Weekly Music News Roundup

Coalesce posts a two-song preview of Ox; Orange Tulip Conspiracy has finalized its nationwide May tour; Mike Patton plays a Decepticon; Rock Central Plaza and Yakuza have new albums and homes.  This and more in the roundup.

Weekly Music News Roundup

The long-rumored Faith No More reunion has been confirmed (!!!).  Vocal heavyweight Mike Patton keeps busy with a feature-film soundtrack, MF Doom drops half his name and a new album, Dengue Fever provides accompaniment to The Lost World, hip-hop duo Themselves returns, and much more.

ALARM’s Top 10 Albums of 2008

Our list of favorites from last year includes devastating dub metal, organ-fueled psychedelic grind, a re-released classic-rock gem from nearly four decades ago, an international assemblage of punk-infused field recordings, and an Indian/surf/metal take on John Zorn‘s Masada material.

Weekly Music News Roundup

Details emerge about new albums from Isis, Tortoise, Akron/Family, and Stinking Lizaveta; Zu announces some dates for a world tour (a pair of which are with Mike Patton); Dark Meat will go on tour with its 17 members; the Scion Rock Fest hosts a spate of crushing metal bands in Atlanta on February 28.

Keep readin’…

18 Albums on our Radar in 2009

This year promises to be a great one for music. Isis, The Bad Plus, Mastodon, Dan Deacon, Coalesce, Jerseyband, Converge, and at least three Mike Patton creations (Mondo Cane, Fantômas, Crudo) are slated to release new albums.

Get the ETA on these and other anticipated albums after the jump.

AlarmPress.com’s 12 Favorite Posts of 2008

As we enter 2009, here is a look back at our favorite posts from last year — including Q&As and interviews with Tuareg freedom singers, Japanese-infused prog metallists, and a regretful folk rapper as well as columns, top-ten lists, Lollapalooza coverage, and our DIY venue spotlight.

Zu: Modern Genius or Noisy Rubbish?

We’ve had a bit of that debate in the office of late, with online editor Scott Morrow weighing in on the side of genius. For those unfamiliar, Zu is an experimental Italian trio that combines sludgy alt-metal with complex rhythms and free-jazz freakouts.

Ten Songs in Our Headphones

The Bad Plus
The Bad Plus

Care to peek at our personal playlists? Here is a collection of ten songs that we’re jamming at the moment, including work by Mike Patton, Helms Alee, 2 Foot Yard, Ocean, The Bad Plus, and more.

Weekly Music News Roundup

Garage a Trois
Garage a Trois

Omar Rodriguez-Lopez announces a new solo album for Stones Throw; Saul Williams speaks about the aftermath of The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust; Garage a Trois announces tour dates and posts an album preview; Don Caballero returns to the Northeast, and much more.

Faith No More

The Top 10 Songs by Faith No More

Faith No More didn’t revolutionize the rock landscape, but for much of its tenure, its members created some of the genre’s best mainstream songs while courting radio success. Along the way, Mike Patton and crew peppered other styles into their expanding repertoire, wedging lounge sounds, incoherent squeals, and even an angelic choir into songs that ran alongside pummeling rock tunes.

There is a kitschy guilty pleasure to pre-Patton songs such as “We Care a Lot,” but respectfully, they can’t compete. So with apologies to the Chuck Mosely era, here is our list for Faith No More’s best songs.

What We’re Doing This Weekend

Ravish Momin's Trio Tarana

Halloween is nearly here, and may we recommend a celebration that involves seeing GWAR and getting covered in fake blood? If that doesn’t float your gory boat, check out Ravish Momin’s Trio Tarana, the Graveface Records Day of the Dead showcase, or Italian noise-punk trio .