Last month ALARM presented its 50 favorite albums of 2012, an eclectic, rock-heavy selection of discs that were in steady rotation in our downtown-Chicago premises. Now, to give some love to tunes that were left out, we have our 50 (+5) favorite songs of last year — singles, B-sides, EP standouts, soundtrack cuts, and more.
Mucca Pazza: Safety Fifth (Electric Cowbell, 6/12/12)
“Boss Taurus”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Mucca_Pazza_Boss_Taurus.mp3|titles=Mucca Pazza: “Boss Taurus”]If Chicago’s tourism committee was serious about a new theme song—one that made people want to come to Chicago rather than, you know, kill themselves—they wouldn’t have chosen Chicago (the band), Buddy Guy, and Umphrey’s McGee. They would’ve chosen Mucca Pazza.
The Chicago 30-piece Mucca Pazza is an ensemble of fun-loving band geeks that includes guitarists, trombonists, sax players, percussionists, and — let’s not forget — cheerleaders. Though they look and behave like perhaps the world’s coolest marching band, their sound is far more suitable for summer festivals than pep rallies.
Among the thousands of under-appreciated or under-publicized albums that were released in 2010, hundreds became our favorites and were presented in ALARM and on AlarmPress.com. Of those, we pared down to 100 outstanding releases, leaving no genre unexplored in our list of this year’s overlooked gems.
Back-to-back nights at The Empty Bottle? Absolutely, if it means seeing funky party-time marching band Mucca Pazza slither through the crowd with mismatching uniforms and sassy cheerleaders.
This week brings Winnepeg breakbeat deconstructionist Venetian Snares back to Chicago. If you can’t spot one of our editors catching him at Reggie’s Rock Club, you might find one or more watching the tight jam freak-outs of Family Order or the good-time Gypsy-rock marching tunes of Mucca Pazza.
If you’re in New York or Chicago, you have some mighty fine festival options this weekend. Check out our recommendations for ATP New York and Chicago’s Hideout Block Party, including My Bloody Valentine (shown left), Tortoise, Plastic People of the Universe, Tim Fite, and many others.