Zu

Zu

Zu: Plumbing the Depths of Sludge Jazz

On its 2009 album, Carboniferous, Italian sludge-jazz trio Zu manages to get even heavier with piles of effect pedals and Mike Patton‘s wild vocal gymnastics.

Morrow vs. Hajduch

Morrow vs. Hajduch: Seven That Spells’ Future Retro Spasm

Scott Morrow is ALARM’s music editor. Patrick Hajduch is a very important lawyer. Each week they debate the merits of a different album.

Seven That Spells: Future Retro Spasm

Seven That Spells: Future Retro Spasm (Beta-Lactam Ring, 5/20/10)

Seven That Spells: “Olympos”
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Morrow: Based in Zagreb, Croatia, Seven That Spells plays a powerhouse fusion of psychedelic rock, math and jazz influences, and full-tilt drumming assaults.  The group, originally a power trio, is led by guitarist/keyboardist Niko Potočnjak but has undergone radical changes in its lineup over its relatively brief tenure, and its last album, Cosmoerotic Dialogue with Lucifer, was a noisy, progressive, multi-drummer attack on the senses.

Mike Patton

Mike Patton: Anomalous Vocalist Tackles Italian Orch-Pop

Given identifiable credits such as Faith No More, Tomahawk, and Mr. Bungle, the words “Patton” and “incognito” don’t seem to follow each other. But Mike Patton‘s newest project, Mondo Cane, stems from just such a union — with Patton disguising his American accent and assimilating to a new culture.

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.

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.

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 Zü.