Music

Garage a Trois

The Groove Seeker: Garage a Trois’ Power Patriot

On a weekly basis, The Groove Seeker goes in search of killer grooves across rock, funk, hip hop, soul, electronic music, jazz, fusion, and more.

Garage a Trois: Power Patriot

Garage a Trois: Power Patriot (The Royal Potato Family, 10/26/09)

Garage a Trois: “Rescue Spreaders”
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Garage a Trois is the improvised groove child of saxophonist Skerik, drummer Stanton Moore, and 8-string guitarist Charlie Hunter.  The trio made a grand debut in 1999 with Mysteryfunk, a raw EP of completely improvised recordings, foregoing interest in post-production effects and multi-tracking.  In 2002, percussionist and vibraphonist Mike Dillon was added to the mix, giving the group a new tonal texture, and the band began rooting its music in powerful repetitions à la Critters Buggin, Skerik and Dillon’s former band. The departure of Hunter in 2007 led to a temporary void that was filled by rotating musicians, most notably John Medeski.  Soon after, jam keyboardist Marco Benevento was chosen to permanently fill Hunter’s place.

Jackpot Records

Behind the Counter: Jackpot Records (Portland, OR)

Each Tuesday, Behind the Counter speaks to an independent record store to ask about its recent favorites, best sellers, and noteworthy trends.

Sporting two locations, (Fabulous!) Jackpot Records has served Portland’s independent music community for 13 years as both a new/used CD, LP, and DVD retailer and a record label that reissues lost treasures.  We recently caught up with Burnside manager Patrick Dennehy to get some staff picks and see what has been trending.

Rhys holds Kurt Vile: Constant Hitmaker
Rhys holds Kurt Vile: Constant Hitmaker

The Red River’s favorite pre-show movies

The Red River is an indie-pop band out of Long Beach, California, currently touring in support of its upcoming record, Little Songs About the Big Picture (11/2/10, Brave Recs).

In order to get in the right mindset for its shows, the band likes to project movies on its tour projector. Though ranging in subject matter, almost all the flicks share a common theme: inspirational underdogs overcoming great odds. However, one story of a futuristic crime fighter doesn’t quite fit the bill; it’s just an awesome movie.

1. Major League

A band of unlikely misfits band together for the win. The parallels are endless here.

Autopsy

The Metal Examiner: Autopsy’s The Tomb Within

Every Friday, The Metal Examiner delves metal’s endless depths to present the genre’s most important and exciting albums.

Autopsy: The Tomb WithinAutopsy: The Tomb Within (Peaceville, 10/5/2010)

Autopsy: “My Corpse Shall Rise”
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Following his early stint in death-metal progenitors Death, drummer/vocalist Chris Reifert formed pioneering metal act Autopsy. Like other bands in the late ’80s and early ’90s, Autopsy invented its own rules in its quest for extremity, and its blend of doom, punk, and thrash coalesced into a definitive take on the emerging death-metal sound.

Spandexxx @ Beauty Bar

Event photos: Spandexxx @ Beauty Bar

Two Fridays ago, ALARM and UR Chicago teamed up to present Spandexxx at Chicago’s Beauty Bar. Taking the stage were Mic Terror, Vic Mensa, the20fours, and DJs Adulture and Moneypenny. In addition, the HEY! Cliché! video club screened visuals.

Spandexxx @ Beauty Bar

Mammoth Grinder

Mammoth Grinder: Pure Metal Immediacy

With its second full-length album, Mammoth Grinder combines the simple brutality of death metal with a hardcore rawness that is heard less and less in this age of digital recording programs, overdubs, and pitch correctors.

Rahim AlHaj

World in Stereo: Rahim AlHaj’s Little Earth

Each week, World in Stereo examines classic and modern world music while striving for a greater appreciation of other cultures.

Rahim AlHaj: Little EarthRahim AlHaj: Little Earth (UR Music, 9/28/10)

Rahim AlHaj: “Morning in Hyattsville”
[audio:https://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Rahim_AlHaj_Morning_In_Hyattsville.mp3|titles=Rahim AlHaj: “Morning in Hyattsville”]

If you’ve ever dabbled in Arabic music, whether realizing or not, you have probably come across the short-necked Arabian lute known formerly as the oud.  If you’ve never explored the musical styling, however, the recordings of Rahim AlHaj may be the place to start.  Hailed as one of Iraq’s most paramount composers and an esteemed oud musician, AlHaj studied under Munir Bashir, perhaps one of the most quintessential innovators and players of the oud, at the Institute of Music in Baghdad.

Contest: Win passes to Moogfest 2010 in Asheville, NC

Another week, another contest from ALARM. This time, we’re giving one reader a chance to win a pair of weekend passes to Moogfest, a major three-day electronic festival that has moved from New York to Asheville, North Carolina. Total retail value of these babies is $369. Moogfest 2010 is taking place in venues all over Asheville during Halloween weekend, Oct. 29, 30, and 31.