Alicia Plomin

Chamber/jazz composer James Falzone to release new Allos Musica album

Chicago clarinetist and composer James Falzone uses his different Allos Musica ensembles to traverse modern chamber music, world music, and jazz — often within the same song.  Lamentations, the debut album from his newest Allos incarnation, will be released on November 2 and derives a good deal of inspiration from Arabic music.

“I was working on a lot of this music in 2006 as US forces were more and more entrenched in the Iraq war,” Falzone says. “It did, and continues to, trouble me a great deal.”

Kylesa to release Spiral Shadow on Season of Mist

Just a year and a half after Static Tensions, psych-sludge quintet Kylesa will release Spiral Shadow, its fifth full-length album, on October 26 via Season of Mist. With the album, Kylesa’s cross-genre sound jumps from Prosthetic Records, which put out its last three discs.

The new album was produced again by Kylesa’s guitarist/vocalist Phillip Cope, who has manned the boards for Baroness and Withered.

Bad Religion’s Greg Graffin pens book on evolution

Singer Greg Graffin of punk stalwarts Bad Religion has co-authored a new book called Anarchy Evolution: Faith, Science and Bad Religion in a World Without God with National Academy of Sciences journalist Steve Olson.  You may be familiar with Graffin’s thoughts on evolution and other matters via Bad Religion lyrics, but many are unaware that he teaches the subject at UCLA and holds a PhD.

The book and Bad Religion’s new album, The Dissent of Man, will be released on September 28.  Get to know him on a personal and intellectual level with his new offerings.

Moogfest 2010 unveils big names and hidden gems

The beloved, yearly music festival known as Moogfest is back. Usually held in New York City, Moogfest 2010 will be in Asheville, North Carolina, Robert Moog’s former home, to honor the late legend’s contributions to modern music. AC Entertainment has released its ever-expanding lineup, featuring artists carving out their own places in history as creative pioneers.

Taking place over Halloween weekend, from October 29-31, Moogfest 2010 will host performances in venues all over the historical city. Our favorites include El-P, Matmos, Jon Hopkins, Dan Deacon, DJ Spooky, Massive Attack, Four Tet, Jónsi, and RJD2.

String-metal trio Judgement Day goes (Mid)west

ALARM 39 featured artist Judgment Day has announced a three-week West Coast and Midwest tour, starting on September 1. Coming off the April release of Peacocks / Pink Monsters, its second studio album, the trio proves that hardcore shredding is just as heavy and intense with a violin and cello as it is on guitar and bass.

Watch the band’s “Violin Hero” video for “Cobra Strike” below and click ahead for tour dates.

Buzzov-en is back on tour after 12 years

Stoner-core veterans Buzzov-en have reunited and will hit the road after a 12-year drought to tour the USA this fall.

For a handful of East Coast and Midwest dates, founding member Kirk Fisher has gathered the band’s original lineup, including bassist “Dixie” Dave Collins (also of Weedeater) and drummer Ramzi.

After the release of the band’s compilation album, Violence from the Vault (Relapse), this year, Buzzov-en is working on a new album called Revelation: Sick Again that will be out in 2011 on Hydra Head Records.

Art invades Chicago’s public transit

The third annual installation of the world’s largest mobile art gallery, Art on Track, will make its way to the Chicago Loop on August 7. Passengers will have the opportunity to board the eight-car train at the Adams and Wabash platform from 5-10 p.m. Participating artists were handpicked based on their control of new artistic methods in their fields. They will have six hours to produce captivating and provocative work to be experienced by the public.