Trioscapes - Seperate Realities: The progressive fusion of Trioscapes is great on record, but after having the good fortune of seeing them live I'm convinced that's the way this band needs to experienced. The name sounds like some lame jazz trio playing in the corners of upscale restaurants, but Trioscapes explore some of the wilder depths of jazz fusion on Seperate Realities, and I can't help but love the percussion/bass/woodwind setup. Dan Briggs' bass playing manages to fill the roles of both melody and rhythm somehow, and his array of effects help him create some of the best tones I've heard period. A must for fans of Mahavishnu Orchestra, King Crimson, and most Frank Zappa.
Pinback - Information Retrieved: I can tell from the couple of songs I've heard that this is going to be great, Pinback have never let me down before. This is forward thinking indie rock/pop without the cliches.
Maserati - VII: I like the fact that Maserati have carved their own niche by slowly evolving their delay-heavy post-rock into the danceable space rock that they are finally perfecting, but I also happen to be someone who has a harder time indentifiying with dancy music than most. This album sounds great so far, I hope I get a chance to really get into it.
The Flaming Lips - Heady
Fwends: The Flaming Lips with a huge guest list. Haven't really listened to it yet but I'm sure its awesome
Neurosis - Honor Found In Decay: The release of a new Neurosis album is such a monumental event when it happens that I'm quite ashamed that I don't have this yet. From the song "At the Well" it would certainly seem as if Neurosis are continueing to master the dynamic range of light and dark that they've been journeying toward over their past few records. 2007's Given To The Rising was pretty hard to argue with, but Honor Found In Decay seems like it could be the next step forward.
Between the Buried and Me - The
Parallax 2: Once again, I haven't listened to the whole thing but I don't doubt it's amazing. Btbam have never let me down before but I'm curious to see how this newest record stacks up.
Royal Thunder: CVI
I don't claim to be too ahead of the
curve on most things. My life is not filled with boasts about pre fame
discoveries of musical artists except for a few rare cases, my discovery of
Royal Thunder being one of them. I first saw this Atlanta, GA psychedelic
rock/heavy blues group (then a trio) at Ground Zero in Spartanburg, SC in
December of 2007. The band I was in at the time was supposed to open until our
singer became seriously ill but I ended up going to the show anyway. In classic
Ground Zero fashion, the bill was strange. The headlining band were Georgia
metalcore heroes Norma Jean and Royal Thunder were completely unknown at the
time, but they still made a lasting impression. Their material may have been
simpler at the time, but I still remember thinking that I would be surprised if
I wasn't hearing more about them in the not too distant future. A few years
later they got signed to Relapse, one of the only metal labels that I still
trust to find fresh and relevant takes on heavy music, but their debut EP
consisted of alot of the same material that I heard them play on that day in
2007. While still solid and plenty enjoyable, it didn't even hint at what this
band would be capable of within their full-length debut. CVI is not merely a
good heavy rock record, its a reminder that music often described as
"stoner rock" could and should be more than cookie-cutter Iommi riff
recycling. CVI (roman numeral 56) feels fresher than anything I've heard
come out of the southern heavy music scene in a while and it's mostly due to
this band's superior songwriting. Rather than hunker down with plodding doom
riffs and overly-repetitive grooves, Royal Thunder carry a dark, moody tension
that employs more dynamics than your typical riff-rock band. It also only takes
a few seconds for searing album opener "Parsonz Curse" to reveal another
one of Royal Thunder's huge strengths: lead singer/bassist Minny Parsonz powerful voice. She doesn't lead the band as
much as she commands and dominates it, her soulful wails constantly elevating
these songs from great to awesome. CVI is undeniably good, it's just heavy
enough to please classic metalheads but smart and fluid enough to never seem
overbearing. It will probably be one of the few "stoner-rock" records
to ensnare non metal fans as well as he casual rock listener this year. The
dark and sometimes mystic themes of the lyrics in songs like "Black Water
Vision" fit the music perfectly, they affirm the implied feeling that one
gets that this music may just have something deeper than rock and roll going
on. CVI is seductive indeed, but there's
something far more sinister hiding deep within the surface.
