Melvins: "The Water Glass"

Last year, sludge-rock band the Melvins released its 20th album (and third since linking up with Big Business members Jared Warren and Coady Willis). That album, entitled The Bride Screamed Murder, is emblematic of what the band has done its whole career: tweak its signature sound — part anthemic classic rock, part avant-garde heaviness — to present something entirely new yet quintessentially Melvins. That willingness to shake things up has been a major factor in the band's longevity.

After last year's release, the band undertook a tour in early 2011, playing a different album from its back catalog each night. As the saying goes, you get what you give, and in this case, the Melvins' 30-year history of experimentation has continually rewarded the band with new experiences. Dale Crover, drummer and founding member, recounts the band's some of the most memorable recent experiences below.

Endless Residency Tour
by Dale Crover

The Melvins did a residency every Friday night last January in Los Angeles. To make each show unique, we decided to play a different record from our ever-growing catalog of releases. It seemed to go over really well, and since we took the time to learn all these records, we decided to take it on the road. Here are some highlights from the "Endless Residency" tour.

Austin Texas: Austin shows are always great, except for the heat. It's 100 degrees out, and of course we're playing outside! The show goes well, but by the end, the "costume" that I'm  wearing feels like a soaking-wet sleeping bag. The next day we meet up with our friends from the band Honky to get lunch. Everyone I know that lives in Austin says that the BBQ downtown is average, and they know where the best is. We drive miles out of town to a place in Spicewood, Texas, called Opie's BBQ. We're greeted by a guy who opens a large trough with 10 different kinds of smoked meat. We let the Honky boys order for us, then sit down to stuff our faces. It was certainly worth the trip, and I highly recommend the spicy corn! After the feast, we stop by Willie Nelson's recording studio. Honky just recorded there. No Willie, but we  got the full tour, including seeing the tape vault with Red Headed Stranger master tapes! I was also highly impressed by the nine-hole golf course next door. Maybe we'll do our next record there!

Chicago: Last time we played the Double Door in Chicago, we were challenged to a Wiffle Ball home-run derby. We've been playing what we call "Hall Ball" for a few years now. The Double Door staff took notice and started their own version. Last year, we clearly won, but they wouldn't have it, so they cheated and claimed victory. Just like the 1919 Chicago Black Socks, who cheated in the World Series! I guess it runs in the family. These guys take their Wiffle Ball games seriously. Star Spangled Banner before the game, announcer/commentator — they even made Double Door Liquor uniforms this year! Unfortunately, we lost! We did end up talking them into letting Buzz [Osborne] pitch to them in the last inning. Fastball, inside: plunk! Fastball, inside: plunk! "Ooops, it got away from me!" We'll get you next year, ya bums!

Brooklyn, NY: Really? We're doing a photo shoot with Mick Rock? Wow! Iggy & the Stooges, Bowie, Queen and now Melvins! Wait a minute? This guy is a full-blown kook! We were warned that he will probably scream obscenities at us while shooting. Sure enough, "Buzz, you cunt, cunt, cunt! Suck it! Suck it! Suck it! Aaaaggghhhhh! Whew! I got off on it, I really did!" "You motherfucker, motherfucker, motherfucker!" Click, click, click. It was like a dirty version of an Austin Powers photo shoot. I was laughing my ass off the whole time! Our bassist, Jared [Warren] was visibly annoyed. "Your Hugh Grant charm isn't quite working for me." "Oh, please! Hugh Grant is a wanker!"  True, if he weren't who he was, we probably wouldn't have tolerated it. It would've been over in about two minutes. Also, we're not ones for embarrassing outdoor photo shoots. You can tell he comes from different times, obviously trying to get some kind of reaction, or whatever. I ended up really liking him. He told us that, at one time, David Bowie would do "anything, and I mean anything!!!!" People like Mick always have great stories.

Things seem to get weirder and weirder the longer we're a band, but fuck it! It beats the hell outta working at a pizza joint!

Chthonic: Takasago Army (Spinefarm)

Chthonic: "Takao"

Formed in Taipei in 1997, Chthonic (pronounced “thonic”) plays symphonic black metal rooted in traditional Taiwanese music and folklore. Known to incorporate traditional instruments such as the hena (a two-string bowed fiddle, also known as the erhu in China) and base its lyrics on the mythologies of Taiwan’s history, the band is one of Taiwan’s most outspoken symbols for national independence and thought.

Takasago Army is Chthonic's sixth full-length album and is a concept piece about aboriginal Taiwanese tribesmen who volunteered in the Imperial Japanese Army after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Musically, it splashes elements of black, thrash, power, and melodic death metal with the emotional cries of the erhu and Freddy Lim's piercing shrieks and guttural screams. The symphonic moments are strategically placed, showing themselves for dramatic effect and melodic accompaniment; the result is an alternately war-like and pensive atmosphere.

