Egyptian, Indian, and Arabic styles in Western structures. Absurdist progressive neoclassical. Playful orchestrations with big-band swing and foreboding soundtrack cues. Blood-curdling horror scores and reflective, introspective rhymes.
ALARM leaves no genre unloved in our round-up of 50 albums that didn’t receive enough attention in 2009.
Presented in chronological order.
“Family War Funding (Love Those Rothschilds)”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Omar-Rodriguez-Lopez_Family-War-Funding-Love-Those-Rothschilds.mp3|titles=Omar Rodriguez Lopez: “Family War Funding”]
The first of many releases in 2009 from prolific guitarist/composer Omar Rodriguez Lopez. Accessible and centered on rock, sounding spacey, funky, progressive, psychedelic, a little jazzy, and a little Latin.
“Tres”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Kevin_Hufnagel_Tres.mp3|titles=Kevin Hufnagel: “Tres”]Musical themes come and go, covering swaths of Spanish and Gypsy guitar before reverting back to haunting rock melodies, on this solo acoustic album from highly technical Dysrhythmia guitarist Kevin Hufnagel.
P.O.S: Never Better (Rhymesayers, 2/3/09)
“Drumroll”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/P.O.S._Drumroll.mp3|titles=P.O.S.: “Drumroll”]Likely the year’s best hip-hop album, Never Better draws on Stefon Alexander’s background in punk and rock music (he plays most of the live instrumentation on the record), making this is an album that categorically defines the indie in indie rap.
“Ostia”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Zu_Ostia.mp3|titles=Zu: “Ostia”]Sludgy alt-metal with complex repeated rhythms and free-jazz freakouts. Features Mike Patton on two killer tracks.
The Andreas Kapsalis & Goran Ivanovic Guitar Duo: s/t (2/24/09)
“Shadow Thief”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Shadow_Thief.mp3|titles=The Andreas Kapsalis & Goran Ivanovic Guitar Duo: “Shadow Thief”]A Balkan-influenced classical guitarist joins an ethically inspired finger-tapping guitarist for a disc of skill and beauty.
“Throw in the Towel”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/16_Throw-in-the-Towel.mp3|titles=16: “Throw in the Towel”]Dubbed the “Unsane of the West Coast” by ALARM’s Jamie Ludwig, 16 issued another hard-hitting riff fest in 2009 with Bridges to Burn, the band’s best album to date.
“Kitty Puppy”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Umlaut_Kitty-Puppy.mp3|titles=Umlaut: “Kitty Puppy”]Mr. Bungle‘s Bär McKinnon, multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire, issued one hell of an album for this new project — one that filters meticulous melodies and asinine vocals through the lens of a whacked-out lounge group.
“Oslo Coty Suite”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Jono-El-Grande_Oslo-City-Suite.mp3|titles=Jono El Grande: “Oslo City Suite”]Fanciful music that’s different around every turn. Art rock that weaves through theatrical, progressive, classical, and absurdist styles with influences from Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart, King Crimson and Igor Stravinsky.
“Scapegoat”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Kylesa_Scapegoat.mp3|titles=Kylesa: “Scapegoat”]Down-tuned dirge metal that rumbles with crust punk, sludge, metal, hardcore, and psychedelia, often laced with atmospheric samples. To date, Static Tensions is Kylesa’s most powerful album.
“Cellz”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Doom_Cellz.mp3|titles=Doom: “Cellz”]Dropping his “MF” prefix, the incomparable rapper and Marvel-inspired supervillain delivered another nearly impenetrable wall of rhymes and flow, dizzying listeners with his ever-shifting, slowly delivered lyrics.
“Playful Little Demons”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Andreas_Kapsalis_Trio___Playful_Little_Demons.mp3|titles=Andreas Kapsalis Trio: “Playful Little Demons”]Makers of boundless pseudo-soundtrack work and one of last year’s best albums, this trio pairs a shifting percussion duo with the exemplary finger-tapping guitar work of Andreas Kapsalis.
