Pop Music Reviews : New York Attitude and Sound From Prong

If much New York rock of recent years sounds as if it was developed in art lofts, then think of Prong as the band standing on the street yelling up at the likes of Sonic Youth and Helmet to come on down to the real world. On Wednesday the trio brought to the Whisky not only a New York sound--loud, monolithic guitar buzz and pounding rhythms--but also a New York attitude not found in those other bands.

When singer-guitarist Tommy Victor wasn’t profanely exhorting the already frenzied crowd to get even more so, he was boasting in no uncertain terms that Prong was ahead of its time and that “what you’re hearing today is for the future.” If he ever quits rock he’d be good on the pro wrestling circuit.

And it’s hard to argue with him. The old songs sounded current with their powerful speed-punk-metal roar, and new songs being honed for recording organically incorporate sophisticated song structures and hints of hip-hop rhythms without pulling any sonic punches. But Prong’s power isn’t all physical. The sound is distinguished by the shifting dynamics and subtle complexities of both Ted Parson’s sharp, economical drumming and Victor and singer-bassist Troy Gregory’s lyrics, making Prong (like Sonic Youth and Helmet) a Big Apple blend of the cerebral and the visceral.

When it peaked Wednesday with the title song from last year’s “Prove You Wrong” album, it was the kind of hard-drive rock you could imagine an arena full of kids chanting along with someday--and, as one fan did at the Whisky, climbing onstage to drop trou and reveal a pair of Prong boxers.