- Text by Michael Nolledo and Scott Morrow.

Big Business: Quadruple Single EP (Gold Metal)

Big Business: "Always Never Know When to Quit"

When we last heard from Big Business in 2009, the formerly drum-and-bass sludge-rock duo had become a three-piece and released an epic, theatrical, singalong opus in Mind the Drift. Now the group has expanded yet again, doubling from its original size to a quartet by adding second guitarist Scott Martin, and Quadruple Single is the band's first offering in this form.

These four tunes fall somewhere between Mind the Drift and its predecessors, possibly a reflection of getting acclimated to the new lineup. There's plenty of emphasis once more on Jared Warren's thunderous bass lines and howling vocals, but this time they're rounded out by wailing post-rock accents and by both harmonized and noisy guitar accompaniments.

The most chant-worthy tune, "Ice-Cold War," is immediately followed by the hard-hitting "California Square Dance," which is full of massive bass (both guitar and drums) and agile fills. "Guns" closes the EP with a dose of Big Business' tongue-in-cheek humor, as an overdubbed refrain repeatedly shouts, "Guns are better than everything else" in advance of the group's most guitar-driven breakdown.

Little Dragon: Ritual Union (Peacefrog)

Little Dragon: "Ritual Union"

It's tempting to say that there's something in water in Gothenburg, Sweden. It might be more accurate to say that are two distinct strains — one running dark and viscous (At the Gates, In Flames) and the other as sweet and colorful as Vitamin Water (Jens Lekman, El Perro del Mar). Feeding on a healthy diet of the latter and bolstering the city's mystique is Little Dragon, a dance-pop quartet that just released its third full-length, Ritual Union.

Fans of the band's last release, Machine Dreams in 2009, will find that Ritual Union handles its intoxicating blend of oddball percussion, melodious hooks, and carefree genre-surfing with more poise. Each of its tracks take time to morph from minimal to manic in a fashion not unlike Hot Chip's soulful, dance-floor-ready electronica.

Little Dragon's focal point, on stage and on record, is its vocalist, Yukimi Nagano. Her cooly unaffected R&B delivery is an excellent counterweight to the band's pronounced affection for bouncy, hypnotic synth. Rather than sounding dated or ironically nostalgic, Little Dragon's gauzy pop imagines an '80s where restraint wins out over indulgence, and analog and electronic are not so readily distinguishable.

- Text by Kyle Gilkeson.

Aram Bajakian’s Kef: s/t (Tzadik)

Aram Bajakian's Kef: "Raki"

Brooklyn guitarist Aram Bajakian is yet another in New York City's long line of masterful experimentalists, mixing rock, jazz, noise, and world music into an indecipherable avant-garde blend.

Though he performs with a host of accomplished musicians (including Lou Reed, Marc Ribot, Yusef Lateef, Steven Bernstein, and Billy Martin), Bajakian also leads a number of projects, and Kef reflects his Armenian heritage. A student of world music, Bajakian uses this string trio to expand on the tradition of kef, an Armenian dance style that adapts and electrifies various folk elements.

Here, the string trio — electric and acoustic guitars, acoustic bass, and violin — takes Eurasian folk melodies and runs them through an avant-rock and jazz filter. Between harmonious folk arrangements, the guitar and violin often pair for energetic runs, buoyed by the rich bass textures, and all three instruments offer a wellspring of timbres. After running the gamut for its first 10 tracks, the album then closes with two of its most beautiful tunes in "48 Hours" and "La Rota."

Honorable Mentions

The Blind Shake: Seriousness (Learning Curve)

Cerebral Ballzy: s/t (Williams Street)

Dex Romweber Duo: Is That You in the Blue? (Bloodshot)

Isis: Live V 07.23.06

Laddio Bolocko: The Life and Times of Laddio Bolocko reissue (No Quarter)

Machinedrum: Room(s) (Planet Mu)

Rival Sons: Pressure & Time (Earache)

"A prog-burner that's equal parts Deep Purple, Big Business, and King Crimson," Chronic Youth encourages. "Grab this now."

“On many levels," drummer/vocalist Adam Kriney says, "this album is a major work of catharsis for us, and we are proud to share it with the listener in hopes that it will propel them into the future or past or whenever/wherever they'd like to be. It’s a sweet ride, mama.  Hold on."

Experience the sky-bound music of La Otracina live. More US tour dates for October and European tour dates for November will be available soon.