Sigur Rós: Valtari
I've been known to say that Sigur Rós are
making the most beautiful music that my generation will get to hear, so it's no
secret that when they have a new record out that its probably going to make my
year end list. The interpretation of beauty that Sigur Rós paints for us this
time may be a bit unexpected though. The pastoral and sometimes jubilant
chamber-pop of the this Icelandic group's last couple of albums seems to have
ran it's course at least for now, and surprisingly Sigur Rós are back to
exploring the depths of the atmospheric beauty that was thought to have reached
it's pinnacle in (). Valtari's somber mood mirrors that album as well, but
Sigur Ros are far too good to simply repeat what they've done in the past.
Valtari still feels like a new Sigur Rós record, it carries a distinct air that
sets it apart, and it may require a little more patience to get into than their
past two records. For those who are willing to sit themselves down and absorb
this voyage in sound, prepare yourself. The glacial unfurling of the first
track takes it's time, but the listener is rewarded with not just an incredible
touching piece of music, but one that lives, breathes, and speaks to you. You
see Sigur Rós could not have made a record like Valtari any other way. The
songs may be a bit too ambient and atmospheric for some but it's this band's
uncanny knack for sonic texturing that form these auditory masterpieces. This
album is so much more than a collection of songs played by discernable
instruments and humans, it's almost it's own entity, one that lets us tap into
something far beyond the dregs of everyday life. Valtari may not be be
everyone's favorite Sigur Rós album, but fans of the band's less atmospheric
moments need not fear; the album's strongest piece Varúđ, still delivers the
classic, lump-in-the-throat crescendo goods.
The Mars Volta: Noctourniquet
They may be one of rock's most polarizing
bands, but never let one say that The Mars Volta don't keep their fans
guessing. In their 10 year existence they've gone from epic prog rock played
with post-punk urgency to sprawling psychedelic excess to the more stripped
down acoustic songs of their last record. In some way they've come full circle, as at first the
shorter, more melodic songs on Noctourniquet seem to have a good deal in common
with their debut, the Tremulant EP. But their latest still makes it's own
distinct statement that sets it apart from the others, and thankfully it's a
fuller, more satisfying experience than the brief exploration of pop structure
of Octahedron. Not only does Noctourniquet contain shorter arrangements than
their older work, gone also are the vintage organ and mellotron parts that
helped give TMV that vintage prog/psych rock feel. Noctourniquet is
electronically heavy, with synths and sequencers providing the only other
sounds apart from guitar, bass, drums, and vocals. Even Omar's guitar playing
has been scaled back tremendously, with very few leads and nothing in the
entire album that could be defined as an instrumental breakdown or solo.
However, this isn't exactly a pop record. The opening song "The Whip
Hand" could win an award for one of the weirdest and least accessible ways
to open an album, while the aggressive chorus of Dislexicon is made even less
accessible by Deantoni Park's odd rhythmic experiments. TMV explore some
surprising new melodic territory though, especially on the fourth track,
"Empty Vessels Make the Loudest Sounds". Here the band explore some
new territory both musically and sonically, with Omar's guitar being
highlighted brilliantly by subtle effect usage in key areas. It could be the
first Mars Volta song that could be described as "beautiful". The
band's attention to little details like these are what make Noctourniquet such
a strong record, that and true growth in songwriting. I'm still biased in favor
of the first two albums, but progression isn't about repeating yourself, which
The Mars Volta seem to already know.
Storm Corrosion: S/T
You have to be thankful when an album
turns out like it should have instead of like it could have. When dealing with
collaborations between progressive rock/metal singers/guitarists, most people
would expect things to get more than a little self-indulgent and excessive. And
while I never doubted Mikael Akerfeldt of Opeth and Steven Wilson of Porcupine
Tree, I still didn't expect this amazing work of art. Storm Corrosion's
self-titled debut cannot easily be described, which in a way, is why I'm so
happy with it. Nothing on this record sounds forced or tacked on, these
respective musicians' day jobs have them channelling prog's past and present while juggling metal
and a myriad of other genres, but these pieces are stirring, cinematic
compositions that never once sound like anything these guys have done before.
