Doomtree: No Kings (Doomtree)

Doomtree: "The Grand Experiment"

Moving from a high-school clique to a crew and record label was a natural transition for the Minneapolis-based Doomtree collective. Over just a few years, the unlikely “family” unit went from trading beats at Hopkins High to producing albums, organizing tours, and throwing the annual Doomtree Blowout, all with a small but mighty lineup.

The label’s foundation was built on the wings of impassioned, down-to-earth MCs P.O.S and Sims, hybrid rapper/songstress Dessa, multifaceted instrumentalist Paper Tiger, and nostalgic storyteller Cecil Otter, but the seven-member collective soon demonstrated its cohesiveness as a group. No Kings is Doomtree’s third studio album, and though it maintains a playful demeanor, it’s the most diverse and mature of the three.

From track to track, the different flavors and personalities of each member come through in their own ways. "Bolt Cutter," the album's second single, features four MCs (including both rhymes and vocal melodies by Dessa) and a spate of production values, shifting from a minimalist tom beat and bass line to electro-hop synths to piano and acoustic-guitar melodies — before it all layers together and adds a deep electronic groove. But no matter its style, the production is on point.

No Kings also celebrates the start of Doomtree’s second decade together. More importantly, it maintains the balance that makes such a large collaboration work, both as a group and as a business.

- Text by Portia Medina and Scott Morrow.

Calexico: Road Atlas 1998–2011 limited-edition vinyl box set and Selections from Road Atlas 1998–2011 CD (Quarterstick)

Calexico: "Griptape"

In their 15 years as a band, Calexico’s Joey Burns and John Convertino have built their music around being on the road. It’s as evident in their thematic lyrics as it is in their sound — which, though it’s been described as Southwestern or “desert noir,” really can’t be pinned to one region. The two have drawn musical influences from around the globe because that’s exactly where they’ve been.

With Road Atlas, Calexico compiles eight of its off-the-map recordings from the past 13 years, including live sets and self-released tour albums. Selections from Road Atlas is its mini-edition, combining those live cuts, exclusively available tracks, and film-score vignettes.

Latin American influences exist throughout, especially in the musical snippets from the documentary Circo and several other tunes with Mariachi-tinged guitars. But there's also plenty of the band's balladry ("Griptape") to go with lap-steel guitar swells ("All the Pretty Horses"), Italian Western motifs ("Glowing Heart of the World"), and jazzy post-rock ("Cachaça").

In a sense, the band has mapped out the detours in its history, taking listeners to places where few have been.

- Text by Meaghann Korbel and Lauren Zens.

Dimlite: Grimm Reality (Now-Again / Stones Throw)

Dimlite: "New Better Pain"

Despite drawing some similarities to outside-the-box producers such as Flying Lotus, Daedelus, and Hudson Mohawke, Dimlite falls into an altogether different category of electronic producer. The man behind the beats, melodies, and overall strangeness is Swiss musician Dimitri Grimm, also known as Misel Quitno and one half of The Slapped Eyeballers, who has made a habit of producing indescribable (and sample-free) blends of hip hop, kraut rock, funk, and electronic pastiche.

Grimm Reality, Grimm's third full-length as Dimlite, combines some of the trademarks of his alter-egos, fusing some of the minimalist loops and worldly timbres to bass and beats. Whirring electronics, simple bass licks, and sputtering beats contrast with Soul Train funk and grooves, which then are paired with spiraling lasers or wonky rhythms behind psychedelic reverb. Though it sounds like a mess, most songs have a harmonious (if confusing) appeal.

Vocals emerge intermittently on nearly every track in the form of bizarre utterances, and in most instances, these cuts of laughter and speaking are distorted in pitch or tempo. Although the spacey electronics exist throughout the album’s entirety, traditional sounds appear on and off, including a piano, viola, and heavier use of bass guitar. What comes next from Mr. Grimm is anybody's guess.

- Text by Lauren Zens.

Honorable Mentions

Beaten by Them: People Start Listening EP

Boris: New Album (Sargent House)

Kate Bush: 50 Words for Snow (Anti-)

Coalesce: Give Them Rope 2xCD reissue (Relapse / No Sleep)

Chris Cornell: Songbook (Universal)

Pyramids / Horseback: A Throne Without a King (Hydra Head)

Coalesce: "The Comedian in Question"

Kansas City, Missouri-based hardcore band Coalesce has spent the last decade in flux, with shifting lineups, hiatuses, and sporadic shows prior to a full-blown reunion that spawned a new seven-inch, a full-length, and an EP.

