Tomahawk

The Unsemble

MP3 Premiere: The Unsemble’s “Waves”

The quintessential example of an album that can’t be assessed on hearing just one track, the self-titled debut from The Unsemble blurs the lines between soundtrack noir, new wave, musique concrète, chamber drone, experimental jazz, and rock with deceptive ease.

ALARM's 51 Favorite Albums of 2013

ALARM’s 51 Favorite Albums of 2013

Saving the best for last, we’ve chosen our 51 favorite albums of 2013, pulled from the acclaimed and the unsung — some of the best as well as most boundary-pushing releases from rock and beyond.

Mike Patton

Mike Patton’s San Fran favorites

Vocalist and composer Mike Patton’s credits are a mile long, and all extremely different from one another. His tastes in food, culture, and obscure hangouts are just as diverse.

Retox

Life as a touring punk musician: Watch Retox’s YPLL doc in full

Last week we premiered footage from Retox’s YPLL documentary, giving an in-depth look at the existence of the punk-hardcore outfit and touching on realities that face bands looking to play music for a living. Now, as promised, here’s the hour-long film in full.

Raging solos, Bonham-esque beats, and white-robe canvases in Life Coach’s “Fireball” video

Life Coach: AlphawavesLife Coach: Alphawaves (Thrill Jockey, 4/16/13)

Also the title of Phil Manley’s first solo album, Life Coach is now a (mostly instrumental) rock duo comprised of the Trans Am / The Fucking Champs guitarist and former Mars Volta drummer Jon Theodore.

The duo’s first album, out today, features a helluva jam as its lead single, as Manley lays down a wicked groove that’s topped by a raging rock solo from Isaiah Mitchell (Howlin’ Rain, Golden Void). Meanwhile, Theodore — a distinctive drummer in his own right — calls to mind John Bonham (Led Zeppelin) and John Stanier (Battles, Tomahawk, ex-Helmet) with his propulsive beats. Enjoy the live-action video as projected landscapes paint the boys’ white-robe canvases.

Tomahawk

Tomahawk’s odd-imated video for “Oddfellows”

Tomahawk: OddfellowsTomahawk: Oddfellows (Ipecac, 1/29/13)

Following its first album in nearly six years, alt-rock super-group Tomahawk has delivered an oddball video for “Oddfellows,” the first and title track on its resurgent release. Watch as black-and-white performance footage is augmented with strange animated characters and the fellas are odd-ified themselves.