“Chickenscratch”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Mike-Patton_Chickenscratch.mp3|titles=Mike Patton: “Chickenscratch”]The second soundtrack in as many years from tireless musical adventurer Mike Patton, who here delivers high-powered, instrumentally diverse variations on a theme.
“Je T’aime”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Staff-Benda-Bilili_Je-Taime.mp3|titles=Staff Benda Bilili: “Je T’aime”]Channeling the voices of the disenfranchised into playful rumba melodies, this tenacious band of paraplegic Congolese musicians captures beautiful music and colorful vocals on its debut album.
“Rapture of the Empty Spaces”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Karl-Sanders_Rapture-of-the-Empty-Spaces.mp3|titles=Karl Sanders: “Rapture of the Empty Spaces”]Nile linchpin Karl Sanders issued another beautiful acoustic release of Arabic flavors mixed with Western structures. The music contains some of Sanders’ blistering fretwork, but it never strays from its overlying melody and accessibility. Covering Turkish, Egyptian, Indian, and Arabic styles, Saurian Exorcisms is a must-own album.
“Moral Distortion”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Agoraphobic-Nosebleed_Moral-distortion.mp3|titles=Agoraphobic Nosebleed: “Moral Distortion”]Specializing in über-fast thrash/grind, ANB uses its newest full-length to employ breakdowns, breakneck solos, and sludge bass to make this the band’s most realized release to date.
“Cha Cha”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Mulatu-Astatke-The-Heliocentrics_Cha-Cha.mp3|titles=Mulatu Astatke / The Heliocentrics: “Cha Cha”]The father of Ethio-jazz combines with a band of UK hip-hop/funk/psychedelic all-stars to create an outstanding disc of worldly jazz-hop fusion.
“Folklore” (feat. Dumbtron & Vinnie Paz)
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Folklore-Feat.-Dumbtron-Vinnie-Paz_0.mp3|titles=Mr. Lif: “Folklore” (feat. Dumbtron & Vinnie Paz)]The latest from hip-hop hero Jeffrey Haynes seeks to inspire others and take a greater reflection on the political landscape. With banging beats and grooves as a backdrop, Lif keeps it real, noting of America’s 44th president, “You think they’re gonna let Obama stop the flow of dough? I think no — or we’ll be witnessing an overthrow.”
“Bazaar”Robert Burger: \”Bazaar\”
Founding member of Tin Hat Trio and multi-instrumentalist Rob Burger tackles a plethoric load of film cues on City of Strangers, deftly weaving through chamber music, neoclassical, piano scores, twangy bluegrass and slide guitar, melodic pieces of percussion, waltzy accordion numbers, and much more.
“Enemy Destruct”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Thee-Oh-Sees_Enemy-Destruct.mp3|titles=Thee Oh Sees: “Enemy Destruct”]Help finds singer/guitarist John Dwyer doing what he does best — releasing another album of catchy experimental garage-rock tunes.
“Insides”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Jon-Hopkins_-Insides.mp3|titles=Jon Hopkins: “Insides”]On Insides, the creations of London pianist / electronic producer Jon Hopkins are alternately distant and engaging, resulting in a beautiful work with broad appeal.
“Seven”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Yoshida-Brothers-Prism-02-Seven.mp3|titles=Yoshida Brothers: “Seven”]This pair of shamisen-wielding brothers used its newest album to tackle many nontraditional styles, tapping into rock, folk, neoclassical, film scores, and more in collaboration with great guest musicians.
“Half Kleptos”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/El-Grupo-Nuevo-de-Omar-Rodriguez-Lopez_Half-Kleptos.mp3|titles=El Grupo Nuevo de Omar Rodriguez Lopez: “Half Kleptos”]The latest in Omar Rodriguez Lopez’s ceaseless output, El Grupo Nuevo… functions as a wild Mars-Volta-meets-Hella side project, resulting in a spacey, progressive album with many overlapping rhythms.
“Ayes Have It”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Big-Business_Ayes-Have-It.mp3|titles=Big Business: “Ayes Have It”]The frenzied beats and bass of Big Business take a breather on Mind the Drift, an epic new direction for the duo/trio that adds guitar, bits of organ, bizarre vocal moments, and restraint. Singalongs “The Drift” and “Ayes Have It” are instant favorites.