But just because its output and appearances have been limited, the band isn't out of touch. The scene has simply changed, and lead vocalist Sean Ingram wanted to rediscover the magic of its early days. Now, he finds himself on the ground floor of yet another nascent, independent movement: hardcourt bike polo.

Punk Living Through Non-Musical Means, or This Bike is a Weapon
by Sean Ingram of Coalesce

There was a point a few years ago that I was completely depressed by the world I had created around myself with electronics and new media. A fellow I knew had offed himself, and it was great sport to come up with the best pun skewering his illness in the comments. A band from Japan wrecked on the highway here in the States, seriously fucking some of them up, and the response was, "Van frip, Paypar prease," in a mocking and fairly racist manner. For whatever reason, this kind of assholery was getting to me, and I made a pact with myself that I would turn everything off, and do my best to disassociate myself from cynicism. A major task, I know. But there is only so much one can take of faceless assholes telling them what is and isn't cool. So it was done. I was out.

Without all of this extra noise, it was easier to focus on tasks at hand. Planting an orchard, building some old-school hemp rope-swings, not knowing what someone's done for the last week before catching up with them in person for a beer. Little things were more enjoyable. As my attitude started to ease up, and I started to take more time to enjoy the little things, I noticed some guys on some bikes with big hammers, knocking the shit out of a little ball. I spent the day by the sideline checking these guys out. It was like hockey, but on these Mad Max-looking bikes. But these guys clearly weren't jocks. These were guys that probably heard "Skate or die, fag!" yelled at them a million times in high school, just like me. So I gave it a shot.

I took an old bike and did it up like how I saw them do theirs. I put a bunch of MAD DECENT stickers on it, since that's all I had access to, and some sweet wheel covers I made out of sign material. I showed up wicked nervous, expecting everyone to be an ass, and then probably throw the bike away when I got home, or forget about it until the next garage sale, maybe.  But something happened. I had a blast. And I don't mean a blast like you have a blast as an adult. I had a blast like a kid does. The kind of blast you get when you went wicked high on a swing, or rode a grown-up roller coaster for the first time as a kid. It was kinda life-changing, actually.

So there I was, completely hooked on this sport called Hardcourt Bike Polo. And after a few months, I started to notice that this thing I was involved with was almost identical to the early punk days of Coalesce. Almost like being a part of this thing was proof that some of us are just predisposed to punk or DIY things, even when we aren't conscious of it or even looking for it. I have to be honest; I missed it. I think that the music scene we're involved in has just simply evolved. Shit is so easy now; it's like it's on autopilot, and it's easy to get numb. But also some things have been robbed of us, like staying at a fan's house is totally out of the question now, due to the amount of theft that runs rampant on band equipment — things like that. But in this Hardcourt world, shit is just starting, so it's got that same early taste and smell, and I want to share it with you.

Art: Just like a record cover or the back of their jacket, a player's wheel covers are their artistic statement — whether that's hometown pride, some icon or logo they came up for themselves, or even another band's art. I've seen everything from Black Flag to Converge covers. It's awesome to go to a tournament and browse the bikes just like you'd browse a distro table. Each one is hand-done and put together with love. It's an art show, and it rules.

Regional style: Just like Orange County to NYC in music, each region has its own unique style. You can tell where some people are from, just by their style. Just like in punk. I remember we could tell the difference between NJ kids and NYC kids by how they played their instruments. It's not any different in Hardcourt, and it's a total trip to see the styles mishmash and clash at tournaments. In fact, the first tournament I went to was in Lexington, and I could have sworn I was at the Detroit Fest, circa '97.

Tournaments are like early fests: From the way the venues are total shit and the way the food is set up for meat eaters and vegans, to the way that players all stay packed on the floors of other players' apartments. A good tournament is almost no different from a good early DIY festival; the band is just in the boom box. The closest current fest I can equate it to is the fest that happens in Gainesville, Florida. However, the fest in Florida is way more organized than any tournament I've been to. But they are both sponsored by PBR, so there's that.  Also, there's a very low spectator-to-player ratio — JUST like a good fest in the '90s.

There are Hipsters. A Hipster, in my opinion, is just a new term for a Poser. Every scene will have them, and when something new comes along, they are the first to go. The majority of people in this thing don't give a shit about their appearence outside of good face protection and no missing teeth. But there are still those people with sweet bikes who stand by the side and look the part but don't venture in. It's like the kids I've witnessed buying a Converge shirt while the band is playing and then bailing back into their mom's minivan. Never understood that.

