As the ‘Gum Drop subscribers amongst you are fully aware, formerly “one-man-sonic-wrecking-crew” Panther is now officially a two-man-sonic-wrecking-crew, swelling to twice the proportions of its former self over the course of just one inter-album break. The duo hit your inboxes fittingly with the dichotomously titled “These Two Trees,” a “basement crammed party jam,” showcasing Joe Kelly (ex-31knots) live drumming, and what it’s done to the Charlie Salas-Humara moves. But if “Trees” was dirty Portland grooves via !!!, new tune “Puerto Rican Jukebox” comes like James Brown funk after two spoons of cough syrup; there’s a little something pulling the subdivisions off the good foot by like a microbeat here, giving Charlie’s yells a nice off-kilter sheen. Joe’s drum breaks sit nice. Also Charlie hails from Puerto Rico. And possibly owns a jukebox.

• Panther – “Puerto Rican Jukebox”Download

14kt God is out 2/19 on Kill Rock Stars.

[Photo by Ingrid Renan]