Cave In: Planets of Old 12” (Hydra Head, 7/7/09)
Cave In: "Retina Sees Rewind"
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
The lengthy and quizzical journey of Cave In continued in 2009, as the former metal-core darlings released their heaviest effort since the late 1990s. A throttling thrash-punk assault, Planets of Old is an excellent combo of big riffs, beheamoth bass grooves, garage rock, searing screams, and Stephen Brodsky's crooning.
Giant Squid: The Ichthyologist (Translation Loss, 7/18/09)
Giant Squid: "Blue Linckia"
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
The progressive, doom-rock tendencies of Giant Squid took another epic turn this year with The Ichthyologist, an originally self-released album whose noted guest musicians buoyed its creations.
Pine Hill Haints: To Win or To Lose (K, 7/7/09)
Pine Hill Haints: "Not So Lucky and the Invisible Kid"
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Self-described as playing "Alabama ghost music," the Pine Hill Haints released another disc of ballad-driven country rock and folk this year. No matter the classification, To Win or To Lose is an introspective winner.
Bill Frisell: Disfarmer (Nonesuch, 7/21/09)
Bill Frisell: "Focus"
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Full of instrumental country, lap-steel blues, and twangy Americana, guitarist Bill Frisell’s beautiful pieces are pared here with interpretations of legendary artists such as Hank Williams Sr. and Arthur Crudup.
Sax Ruins: Yawiquo (Ipecac, 7/21/09)
Sax Ruins: "Korromda Peimm"
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Tornadic drummer Tatsuya Yoshida has been the rhythmic foundation of Ruins, a heavy Japanese bass/drums duo that here becomes a skronky combo with saxophonist Ono Ryoko helping to reimagine Ruins tunes.
John Zorn: O’O (Tzadik, 7/28/09)
John Zorn: "The Zapata Rail"
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Covering Tropicália and other exotic styles, Zorn's sequel to The Dreamers is another gorgeous album that leans on an all-star cast.
John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble: Eternal Interlude (Sunnyside, 8/17/09)
John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble: "Foreign One"
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
An enlivened jazz percussionist and classical and worldly composer, John Hollenbeck reunited his shape-shifting big-band ensemble to create another engaging, spectacular hybrid.
Bygones: by- (Sargent House, 8/25/09)
Bygones: "Click on That (Smash the Plastic Death)"
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
A spastic/melodic guitar/drums dichotomy, this duo consists of drumming whiz Zach Hill (of Hella) and tech-ish guitarist Nick Reinhart (of indie mathists Tera Melos). The album's complex catchy-ness is well augmented by intermittent vocal utterances and backing harmonies.
Tyondai Braxton: Central Market (Warp, 9/14/09)
Tyondai Braxton: "Platinum Rows"
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
With Central Market, multi-instrumentalist loop guru Tyondai Braxton of Battles issued an astonishing sophomore solo full-length, a striking combination of neoclassical composition and filtered electronics, rubbery low-end grooves, and electric guitar.
Alarm Will Sound: A/Rhythmia (Nonesuch, 9/15/09)
Alarm Will Sound: "Jitterbug Mécanique"
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
This 20-member chamber ensemble tackled six centuries worth of compositional excellence and challenging rhythmic overlaps on A/Rhythmia, featuring works of György Ligeti, Benedict Mason, Harrison Birtwistle — and even Autechre and Mochipet.