There are pseudo famous people that are kinda crazy. We had Ray Cappo in hardcore, and Hardcourt has people just as nuts. The first that comes to mind is Rawbie Boards. A toothless Canadian that is rumored to be an ex-con, Boards has an entertaining polo show on Vimeo that graciously hands out "Dick of the Week" awards.

People tour: Touring to all the qualifying tournaments is no different than touring to play a gig. Only difference is, there is no money in Hardcourt, so it's still pure. It's also all word of mouth, basically, on one central site. Really similar to Maximum Rock 'n' Roll having tour dates in its magazine.

There are fucking straight-edge people everywhere. This one blew me away. I've had problems with straight-edge gangs in the past, but the new breed of SxE kid that I'm coming across is pretty positive and exciting to be around. I hung out with a 30-something guy with huge Xs tattooed on his hands and a bigger-than-life "animal liberation" tattoo on his neck. Normally when I see shit like that, I'll peace out, because I know what's coming next, and I don't need that shit. But this guy was amazing. He was volunteering his coaching skills to his protégé, a girl named Tina who was absolutely killing it. I found myself trying to get within earshot of him just so I could pick up his tips — just like kids do with Jes [Steineger] (Coalesce guitarist) when he's flipping out on his guitar.

There are merch tables. Small indie companies making gear for bike polo sell stuff on a merch table in the back. I happen to have founded a little imprint called Fixcraft that sponsors some events. I sit behind that table, just like I have countless hours at Coalesce shows. It rules.

So that's it. Not only was I a part of the hardcore scene in the '90s (and today, haters), I'm now a part of the Hardcourt scene of the what, aughts or teens? Regardless, the same magic is there. The same elements for awesome are up for grabs, if you can let go of your cynicism and get on a bike with a hammer and have the fucking time of your life. That's not to say I don't still get depressed when my kids bring home a new Alternative Press magazine and I catch an article about how to do you hair, or someone forwards me a video of Victory Records' latest signing. But still, fuck your Facebook and Twitter for a month, and find something awesome. Reset yourself to zero, and don't be afraid to find something new with no preconceptions from your asshole "friends" online.

Reference links:
http://leagueofbikepolo.com/
http://321polo.net/
http://www.fixcraft.net/

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.

In July, Kansas City math-groove merchants Coalesce completed an impeccable decade-long comeback. Known for combining big, killer riffs with punishing beats, vocal brutality, and tricky time signatures, the recently reunited band released its best creation, OX, while adding bits of acoustic melancholy, heavy blues, harmonized vocals, and Italian Western to its sound.

OXEP is the album's addendum, a series of seven tracks that further incorporates some of these new elements.

A simple, driving rhythm fuels "Ox to Ore" and "Ore to Earth," a two-part intro/outro that is split at the front and rear of the disc. "Joyless in Life" and "Absent in Death" are Western-driven concoctions, "To My Ruin" provides another dose of potent vocal harmonies, and "Through Sparrows I Rest" — in addition to being one of the band's best songs yet — features the shrill scream of vocalist Sean Ingram's young daughter.

If you own OX, this is a must-have accompaniment.

Omar Rodriguez Lopez: Xenophanes (Rodriguez Lopez Productions)

The creative output of Omar Rodriguez Lopez boggles minds, but more stunning than his half-dozen albums per year is his ability to make each stand out from one another. The musical mastermind now has released five solo albums this year, and though a few were laid to tape in 2006, that tally doesn't count releases with The Mars Volta or El Grupo Nuevo de Omar Rodriguez Lopez.

Xenophanes is another journey through Omar's progressive soundscape, this time leaning on the scurrying piano lines of Marcel Rodriguez Lopez and Mark Aanderud. Most notably, however, Omar takes full control of the vocals, singing entirely in Spanish and showcasing an ability that has been underutilized in his vast catalog.

Ultimately, Xenophanes is a highly accessible record that doesn't skimp on raw musicianship. Fans who were looking for more from The Mars Volta's Octahedron should check this out.

(MF) Doom: Unexpected Guests (Gold Dust)

Inimitable rapper/producer Doom (who has dropped the long-adjacent "MF") has a bevy of collaborations to his credit. Now, thankfully, many of his favorite guest spots and behind-the-boards efforts have been collected on one disc.

