Alternative Press 
By Aaron Burgess

Phantom Tollbooth
Beard of Lightning
Off Records

Part of Homestead Records' seminal 1980s roster. Phantom Tollbooth were more aligned with SST Records' legendary camp of Grateful Dead-worshipping, calculus-performing hardcore virtuosos (Saccharine Trust, the Minutement, et al.). Today, they have a new lease on life via super-fan and Guided by Voices boss Robert Pollard, who's reinvented PT's 1988 album Power Toy (with the band's permission, of course) as Beard of Lightning, adding his inimitable vocals to the band's raw instrumental tracks. Way more than just punk-rick karaoake, Lightning is a fascinating celebrations on what could've been.