! That's right, nineteen tracks of pure Deltoro for me to sink my teeth into! But did it live up to my insanely high expectations?
Yes. Completely. Unquestionably. 'Ashtray Yoga' is, without doubt, one of Datawaslost's best releases thus far. Blasting forth with lo-fi recording ethics and abnormal minor-key melodies, this album is both weird and catchy.
'Black Keys', for example, is a seemingly light-hearted tune, but it has an inexplicable eerieness to it that darkens its atmosphere. Meanwhile, 'I'm No Angel' is like a vinegar-drenched folk song - it feels like a jolly sing-a-long, but the minor-key guitar chords lend it a touch of 'musical acidity'. As one of the album's best tracks, it's no wonder there's another version of it later on in the cd.
One of the most notable things about Deltoro's style is the feeling of grandeur it harbors. Every song fills the room like an orchestra of experimental pop, yet still manages to be very cozy and personal. This is especially evident on 'Insert', a creepy, chaotic piece of abrasive pop that feels like a barrage of rocks hitting you, yet still manages to be undeniably pleasant.
So, if you're up to something bizarre, yet catchy; something grand, yet personal; something acidic, yet folky - well, then this is exactly the album you'll want to be listening to. Does Deltoro seem like a band of contradictions? Well, perhaps it is, but who cares? Because there's one thing about them that will never be contradicted - that they're dang good. So go out and get 'Ashtray Yoga'! NOW! - 93%

- Indieville

Deltoro's sound is a knife dipped in honey. The harmonies linger sweetly on your tongue, but the blade is sharp underneath and cuts all the same. Think Tanya Donelly at her most vengeful or the Breeders when they no longer want to get along. From the breezy GBV power chords of "Now That You're Dead" to the crazy drum-sticks rhythms of "Tear Me Down", the creeping guitar and high chant of "Secret" to the ominous keys on "Black Keys," Deltoro wraps unease in an asymmetric charm. The band specializes in pitting breathy, musical vocals against angry guitar, off-kilter rhythms and brutal lyrics. "Insert", for example, lays chanted female vocals in tight discord over robot music keys and frantic snare. "Break your body into mine," say the singers in an inexorable rhythm -- and then a two-tone electronic sound and splattery piano discords break that rhythm into shimmering pieces. Another standout, "I'm No Angel", could be a Belly outtake, with hard-bitten vocals playing against a slow, rollicking beat, and again, the drumsticks tapping on the rims.
Why is Deltoro no more? It's tempting to read personal problems into lyrics like "The band that sleeps together never stays together" or "How can you shake my hand when your knife is in my back?" Perhaps it's unfair. Perhaps it's none of our business. Still, whatever the genesis of Deltoro's implosion, in Ashtray Yoga they create an indelible mood. If you're looking for an album to accompany hair-pulling, migraine-inducing relationship difficulties, this is the one.

- Splendid

Deltoro is a three piece, two women and a guy, that sonically fall somewheren between The Beat Happening, Heavens to Betsy, and Guided by Voices. Male/female vocals, there're many moments on this disc where the dueling female vocals sound very impressive and mix well together throughout the release.. Deltoro's music is soft, sorta moody and creepy too, but there's a underlying element of the Neoteric punk/wave that impresses me and also makes me happy because like I said, these fucks are from my hometown and there's a chance I might see them any given night.. Songwriting is a plus, Deltoro has some kick ass songs on this disc like the opening track "Now that You're Dead", the second track "Your So Damn Cold" the renamed "Gasoline" from a Datawaslost compilation that came out earlier called "Hatespills", and also peaks with "Insert" which I like the real up front keyboard riff, and last but never least, another mention is the unlisted fourteenth of nineteen total tracks- whatever it's called- because the tracks are only listed up until the twelfth one... To sum it up, is Deltoro worth your attention? Yes.

- Blank Generation . July 2002

- Indieville . 'The Top 20 Albums of 2002'