“Asteroids!”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Andromeda_Asteroids.mp3|titles=Andromeda Mega Express Orchestra: “Asteroids!”]Led by 25-year-old German composer Daniel Glatzel, this 20-piece modern classical ensemble created one of the year’s most beautiful and dazzling albums, romping through playful orchestrations, big-band swing, foreboding soundtrack cues, sad string arrangements, and more.
“Ice”
As a smaller incarnation of Mitchell’s Black Earth Ensemble, BES combines modern jazz sounds and African rhythms via an acoustic quartet.
“Machinists”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Skeletonbreath_Machinists.mp3|titles=Skeletonbreath: “Machinists”]The fiery fiddle of O’Death violinist Robert Pycior leads Skeletonbreath, a trio that combines Pycior’s strings with the low-end rumble and punishing, straightforward rhythms of mid-’90s alt-rock. Pycior’s violin work combines progressive rock leads with discordant keys, neoclassical melodies, and worldly flavor.
“Vole Sperm Reverie”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Flat-Earth_Vole-Sperm-Reverie.mp3|titles=Flat Earth Society: “Vole Sperm Reverie”]This vibrant, upbeat big-band jazz ensemble entwines circus, burlesque, lounge, and Cirque du Soleil sounds in its quirky mix — one that counts on 23 regular members.
“Funeral for What Might Have Been”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Secret-Chiefs-3_Funeral-for-What-Might-Have-Been.mp3|titles=Secret Chiefs 3: “Funeral for What Might Have Been”]With its latest album, Trey Spruance’s unparalleled Secret Chiefs 3 set its sights on the Italian giallo horror/erotica genre of the 1960s and ’70s. This masterful album encapsulates 30 brief, often abstract film cues that sonically invoke images of bloodcurdling terror — as well as moments of passive tranquility.
“Dead is Dead”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Coalesce_Dead-Is-Dead.mp3|titles=Coalesce: “Dead Is Dead”]After 10 years, multiple reunions, and talk of resurfacing as a new entity, the hardcore maelstrom that is Coalesce returned with a full disc of sonic punishment — while also edging into bits of acoustic melancholy, heavy blues, harmonized vocals, and Italian western.
“The Glad Hand”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Jerseyband_The-Glad-Hand.mp3|titles=Jerseyband: “The Glad Hand”]An incredible unsigned septet that weaves furious horn/guitar riffs atop a syncopated, polymetered math-metal foundation.
“Retina Sees Rewind”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Cave-In_Retina-Sees-Rewind.mp3|titles=Cave In: “Retina Sees Rewind”]The lengthy and quizzical journey of Cave In continued in 2009, as the former metal-core darlings released their heaviest effort since the late 1990s. A throttling thrash-punk assault, Planets of Old is an excellent combo of big riffs, beheamoth bass grooves, garage rock, searing screams, and Stephen Brodsky‘s crooning.
“Blue Linckia”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Giant-Squid_Blue-Linckia.mp3|titles=Giant Squid: “Blue Linckia”]The progressive, doom-rock tendencies of Giant Squid took another epic turn this year with The Ichthyologist, an originally self-released album whose noted guest musicians buoyed its creations.
“Not So Lucky and the Invisible Kid”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Pine-Hill-Haints_Not-So-Invisible-Kid.mp3|titles=Pine Hill Haints: “Not So Invisible Kid”]Self-described as playing “Alabama ghost music,” the Pine Hill Haints released another disc of ballad-driven country rock and folk this year. No matter the classification, To Win or To Lose is an introspective winner.
“Focus”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Bill-Frisell_Focus.mp3|titles=Bill Frisell: “Focus”]Full of instrumental country, lap-steel blues, and twangy Americana, guitarist Bill Frisell’s beautiful pieces are pared here with interpretations of legendary artists such as Hank Williams Sr. and Arthur Crudup.