It's no secret that I love prog, but I was relieved when I heard the haunting
and minimal orchestral arrangements that make up "Drag Ropes", and
then I was blown away by the track's development and how sublimely it ends. The
whole record is amazing but possibly only rewarding to those that have the
attention spans for it, being familiar with both Opeth and Porcupine Tree fans
I have no doubt that this record probably pissed off quite a few long haired
message board dwellers. But alas, why start a new project if you're not going
to do something new? Steve Wilson brings in his fair share of production tricks
of course, but nothing sounds over-produced. The vocals are brilliant as well,
and check out Mikael's unbelievable falsetto on the beginning of closing track,
"Ljudet Innan". Once you hear this particular piece you may agree yourself that this was
one of the most surprising releases this year.
Baroness: Yellow and Green
Yea thats right, I'm going there. Yellow
and Green may have been one of the year's most polarizing releases, and I'll
admit my initial reaction may not have been one of adoration, but here's why I
still think this double LP was one of the year's best. Baroness admitted
themselves that they set out to make a pop record with Yellow and Green, they
wanted to simplify things and prove to themselves that they could write music
outside of the boundaries that were normally imposed on the metal genre. First off, as a musician that would have an incredibly hard time doing this I can respect the talent it takes. This
doesn't just result in softer songs though, like any great pop record the thing
that makes Yellow and Green a triumph is the attention to detail. While a song
like "March to Sea" may indeed sound simple enough at first, but what
is it about this arrangement that keeps the listener coming back? Sure the
song's main hook is catchy enough to stay in your head for weeks, but that
alone isn't it. It could be the slightly off set echo on Jon Baizley's powerfully
delivered vocals. Or does it have more to do with the perfect touch of vibrato
and fuzz on the dual harmony solo? It's a combination of all these things, while
Baroness may have made their simplest record yet, repeated listens uncover a
plethora of small seeminlgy hidden details that make this album. By the fourth
or fifth listen, you're hooked. For me it was a number of things: the warm purr
and growl of the bass tone, the deliciously vintage guitar tones and how they
compliment each other and highlight certain melodies, the analogue warmth and
closeness of the drums, and just the wonderful simplicity of the melodies
contained in the songs themselves. In alot of ways, Yellow and Green is an
indie-pop/alt rock record as interpreted by a sludge band, only people seemed
to be way more excepting of Boris and Torche when they did it. The double album
covers alot of ground too. The hard rocking "Take My Bones Away"
recalls classic Baroness, "Twinkler" is a reverbed-out acoustic
ballad that will assuredly be compared to Fleet Foxes, "Cocainium"
experiements with dancy synths and a surprisingly heavy chorus, and that's all
before the first album even ends. I'm not trying to justify why everything on
this record was done the way it was. I could do without some of the radio
rock-isms of "Eula", and not every track is a gem, but overall I find
it ridiculous that I have to constantly defend my love of this album (although strangely many metal-heads seem to have accepted it). This also has alot to do with the fact that Yellow and
Green is a serious grower, any initial, knee-jerk reactions to Jon's
cleaner vocals are not going to reward the listener. Come with an open mind or
don't bother coming at all.
Astra: The Black Chord
In 2009 I raved about a new progressive rock band from San Diego
called Astra, who's LP The Weirding represented late 60's/early 70's prog and
psychedelic rock in truly excellent fashion. The band seemed to come out of
nowhere, but it turns out that The Weirding certainly wasn't just a fluke.
Astra's sophomore LP The Black Chord is just as good if not better than The
Weirding, and while it doesn't stray too far from what made longtime prog fans
adore that record so much, the band still does plenty to avoid using a
successful formula over again. Overall, the album tends to favor what most
would consider psychedelic/space rock, the hazy, low-fi production and vintage
gear telling the band's influences aloud just as much as the music. Think
interstellar minor key prog, but without ridiculously long songs and
over-indulgent instrumental breaks, this is the good stuff, not the modern
Dream Theater take on prog. The only song over 10:00 is the title track, which
is so unbelievably good that it flies by, and things even get a little heavier
and darker during the psych-rock of "Quake Meat" I feel like there's
not much to say here because you likely either love this sort of thing or you
don't, but to me Astra are one of the most underrated and overlooked bands out
today.