07/28/10 – at Coco 66, Greenpoint/Brooklyn, NY with Telecult Powers & La Big Vic (Curated by Memory Burn!)
08/22/10 – at JR's Bar, Philadelphia, PA with Eidetic Seeing & Empty Shapes
08/27/10 – at Union Pool, Brooklyn, NY with Wizardry, Bezoar, & Naam
09/16/10 – at Union Pool, Brooklyn, NY with Mondo Drag & The Main Street Gospel

The band’s latest, The Bride Screamed Murder, features more of the weird, dirty grit and experimentation that has come to typify the 25-year-old outfit, but this time around, it comes with a marching chant, whistling, a cappela harmonies, and a take on The Who's "My Generation."

Singer / guitarist / resident weirdo Buzz Osborne recently answered a few queries about the band and the new album, which came out earlier this month on Ipecac.

How is this album different from your last one, Nude with Boots? What was the recording process like? After 25 years or so together, do things get any easier or is it even harder?

Different? Who knows. I like both records and think they are some of our best stuff ever. I know everyone always says that, but for once, I'm not telling a bullshit story. Well, maybe sort of a bullshit story.

Believe it or not, that’s kind of a hard question, and I wish you had asked me something different, but I don't always get what I want. It's not that it’s a bad question; it’s just a little difficult for me to answer.

Things were never easy in the songwriting or recording process, and I spend a large amount of time just thinking about what sort of stuff I want to do with the Melvins. We had a good time recording it, though, and we worked at a steady pace for most of the tracking and mixing.

How does having Jared and Coady (of Big Business) in the band change the Melvins' sound? Jared has said he really likes the way his bass sounds on this record. I notice that it is farther up in the mix than what I've noticed on past Melvins records. Was this a conscious decision?

Jared and Coady are good players, so that part is easy. We let the sound develop with them instead of trying to make them bend to our will. I tend to think that this makes the music better. Jared is happy with his bass sound on this one? Well, that's good to know.

As for us intentionally mixing his bass louder for this record…that would be a no. We mixed it how we thought best.

The material on The Bride Screamed Murder seems a bit more “friendly” than most other Melvins records. Do you agree with that? If so, are you hoping to maybe draw in people who wouldn't normally be interested in such a style of weird heavy-metal music?

I suppose it's more friendly sounding, but who knows? Imagine it on the iPod of a typical young music fan and compare it to what they normally listen to…and I think you might see it as nothing that will attract too many normies into our musical realm. I've always thought our stuff should sell tens of millions of records, and it was the general public who disagreed. So be it.

Remarkably, the Melvins' umpteenth album isn't quite like any of its predecessors. Of course, for a band that has made a lauded career out of new directions and tangents, this isn't a surprise.

But after nearly 30 years as a band, it's still a fantastic achievement — to maintain such a high level of quality and experimentation while retaining the idiosyncracies that define it.

On The Bride Screamed Murder, the Melvins' third with Big Business members Jared Warren and Coady Willis, down-tempo sludge riffs again are elbowed out by hard- and classic-rock riffs.

The tunes are as anthemic as ever, but this time they're infused with elements like the marching chant of "The Water Glass," the chants and whistles in "Pig House," the avant-garde, squealing outro of "Hospital Up," a twisted take on The Who's "My Generation," and the soothing a cappela harmonies of "P.G. x 3."

In being another new take on a beloved sound, The Bride Screamed Murder is quintessential Melvins.

Funki Porcini: On (Ninja Tune)

A staple of Ninja Tune's first decade, DJ/musician James Braddell has gone eight years since releasing something under his Funki Porcini moniker.

Now, after an eight-tune effort called Plod that was self-released in December, Porcini is back home with Ninja Tune for On.

Like much of his older material, On is built around down-tempo ambience, jazzy cuts, break beats, and an über-reverberated aesthetic. There are fleeting comparisons to Amon Tobin, but the tunes are much less structured around a "wall of samples" and more arranged like an electro-acoustic band rising and falling.

And though most of the instruments still sound sampled, On is said to have the most live instruments of any Porcini record, and it mixes the electronic sounds with splashes (live or otherwise) of accordion, harp, horn, upright bass, piano, and more. Found sounds make a contribution; clips of wind chimes and snow crunching below boots are just two such examples.

On is less "experimental" than Plod, and its song structures are more traditional. No matter one's preference, however, each album is a welcome return for a key piece of Ninja Tune's mid-'90s style.

Matt Ulery’s Loom: The Queen 10” (Whistler)

With a melodic MO and an array of influences, bassist Matt Ulery plays an important role in Chicago's jazz and improv scene, performing in Eastern Blok and the Grazyna Auguscik Group and penning his own compositions for solo material and for Loom.