It may not seem possible for an album of guest work to resemble a greatest-hits album, but Unexpected Guests comes awfully close. Plenty of hip-hop heavy hitters play host throughout the disc, including J Dilla, Talib Kweli, Vast Aire, and much of the Wu-Tang Clan (GZA, Ghostface, Inspectah Deck, and Masta Killa).

The album even includes some previously unreleased cuts. Pick this up.

Honorable mentions:

DJ Rupture & Matt Shadetek: Solar Life Raft (The Agriculture)
Krallice: Dimensional Bleedthrough (Profound Lore)

Secret Chiefs 3

Having covered Indian, Persian, surf, metal, spaghetti Western, and electronic music — and so much more — Trey Spruance's unparalleled Secret Chiefs 3 has now set its sights on the Italian giallo horror/erotica genre of the 1960s and '70s.

Translating to The Severed Right Hands of the Last Men, this album encapsulates 30 brief, often abstract film cues that sonically invoke images of bloodcurdling terror — as well as moments of passive tranquility — inspired in part from the works of Bruna Nicolai, Ennio Morricone, Goblin, and other noted giallo composers.

It also represents the first release from Traditionalists, a subset of the SC3 umbrella that finds inspiration in fanciful cinematic scores.  It's impossible to know whether the next release will be the long-awaited Book of Souls or rather a full-length affair from another subgroup, but regardless, it's sure to cover uncharted (or neglected) territory.

Secret Chiefs 3: Le Mani Destre Recise Degli Ultimi Uomini preview
Secret Chiefs 3: Le Mani preview

Coalesce: OX (Relapse)

After 10 years, multiple reunions, and talk of resurfacing as a new entity, the hardcore maelstrom that is Coalesce has returned with a new full-length disc.

Following an outstanding two-song seven-inch in late 2007, OX finds the four-piece demolishing ear drums while treading new ground, edging into bits of acoustic melancholy, heavy blues, harmonized vocals, and spaghetti Western.

The softer moments aren't actually new; the Coalesce / Boy Sets Fire split included a thematic revamp of the Coalesce vibe, and There is Nothing New Under the Sun included a few true-to-form renditions of Led Zeppelin classics.  Here, however, the moments are interspersed or used as intros/interludes.

The upcoming OXEP, a seven-song addendum, branches out further, featuring vocalist Sean Ingram's preteen daughter screaming on a part of "Through Sparrows I Rest."  If that doesn't grab you and force your head to bang, OX surely will.

Coalesce: "Dead is Dead"
Coalesce: "Dead is Dead"

Busdriver: Jhelli Beam (Anti-)

Delivering his rhymes in a melodic, fast-talking, pinched-nose intonation, Regan Farquhar can be compared to few contemporaries.  And after a recent collaboration with jazz-rock group Kneebody, fans could have predicted another dose of indescribable idiosyncrasy on this, his newest full-length.

With beat/producing assistance from Daedelus and a host of others, Jhelli Beam winds through piano melodies, famous classical samples, synthesized dance grooves, and electronic hip hop.  And though the disc name drops everyone from Michael Richards to Idi Amin, Busdriver can be enjoyed without picking up one full sentence.

The Horse's Ha: Of the Cathmawr Yards (Hidden Agenda)

Layered over a mellow folk backdrop with country undertones, The Horse's Ha pairs the complementary vocals of James Elkington (The Zincs) with Janet Beveridge Bean (Freakwater).

The group also features the lofty talents of cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm (Vandermark 5), drummer Charles Rumback (Colorlist, Leaves), and bassist Nick Macri (Jeremy Enigk).  Though The Horse's Ha has been around since '02, this is its debut disc — a pretty, laidback affair that doesn't break any molds but will be enjoyed by those who dig the vocals.

The Horse's Ha: "The Piss Choir"
The Horse\'s Ha: \"The Piss Choir"

Stian Westerhus: Galore (The Last Record Co. / Rune Grammofon)

A presiding member of Jaga Jazzist, Monolithic, Puma, and a handful of other endeavors, Norwegian guitarist Stian Westerhus has expanded his scope and influence over the past decade in the Scandinavian Peninsula.

Limited to 500 copies, this vinyl-only release finds Westerhus partaking in noisy, effected meanderings. Experimental listeners and vinyl fanatics should be into this one.

Hackensaw Boys, Trampled By Turtles @ Schuba's (Chicago)

A pair of bona-fide bluegrass bands invade Chicago for a Thursday-night extravaganza.  Both groups mix rapid-fire riffs with aspects of Americana, engaging in multi-layered vocal harmonies.  The Hackensaw Boys in particular are known to include 5-6 vocalists at any given point.

