ALARM

Trans Am: Continents Apart, Synth-Rock Vets Hit Zenith with Scrapped Horror Score

Trans Am has explored all decades of rock, funk, and dance while continuously searching for new and interesting sounds. But the band has reached a pinnacle with the release of Thing, a dark concept album that channels John Carpenter vibes through the band’s trademark style.

Freeway: “Beautiful Music”

Ahleuchatistas: Deconstructing Rock ‘n’ Roll

Instrumental avant-rock group Ahleuchatistas has less in common with mathematicians than mad scientists, tinkering with song structure and timbre to achieve desired results.

Gallery Spotlight: Shooting Gallery

For Justin Giarla, owner of San Francisco’s Shooting Gallery, opening up an art space in a once-dicey neighborhood was inevitable — especially considering that his captivation with the West Coast’s lowbrow scene started when he was in high school.

“I really got hooked on art, and I would cut history, math, and English to go to my other art classes and stay there all day long,” Giarla says. “After a while, my teachers figured it out, but they never really did anything or said anything because they were just kind of like, ‘Well, at least he’s still in school.'”

Arsis, Powerglove on tour

Concert Photos: Garage a Trois @ Double Door

Groove/jam-rock quartet Garage a Trois is an all-star cast of players, featuring saxophonist Skerik and vibraphonist Mike Dillon (each of Critters Buggin and Les Claypool’s Frog Brigade), drummer Stanton Moore (Galactic, Corrosion of Conformity), and keyboardist Marco Benevento (Benevento/Russo Duo).

The group can rip off wailing solos when warranted, but it brings some seriously hard-hitting riffs that translate to major live energy. Photographer Jon Shaft captured some shots from the group’s recent stop in Chicago, track suits and all.

Garage a Trois: “Rescue Spreaders”
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Scout Niblett: Raw Minimalism

Crossing the lines of minimalist performer and powerhouse artist, Scout Niblett is one of the strongest voices to emerge in recent years. Acting as an introspective one-woman force of nature, she eschews superfluous support and production without sacrificing an already demanding sound.

The Metal Examiner: Enslaved’s Axioma Ethica Odini

Enslaved: Axioma Ethica Odini (Nuclear Blast / Indie Recordings, 9/28/10)

Enslaved: “Ethica Odini”
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Enslaved abandoned black metal long ago in favor of expansive rock songs coated in darker aesthetics. This release continues in the tradition of post-Syd Barrett Pink Floyd by creating compositions of textures over a few simple rock riffs.

The Sword: Infectious Riffs Direct Hefty Southern Rock ‘n’ Roll

Following the intense yet melodic works of its first two albums, Age of Winters in 2006 and Gods of the Earth in 2008, The Sword stays true to its heavy, hook-laden aesthetic, delivering its most accessible album in Warp Riders.

CMJ 2010 announces second wave of artists

Red Sparowes’ European tour

Konono No. 1: “Bazombo Trance” Stars Reflect Congolese Roots

Konono No.1‘s music stems from Congolese history and the heritage of its members’ families, which is reflected in the band’s makeshift equipment and unifying practice. Difficult and minimalistic, its music is not immediately accessible but eventually understood and appreciated, no matter what one’s background may be.