“Korromda Peimm”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Sax-Ruins_Korromda-Peimm.mp3|titles=Sax Ruins: “Korromda Peimm”]Tornadic drummer Tatsuya Yoshida has been the rhythmic foundation of Ruins, a heavy Japanese bass/drums duo that here becomes a skronky combo with saxophonist Ono Ryoko helping to reimagine Ruins tunes.
“The Zapata Rail”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/John-Zorn_Zapata-Rail.mp3|titles=John Zorn: “The Zapata Rail”]Covering Tropicália and other exotic styles, Zorn’s sequel to The Dreamers is another gorgeous album that leans on an all-star cast.
“Foreign One”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/John-Hollenbeck_Foreign-One.mp3|titles=John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble: “Foreign One”]An enlivened jazz percussionist and classical and worldly composer, John Hollenbeck reunited his shape-shifting big-band ensemble to create another engaging, spectacular hybrid.
“Click on That (Smash the Plastic Death)”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Bygones_Click-on-That-Smash-the-Plastic-Death.mp3|titles=Bygones: “Click on That (Smash the Plastic Death)”]A spastic/melodic guitar/drums dichotomy, this duo consists of drumming whiz Zach Hill (of Hella) and tech-ish guitarist Nick Reinhart (of indie mathists Tera Melos). The album’s complex catchy-ness is well augmented by intermittent vocal utterances and backing harmonies.
“Platinum Rows”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Tyondai-Braxton_Platinum-Rows.mp3|titles=Tyondai Braxton: “Platinum Rows”]With Central Market, multi-instrumentalist loop guru Tyondai Braxton of Battles issued an astonishing sophomore solo full-length, a striking combination of neoclassical composition and filtered electronics, rubbery low-end grooves, and electric guitar.
“Jitterbug Mécanique”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Alarm-Will-Sound_Jitterbug-Mecanique.mp3|titles=Alarm Will Sound: “Jitterbug Mécanique”]This 20-member chamber ensemble tackled six centuries worth of compositional excellence and challenging rhythmic overlaps on A/Rhythmia, featuring works of György Ligeti, Benedict Mason, Harrison Birtwistle — and even Autechre and Mochipet.
“Dolly” (feat. Elysian Fields & Steven Bernstein)
Ben Perowsky’s Moodswing Orchestra: “Dolly”
Drummer/producer/composer Ben Perowsky instructed his illustrious guests away from the jazz idiom on Moodswing Orchestra — in his words, “less Herbie, more Eno.” The result is an eclectic disc full of elastic grooves, sultry and low-key vocals, and atmospheric improvisation.
“Asco Que Conmueve los Puntos Erógenos”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Omar-Rodriguez-Lopez_Asco-Que-Conmueve-los-Puntos-Erógenos.mp3|titles=Omar Rodriguez-Lopez: “Asco Que Conmueve los Puntos Erógenos”]Xenophanes is another journey through Omar’s progressive soundscape, this time leaning on the scurrying piano lines of Marcel Rodriguez Lopez and Mark Aanderud. Most notably, Omar takes full control of the vocals, singing entirely in Spanish and showcasing an underutilized ability.
“Cremation Ghat II”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Om_Cremation-Ghat-II.mp3|titles=Om: “Cremation Ghat II”]On its latest spiritual adventure, hypnotic bass-and-drums duo Om found a chiefly suitable new drummer: Emil Amos, a key component of visceral, worldly, genre-defying quartet Grails. God is Good showcases Om’s penchant for creating music that is as genuinely emotive as it is heavy.
“Heavy Lies the Crown”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Doomriders_Heavy-Lies-the-Crown.mp3|titles=Doomriders: “Heavy Lies the Crown”]Known best as Converge‘s bassist, Nate Newton reconvened Doomriders this year to once more brandish his guitar/vocal chops, resulting in another weighty disc of rock-fueled hardcore.
“You’re Going to Hate This”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Javelina_Youre-Going-to-Hate-This.mp3|titles=Javelina: “You’re Going to Hate This”]Beasts Among Sheep brings more down-tuned, mid-tempo sludge metal from these purveyors of fuzz and feedback. High-register speed picking duels with low-end head-bashing riffs.