Boston Celtics vs. Chicago Bulls, Game 3

ALARM founder/editor Chris Force, a native of the Boston area, will be torn between his original B-ball love and his adopted home.  As he proclaimed via text message during Game 1, "Dude.  This is some King Solomon shit."

Online editor Scott Morrow will be firmly in the Bulls' corner.  Music editor Jamie Ludwig will be listening to loud rock records somewhere.

Friday, April 24

Coalesce @ Reggie's Rock Club (Chicago)

Leveling listeners with unadulterated force, this Kansas hardcore quartet has gone 10 years between full-length albums.  The wait (and recent reunion) has been well worth it, however, as the band's upcoming album mixes the trademark Coalesce sonic assault with acoustic interludes, vocal harmonies, a blues riff or two, and a number of other new elements.

The album, titled Ox, will be out on June 9 via Relapse.  If attendees are lucky, the band will have some early copies in tow.

Saturday, April 25

Sole @ Abbey Pub (Chicago)

Known as a frequent collaborator with the Anticon crew, indie rapper Sole branched out in 2007 with two new releases — one as Mansbestfriend, an instrumental collection, and one as Sole & The Skyrider Band, a dub/rock-infused live setup with electronic musician and drummer SkyRider.

It's uncertain as to what the future holds for Sole, but in the meantime, he hits our town as part of a solo jaunt with Awol One and Ceschi Ramos for the Outsiders Tour.

Sunday, April 26

Old Town School jazz guitarists @ Old Town School of Folk Music (Chicago)

Uniting four guitarists who specialize in bop, Brazilian fusion, Gypsy jazz and more, this Lincoln Square venue hosts Paulinho Garcia, Tony do Rosario, Alfonso Ponticelli and Mike Allemana, all faculty members, for this special one-time performance.

Progressive metal band Yakuza will release its next album, the follow-up to Transmutations, on Profound Lore Records in October.

Genre-splicing specialists Orange Tulip Conspiracy have finalized the details of their nationwide May tour.  Find the dates here.

Alt-country band Rock Plaza Central has joined the roster of Paper Bag Records.  On June 16 in the US, Paper Bag will release the band's new album, …at the Moment of Our Most Needing or If Only They Could Turn Around, They Would Know They Weren't Alone.

Madlib and J. Rocc have announced a handful of European tour dates for May that can be seen here.

In support of upcoming album Set 'em Wild, Set 'em Free, experimental folk-rock group Akron/Family has announced May and June tour dates that will span the US East Coast, Europe, Japan, and Canada.  The band's new album will be out May 5.

Indie math rockers Tera Melos will begin a headlining tour around the US in late April.  You can still download the band's eight-minute cover EP here for free.

Mike Patton will play the vocal role of a Decepticon in this summer's Transformers sequel.  The singer extraordinaire has movie voiceover experience from I Am Legend and has worked on a number of videogames.

Man Man has posted a video for "Rabbit Habbits" that features some bona fide actors.

Dan Deacon: Bromst (Carpark, March 24)
This electro-spazz solo artist emphasizes live instrumentation for this anticipated follow-up to Spiderman of the Rings.  On Bromst, Deacon's sonic evolution is highlighted with lively marimba and glockenspiel melodies, live drums, and "real" singing.

Mastodon: Crack the Skye (Warner Bros., March 24)
Mastodon's publicity team has done a great job of building the buzz for Crack the Skye, an album whose themes deal with wormholes and astral travel.  Even if it turns out to be a disappointment, it likely will be better than 95% of all metal albums released this year.

Jerseyband: Beast Wedding (late March)
This incredible unsigned band is in the mixing stages of its new album, one that should further the band's "lungcore" style with mathy grooves, heavy horns, and metal breakdowns.

Staff Benda Bilili: Tres Tres Fort (Crammed Discs, April 7)
This group of paraplegic Congolese street musicians is releasing an album of inspiring material via Crammed Discs. The band's feel-good music will also be celebrated in a forthcoming documentary.

Karl Sanders: Saurian Exorcisms (The End, April 14)
The newest solo album of Nile linchpin Karl Sanders is another beautiful acoustic release of Arabic flavors mixed with Western structures.  Following Saurian Meditation from Relapse in 2004, this album will be released through The End Records.

Prefuse 73: Everything She Touched Turned Ampexian (Warp, April 14)
Guillermo Scott Herren's newest album as his glitchy alter-ego is meant to be a linear work — one that Herren describes as both straight ahead and obscure.