Mono: For My Parents
If Sigur Ros are my top contenders for
beautiful music, Mono are always my runner up, so imagine my delight that I got
new albums from both this year. Mono are so consinstently incredible at what
they do that I'm not sure how they aren't the most commonly known name in
post-rock, and if you know them I don't need to tell you that For My Parents is
wonderful. This album, however, doesn't make any bold new statements for the
Japanese group, but I tend to think Mono's strength is in the consistent high quality of each release and
their refusal to relent emotionally. Chances are, if you weren't a fan of the
band before then you probably won't be now, although For My Parents does stand
out as the most orchestral of all of Mono's releases. The Holy Ground orchestra
has a large presence on this record the same way they did on 2009's Hymn to the
Immortal Wind, but this time around the material is neo-classical enough to
require it. Rather than relying on steady crescendos, most of the pieces on For
My Parents employ key changes often during climactic moments, it's a different
take on heart string tugging that will certainly give the band the old
"movie soundtrack" comparison. What Mono does transcends
classifications like "post-rock", and if the world has any sense,
what they do will eventually be regarded as timeless.
Converge: All We Love We Leave Behind
Speaking of bands that never relent in
fierce artistic vision, Converge has a
new album out and of course it rules. I feel like alot of what I said in the
previous entry about Mono's new LP can also apply to All We Love We Leave
Behind, despite the obvious musical differences. Converge are a band who have
released some of my favorite records of all time, so needless to say the bar is
set pretty high every time they hunker down in Kurt Ballou's studio. However,
the fact that they still manage to keep up with, and constantly expound on
their older work is what has made them such a long-running and relevant staple.
AWLWLB doesn't aim to destroy Converge's older albums nor is it a magnum opus,
it just continues a legacy of one of the greatest hardcore/metal bands ever.
This record continues a steady evolution that unfolds through every Converge
release, we saw them get gradually more technical until Jane Doe, and since
then we've watched them slowly get to this point of sludgy, blackened thrash
that recalls all the best sides of punk and metal. And the next record will no
doubt be another step forward form here. Despite the fact that this is one of
Converge's most rock and roll records yet, it still contains the manic
desperation and heavy emotion that defines them. The opener "Aimless
Arrow", carries a sort of melodic hopefulness in the midst of it's odd
meter, almost a bit of a throwback. It's a stark contrast to the sleaziness
(for Converge anyway) of "Sadness Comes Home". Those that complained
that the guest heavy Axe to Fall wasn't as venomous as 2006's No Heroes will be
hard pressed to find fault with this record, but the abrasion never wears thin
or seems overbearing as this band's riff-writing, and general songwriting only
seem to get stronger with time. But as usual it's when Converge are building
tension that they are at their arguable best, as evidenced by the
mind-blowingly awesome "Coral Blue" off this record.
Godspeed You! Black Emporer: Allelujah!
Don't Bend! Ascend!
Despite being a fan of their music, I
don't keep up with Godspeed You! Black Emporer enough to have any idea they
were getting ready to put out a new record this year. I guess I should have
picked up on something given the fact that they began touring again last year,
but in what I deemed the "year of band reunions", it appears that
even GY!BE were ready to break their silence. That air of mystery, as well a
number of other things that seem to define Godspeed are why we love them, and
Allelujah! certainly carries that distinctly Godspeed feel. The opening piece
"Mladic" may at first sound different from anything this group has
done, with a heavy emphasis on drone and eastern melody that sounds a bit like
certain members may have spent the past 8 years listening to Om and Grails.
While the piece burns more aggressively than what most think of when dealing
with "post-rock", it exhudes all the majesty you've come to expect
from this group. If the world was indeed going to end with the Mayan Calender,
GY!BE were going to make sure you had a fitting soundtrack for the apocalypse.
Allelujah! has plenty of room for the abstract and discordant, but longtime
fans will surely have to admire the third piece: "We Drift Like Worried
Fire", a 20 minute plus epic that savors the melodic. It's worth the album
price alone. Allelujah! is another fitting testament to the artistry one of the most important groups of our generation.