Loom, a staple at Chicago's Whistler, places an importance on harmony and repetition, but its chops are not in short supply. Ulery's choice of instrumentation for the group captures a unique sound, one with violin and Wurlitzer electronic piano to go with sax, trumpet, upright bass, and drum kit.

The Queen, a 10-inch release of a new track and two remixes (by Demon and The Hood Internet), also features the cool vibraphone work of Katie Wiegman (Algernon).

The main tune has been a standout at Loom performances for a while, immediately grabbing listeners via a three-note groove that employs playful timing, and it should be a portent of greatness to come. The release comes in advance of Flora.Fauna.Fervor, the group's second full album, which is due later this year.

Honorable Mentions

Born Ruffians: Say It (Warp)

V/A: Footsteps in Africa Soundtrack: Nomadic Remix (KiahKeya Productions)

Land of Kush’s Egyptian Light Orchestra: Monogamy (Constellation)

Tift Merritt: See You On The Moon (Fantasy / Concord)

Big Business "The Drift" Music Video from Wesley Belak-Berger on Vimeo.

ALARM leaves no genre unloved in our round-up of 50 albums that didn't receive enough attention in 2009.

Omar Rodriguez Lopez: Old Money (Stones Throw, 1/27/09)

Omar Rodriguez Lopez: "Family War Funding"

The first of many releases in 2009 from prolific guitarist/composer Omar Rodriguez-Lopez. Accessible and centered on rock, sounding spacey, funky, progressive, psychedelic, a little jazzy, and a little Latin.

Kevin Hufnagel: Songs for the Disappeared (self-released, 2/3/09)

Kevin Hufnagel: "Tres"

Musical themes come and go, covering swaths of Spanish and Gypsy guitar before reverting back to haunting rock melodies, on this solo acoustic album from highly technical Dysrhythmia guitarist Kevin Hufnagel.

P.O.S: Never Better (Rhymesayers, 2/3/09)

P.O.S.: "Drumroll"

Likely the year's best hip-hop album, Never Better draws on Stefon Alexander’s background in punk and rock music (he plays most of the live instrumentation on the record), making this is an album that categorically defines the indie in indie rap.

Zu: Carboniferous (Ipecac, 2/17/09)

Zu: "Ostia"

Sludgy alt-metal with complex repeated rhythms and free-jazz freakouts. Features Mike Patton on two killer tracks.

The Andreas Kapsalis & Goran Ivanovic Guitar Duo: s/t (2/24/09)

The Andreas Kapsalis & Goran Ivanovic Guitar Duo: "Shadow Thief"

A Balkan-influenced classical guitarist joins an ethically inspired finger-tapping guitarist for a disc of skill and beauty.

16: Bridges to Burn (Relapse, 2/24/09)

16: "Throw in the Towel"

Dubbed the "Unsane of the West Coast" by ALARM's Jamie Ludwig, 16 issued another hard-hitting riff fest in 2009 with Bridges to Burn, the band's best album to date.

Umlaut: s/t (3/10/09)

Umlaut: "Kitty Puppy"

Mr. Bungle's Bär McKinnon, multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire, issued one hell of an album for this new project — one that filters meticulous melodies and asinine vocals through the lens of a whacked-out lounge group.

Jono El Grande: Neo Dada (Rune Grammofon, 3/16/09)

Jono El Grande: "Oslo Coty Suite"

Fanciful music that's different around every turn. Art rock that weaves through theatrical, progressive, classical, and absurdist styles with influences from Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart, King Crimson and Igor Stravinsky.

Kylesa: Static Tensions (Prosthetic, 3/17/09)

Kylesa: "Scapegoat"

Down-tuned dirge metal that rumbles with crust punk, sludge, metal, hardcore, and psychedelia, often laced with atmospheric samples. To date, Static Tensions is Kylesa's most powerful album.

(MF) Doom: Born Like This (Lex, 3/23/09)

Doom: "Cellz"

Dropping his “MF” prefix, the incomparable rapper and Marvel-inspired supervillain delivered another nearly impenetrable wall of rhymes and flow, dizzying listeners with his ever-shifting, slowly delivered lyrics.

Big Business

Following two albums of frenzied beats, thunderous bass, and epics howls, the punishing rhythm section known as Big Business has officially bestowed the title of third member to touring guitarist Toshi Kasai.

Between the addition of Kasai and the band's natural progression, the group's third album, Mind the Drift, is its "weirdest, most epic album yet" according to indefatigable drummer Coady Willis.  And that's a welcome direction, because even the best of artists grow tiresome when they become stagnant.

