Interview: The Melvins on getting freaky-pukey with Mr. Bungle bassist Trevor Dunn

This interview appears in ALARM #40. Subscribe here to get your copy!

(The) Melvins: Freak Puke (Ipecac, 6/5/12)

Twenty-one studio full-lengths could spell one thing: redundancy. But the Melvins, whose back catalog reads like the Library of Congress, has recognized and conquered this plague with two tools in hand: reinvention and unpredictable match-ups.

As if writing with Lustmord and Jello Biafra wasn’t enough, Buzz Osborne and Dale Crover recently joined forces with famed Mr. Bungle bassist Trevor Dunn to form “Melvins Lite.” The trio’s first effort, Freak Puke, has it all: bowed and plucked upright bass, metal riffs, classic-rock flourishes, pick harmonics, punishing drums, and Osborne’s distinct vocal delivery. And to bring it to the masses, the band undertook an ambitious fall tour of the 50 United States plus Washington, DC, in 51 days. We chatted with King Buzzo about the band’s (latest) new direction.

Guano Padano

Review: Guano Padano’s 2

Guano Padano: 2Guano Padano: 2 (Ipecac, 8/7/12)

“Gran Bazaar”

Guano Padano: “Gran Bazaar”

With the intercontinental mix of Italian trio Guano Padano, one could take the easy way out, calling it the bastard child of Ennio Morricone, Dick Dale, and Calexico. The truth is something more muddied, something broader yet less mashed up.

Led by guitarist Alessandro Stefana, 2 steeps in the traditions of Italian-western cinema — specifically, the Italian sonic interpretation of Americana — and applies surf rock and 1950s and ’60s rock ’n’ roll to the music of America’s south and southwest. Bits of gypsy, jazz, and oriental styles also dot the landscape, as each song is a journey to a new land.

Gangpol & Mit

Video: Gangpol & Mit’s “The 1000 People Band”

Gangpol & Mit: The 1000 Softcore Tourist People ClubGangpol & Mit: The 1000 Softcore Tourist People Club (Ipecac, 3/29/11)

Gangpol & Mit is a French audio/visual duo creating quirky electro-pop that draws from myriad influences, including funk, digital, noise, and cartoon and video-game worlds. Gangpol handles the boops, blits, and whirs, while Guillaumit contributes his equally bizarre animations that feature colorful geometric shapes and characters. The result is a whimsical, humorous romp through the absurd.

Melvins

Review: (The) Melvins’ Freak Puke

Melvins: Freak Puke

Melvins: Freak Puke (Ipecac, 6/5/12)

“Leon vs. The Revolution”

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It’s another year, another set of releases from the incomparable Melvins, whose five-song EP The Bulls & The Bees (with its Big Business lineup) preceded Freak Puke, a new full-length album as Melvins Lite with Mr. Bungle bassist Trevor Dunn.

Tomahawk

Video: Tomahawk’s teaser for Oddfellows

This fall, the mighty super-group Tomahawk resurfaces with its first new music since Anonymous re-imagined Native American music in 2007.

Oddfellows reunites the three main players — guitarist Duane Denison, vocalist Mike Patton, and drummer John Stanier — but adds the potent abilities of jazz standout and Mr. Bungle and Fantômas bassist Trevor Dunn. There’s more news coming soon from Ipecac, but in the meantime, even fan-boys gotta shout: Tomahawk’s back!

Record Store Day 2012

ALARM’s guide to Record Store Day 2012

Tomorrow is the third Saturday in April, which means that independent record stores across the world will face an influx of limited-edition vinyl, avid fans, and rabid audiophiles. With myriad releases hitting shelves, we’ve provided you with some of our most anticipated picks to make Saturday’s shopping (relatively) quick and painless.

50 Unheralded Albums from 2011

50 Unheralded Albums from 2011

In just one more trip around the sun, another swarm of immensely talented but under-recognized musicians has harnessed its collective talents and discharged its creations into the void. This list is but one fraction of those dedicated individuals who caught our ears with some serious jams.