Scott Morrow 
Muse: The 2nd Law (Warner Bros., 10/2/12)
“Survival”
By working across a broad spectrum of styles, Britain’s Muse evokes a wide range of reactions. Indisputably, however, it’s one of the few remaining mainstream rock acts to pull off bombast with a real degree of success.
Menomena: Moms (Barsuk, 9/18/12)
As the opener on Menomena‘s Moms — possibly the best pop album of 2012 — “Plumage” is a stark announcement of a resurgent duo. Down a key component when multi-instrumentalist/co-singer Brent Knopf left the quirky former trio, Menomena has come out no worse for the wear — and, in fact, has delivered some of its finest material ever.
Enjoy the video as Danny Seim and Justin Harris escalate an ever-advancing four-minute showdown.
The Casualties: Resistance (Season of Mist, 9/25/12)
“My Blood. My Life. Always Forward.”
The Casualties: “My Blood. My Life. Always Forward.”
Twenty years since its first EP, iconic NYC punk quartet The Casualties makes another incensed return with Resistance, its ninth full-length album and first for European metal giant Season of Mist.
The Bad Plus: Made Possible (E1, 9/25/12)
“Seven-Minute Mind”
Following its all-covers vocal album in 2008, jazz-rock trio The Bad Plus has made a point to remind fans just how unique and dynamic its original material is. Of course, that material always was a majority and a focal point, but certain albums (such as 2007 release Prog) skewed the “cover ratio” and featured more pop interpretations.
Bloc Party: Four (Frenchkiss, 8/21/12)
Since Bloc Party hit Lollapalooza in early August, the UK indie quartet has tirelessly toured Europe and the United States in support of Four, its hard-charging new album. Now, with only a few dates left in the Pacific Northwest, the band sets its sights back across the Atlantic for dates through late November. Hey, touring isn’t for the faint of heart!
Drew Reynolds was on hand in Chicago last week to capture Kele and company.
Titled Into the Future, the new Bad Brains album promises, according to bassist Darryl Jenifer, to be “the purest Bad Brains recording since the ROIR cassette.”
Jodis: Black Curtain (Hydra Head, 10/2/12)
Three years ago, Aaron Turner of Isis (and many, many other bands) and James Plotkin and Tim Wyskida of Khanate (and many, many other bands) formed a haunting, melodic, ambient project called Jodis.
Each already had quite a résumé for elongated, swirling, textured pieces, particularly of the dark variety, whether from projects like Old Man Gloom, House of Low Culture, or solo material. Jodis was different, though, and now the three experimentalists are issuing a second album together with a renewed focus on slow-building melody.
Down: Down IV Part I: The Purple EP (Warner Music Group, 9/18/12)
“Witchtripper”
For a super-group like Down — formed from members of Pantera, Corrosion of Conformity, Crowbar, and Eyehategod — what’s more fitting than assembling a Voltron-style album out of four epic EPs?
Clocking in at a weighty 33 minutes (what many consider a full-length these days), Down IV Part I: The Purple EP is less a return than it is a first repayment — starting to make good to its fans for another five-year wait between albums.