Kasai's presence is easily detected via prominent, quasi-clean guitar lines that undulate high above Willis and bassist Jared Warren's familiar murk and mire.  Bits of organ and bizarre vocal moments additionally separate Mind the Drift from its predecessors, and purposeful restraint is evident on nearly every track.

"The Drift" and "Ayes Have It" are semi-operatic singalongs that showcase Warren's vocals and will be instant favorites. Yet the rumbling distortions remain, comprising the backdrop for much of Big Business' newfound experimentation.  Mind the Drift may polarize fans, but it's far from leaving the trio as unrecognizable.

Andromeda Mega Express Orchestra: Take Off! (Alien Transistor)

Led by 25-year-old German composer Daniel Glatzel, the Andromeda Mega Express Orchestra is a 20-piece modern classical ensemble with its hands in film scores, jazz, and much more.  For reference, Glatzel cites videogames and elevator music as influences alongside Béla Bartók and Arnold Schoenberg.

Take Off! is a beautiful and dazzling creation, romping through playful orchestrations, big-band swing, foreboding soundtrack cues, sad string arrangements, and more.  Without prior knowledge, one might mistake it to be the work of someone forty years Glatzel's senior.

Music fans may recognize the ensemble's work with The Notwist for its live album and newest effort, The Devil, You & Me. Shortly enough, however, the industry should take notice of Glatzel and his masterful creations.

Jeremy Enigk: OK Bear (Lewis Hollow)

Scaling back a bit from the instrumental overdubs of albums past, former Sunny Day Real Estate frontman Jeremy Enigk mostly employs a minimalist rock lineup (plus piano) for his newest solo release.

Enigk's high-pitched vocal leads are instantly recognized, and they fit well with the soft, somber tunes of his personal catalog (even if they also fit the harder rock moments of Sunny Day Real Estate).

Fans waited a decade between his first solo release, the 1996 album Return of the Frog Queen, and 2006 album World Waits.  Enigk has since issued three albums in three years, and those who enjoy his work should have no qualms with this melodic singer/songwriter disc.

Supermachiner, the haunting, mostly instrumental side project from Converge members Jacob Bannon and Kurt Ballou, will soon have its complete 30-track, two-disc collection, Rust, available through Deathwish Inc. Listen to a few tracks here.

Big Business has announced the release of its new album, Mind the Drift, for April on Hydra Head. Listen to a new track, "Gold and Final," on the group's MySpace page.

Japanese post-rockers Mono have a new album, Hymn to the Immortal Wind, being released on March 24 on Temporary Residence. The album boasts guest contributions from a 28-member orchestra.

Seven Signs, the Southern culture documentary by J.D. Wilkes of Th' Legendary Shack Shakers, is now available on DVD.

Following the release of Old Money via Stones Throw on January 26, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez takes his group to Europe in March. Click here for a list of dates.

A new alt-metal super-group called Shrinebuilder is recording a debut album for Neurot Recordings, due this summer. The group consists of Wino (The Hidden Hand), Scott Kelly (Neurosis), Al Cisneros (Om, Sleep), and Dale Crover (Melvins) and will be in the studio with Toshi Kasai (Big Business).

Orange Tulip Conspiracy, the exceptional multi-genre new group led by Estradasphere guitarist Jason Schimmel, will play a full US tour in May. If you're involved in setting up shows, you can help Schimmel fill in dates — head here for details.

Grandaddy singer/songwriter Jason Lytle has a solo debut album, Yours Truly, being release on Anti- on May 19.

Finger-tapping indie-rock specialist Kaki King is playing a "solo guitar and no other bullshit tour" in California from January 21-31. Head here for the dates.

Post-rock/jam keyboardist Marco Benevento plays a weekly residency in February at Yoshi's in Oakland in the middle of a handful of other West Coast dates. During the stint, Benevento will be joined by special guests that include Scott Amendola, Billy Martin, Reed Mathis, Jeff Parker, and Skerik.

California math-rock trio Tera Melos has a new EP of cover songs available to download for free. Band member Nick Reinhart also has new band with drumming wiz Zach Hill, called Bygones, that has a debut album set for release in March on Sargent House.

Starting today, the new Cattle Decapitation album, The Harvest Floor, is streaming in its entirety on buzzgrinder.com. The stream will run through January 19.

Thrash/punk four-piece Trash Talk has announced a handful of shows that span Japan, California, and Georgia (the state). The shows include performances with Fucked Up, Pig Destroyer, Converge, Torche, Mastodon, and Neurosis.

Hardcore tough guys Hatebreed have posted a cover of Sepultura's "Refuse/Resist" on their MySpace page. The cover is included in the soundtrack to Punisher: War Zone.