“Pissing in the Wind”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Sole-the-Skyrider-Band_Pissing-in-the-Wind.mp3|titles=Sole & the Skyrider Band: “Pissing in the Wind”]Following a turning point with his last album, Sole returned with his full band of cohorts for another go-round. Plastique is delicately constructed, with breakbeats that give way to somber string vibratos and pizzicatos, dense atmospherics, and ghostly samples. Guitars weave in and out of a mix that brims with layers.
“Dark Horse”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Converge_Dark-Horse.mp3|titles=Converge: “Dark Horse”]Possibly Converge’s best album, Axe to Fall delivered a heaping dose of full-throttle thrash metal, accelerating through push beats, palm-muted speed riffs and squealing solos, and double-bass blasts to establish a new tone for the band.
“Fathom”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Russian-Circles_Fathom.mp3|titles=Russian Circles: “Fathom”]Geneva represents a new peak for Russian Circles, establishing a dynamic vibe through rhythmic heaviness, much of which comes via new bassist Brian Cook. Adjunct instruments, generally stringed, augment and guide much the album’s material.
“Trichromatic”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Lymbyc-Systym_Trichromatic.mp3|titles=Lymbyc Systym: “Trichromatic”]On Shutter Release, brothers Jared and Mike Bell expanded their beautiful brand of electro-acoustic jams with a new set of densely packed, melodically driven creations that lean on reappearing refrains and crescendos.
“406”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/David-Sardy_406.mp3|titles=David Sardy: “406”]Best known from Barkmarket, producer David Sardy was a great choice to pen this dark, highly percussive score that oscillates between brooding minimalism, blood-curdling neo-classicalism, and horror-infused rock and roll.
Honorable mentions
The Bastard Noise: Rogue Astronaut (Gravity, 1/13/09)
Gutbucket: A Modest Proposal (Cuneiform, 1/20/09)
Ephel Duath: Through My Dog’s Eyes (Earache, 1/26/09)
Jamie Saft: Black Shabbis (Tzadik, 1/27/09)
Harmonic 313: When Machines Exceed Human Intelligence (Warp, 2/2/09)
Irepress: Sol Eye Sea I (Translation Loss, 2/17/09)
Powersolo: Bloodskinbones (Crunchy Frog, 3/3/09)
Soap & Skin: Lovetune for Vacuum (PIAS UK, 3/16/09)
Fever Ray: s/t (Mute, 3/24/09)
Bob Log III: My Shit is Perfect (Birdman, 3/31/09)
JG Thirlwell: The Venture Bros.: The Music of JG Thirlwell (Williams Street, 4/7/09)
Isis: Wavering Radiant (Ipecac, 5/5/09)
Nomo: Invisible Cities (Ubiquity, 5/5/09)
Upsilon Acrux: Radian Futura (Cuneiform, 5/19/09)
Busdriver: Jhelli Beam (Anti-, 6/9/09)
Tortoise: Beacons of Ancestorship (Thrill Jockey, 6/9/09)
Dave Douglas & Brass Ecstasy: Spirit Moves (Greenleaf Music, 6/16/09)
Dysrhythmia: Psychic Maps (Relapse, 7/7/09)
Eyedea & Abilities: By the Throat (Rhymesayers, 7/21/09)
Squarepusher: Solo Electric Bass 1 (Warp, 8/17/09)
Cougar: Patriot (Ninja Tune, 9/1/09)
Rodrigo y Gabriela: 11:11 (ATO, 9/8/09)
Polvo: In Prism (Merge, 9/8/09)
End: The Dangerous Class (Hymen, 9/15/09)
Ahleuchatistas: Of the Body Prone (Tzadik, 9/29/09)
Air: Love 2 (Astralwerks, 10/16/09)
Shrinebuilder: s/t (Neurot, 10/20/09)
Ben Frost: By the Throat (Bedroom Community, 11/10/09)
Raise the Red Lantern: s/t (At A Loss, 11/3/09)