Mr. Lif: I Heard it Today (Bloodbot Tactical Enterprises, April 21)
Continuing a great few months for independent hip-hop releases, outspoken rapper Mr. Lif issues his newest full-length on his own, collecting songs meant to reflect on the recent political landscape and meant to inspire others.

Coalesce: Ox (Relapse, April or May)
Following the outstanding Salt and Passage 7″ from late 2007, this recently reunited pummeling hardcore group unveils a proper follow-up to 0:12 Revolution in Just Listening from 1999.  Taking the Salt and Passage release as a portent, the decade between albums should be worth the wait.

Isis: Wavering Radiant (Ipecac, May 5)
These purveyors of epic, accessible heaviness have gotten progressively more melodic. Whatever this new album sounds like, it should take another step forward while remaining heavy as hell.

The Bad Plus: For All I Care (Heads Up International)
With a penchant for reworked rock songs, this hard-hitting jazz trio issues a new album full of covers. Three of the disc's tunes are classical pieces; the rest are rock/pop and include vocals, a first for the group.

Powersolo: Bloodskinbones (Crunchy Frog)
A pair of oddball Danish brothers, dubbing themselves "the Railthin Brothers," create eclectic, off-the-wall rock creations as Powersolo. This full-length follows their recent X-mas single Beam Mig Op, Jesus.

Zu: Carboniferous (Ipecac)
This experimental Italian trio combines sludgy alt-metal with complex rhythms and free-jazz freakouts. If it's possible, Carboniferous presents the group's accessible side for one of the winter's better albums.

March

Kylesa: untitled (Prosthetic)
With a new disc for Prosthetic Records, Georgian stoner-metal squad Kylesa issues its first full-length since Time Will Fuse its Worth from 2006.

Dan Deacon: Bromst (Carpark)
Electro-spazz solo artist emphasizes live instrumentation for this anticipated follow-up.

Jerseyband: untitled (self-released)
It's a downright travesty that this East Coast septet is unsigned. Horns + math metal = 100% awesome.

Spring

Mastodon: Crack the Skye (Warner Bros.)
Even when Mastodon issues a dud, it's better than 95% of all metal albums. Here's hoping that it's a return to the form of Remission.

Summer

Mondo Cane: untitled (Ipecac)
Mike Patton's orchestral Italian pop covers. Enough said.

TBD

Coalesce: untitled (Relapse? Hydra Head?)
This previously defunct hardcore outfit doles out crushing grooves, mathy rhythms, and the trademark tracheal attack of vocalist Sean Ingram. Following the outstanding Salt and Passage 7" from late 2007, the group unveils a proper follow-up to 0:12 Revolution in Just Listening from 1999.

Coliseum: untitled (Relapse)
These Louisville hardcore/metal staples Coliseum continue life as a three-piece with their sophomore effort for Relapse.

Converge and Supermachiner: untitled (Epitaph / Deathwish Inc.)
This isn't a joint release, but they're worth mentioning together as Supermachiner is a semi-ambient side project from Converge vocalist Jacob Bannon and guitarist Kurt Ballou.

Crudo: untitled (Ipecac?)
Mike Patton and Dan the Automator, who were the heart of the Lovage album released in 2001, unite as Crudo for what should be one of the better hip-hop efforts of 2009.

Fantômas: untitled (Ipecac)
The brainchild of Mike Patton, Fantômas resurfaces after a four-year hiatus with another unpredictable release. The music could be anywhere between incongruous genre spasms and ambient dirges, but Rock-a-Rolla magazine says that it might be an electronic record.

Garage a Trois: untitled (Telarc)
Beautiful groove rock from vibraphonist/percussionist Mike Dillon, drummer Stanton Moore, saxophonist Skerik, and keyboardist Marco Benevento.

Isis: untitled (Ipecac)
These purveyors of epic, accessible heaviness have gotten progressively more melodic. Whatever this new album sounds like, it should take another step forward while remaining heavy as hell.

Medeski, Martin & Wood: Radiolarians 2 & 3 (Indirecto)
The famed jazz/jam trio continues its experiment of meeting for brief writing sessions, testing out that new material (and only the new material) on the road, recording the material, and then repeating the process.

Secret Chiefs 3: Book of Souls (Mimicry)
The long-awaited follow-up of Book of Horizons from this incomparable Indian/surf/metal ensemble. It has to happen this year…right?