Squarepusher: Solo Electric Bass 1
Though his eclectic IDM creations as Squarepusher have alternately bombarded fans with dance-y, jazzy, funky, fusion-filled drum-and-bass styles, Tom Jenkinson may be most beloved by his fans as a bass guru.
Taken from a live performance in Paris from September of 2007, Solo Electric Bass 1 showcases Jenkinson's full fretted talents, displaying his uncanny ability to play his six-string bass like a classical guitar — with gorgeous chords and intonations that eerily resemble the nylon-stringed instrument that he has employed on such phenomenal albums as Ultravisitor and Hello Everything.
Jenkinson's skills really must be seen to be believed, but this unedited live disc is the next best thing. Long-time fans and newbies alike mustn't miss this one.
John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble: Eternal Interlude
An enlivened jazz percussionist and classical and worldly composer, John Hollenbeck has brought his many talents to the Claudia Quartet, assorted chamber pieces, collaborations with experimental vocalist Theo Bleckmann, and much more.
This shape-shifting big-band effort grabs a number of regular guests, including Bleckmann, to follow the Large Ensemble's Grammy-nominated 2005 debut, A Blessing. The engaging result is a hybrid classical/jazz creation that may appeal to fans of each, fans of both, or fans of neither.
Keelhaul: Keelhaul's Triumphant Return To Obscurity
Following a hiatus of nearly five years, chugging mathcore quartet Keelhaul steps ever so gently from the shadows on an aptly titled return to form.
Moments of melody, clean-channel passages, and even vocal harmonies are scattered on the disc, but riotous riffage, decimating drums, and gruff shouts steal the spotlight as usual. In a year chock full of great heavy releases, Keelhaul's Triumphant Return to Obscurity shouldn't be overlooked.
Keelhaul: "Pass the Lampshade"
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David Daniell & Douglas McCombs: Sycamore
For their first recorded collaboration, experimental guitarist David Daniell and pedal-steel guitarist Douglas McCombs lay tape to four long-form creations that intertwine composition and improvisation as well as acoustic/electric foundation and effect-drenched accompaniment. The resultant disc, Sycamore, is borne from last year's recording sessions, which were diced and reassembled into resonant, ambient creations.
The efforts of McCombs, best known for his bass and guitar duties in Tortoise, play a beautiful and spectral foil to Daniell, whose multiple talents are as obvious as those of his partner. Sycamore is built on this interplay, which also receives dynamic percussive contributions from esteemed guests Frank Rosaly, John Herndon, and Steven Hess, ranging from distant pings to untamed freak-outs.
Pissed Jeans: King of Jeans
Gritty punk fury, driving riffs, guitar squeals, and mish-mashed time signatures again define Pissed Jeans on this, the band's third full-length album. A bit more focused than the 2007 Hope for Men album, King of Jeans recalls the raw, atonal vocals of David Yow and the rhythmic punishment of the rest of The Jesus Lizard.
Pissed Jeans: "Dream Smotherer"
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The Waitiki 7: Adventures in Paradise
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Hawaii's statehood, the Waitiki 7 balances a thematic tribute to Martin Denny and musical stars of yore with piano-driven Latin sounds, modern jazz, lounge, and film motifs. Adventures in Paradise, as the name suggests, could double as the soundtrack for a cheery private-dick mystery flick, calling upon exotic vocal calls, flute, horns, and vibraphone to create just the right mood.
The Waitiki 7: "Manila" (sample)
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