For us, 2011 was another year of taking in as much as we could and sharing the best with you. Next year, however, will be a homecoming of sorts, a return to rock-'n'-roll roots. We'll soon be able to share the projects that we have in store — across multiple mediums — but for now, dig into this rock-focused list of must-own albums.

And for more, revisit (or simply visit) our lists from 2010 and 2009:

100 Unheralded Albums from 2010
50 Unheralded Albums from 2009

Steven Drozd: The Heart Is A Drum Machine (The Score) (Twinkle Cash Co., 1/18/11)

Steven Drozd: "Born"

A multi-instrumentalist and the third-most-tenured member of The Flaming Lips, Steven Drozd marked his first official solo release early this year with the nearly instrumental accompaniment to the documentary The Heart is a Drum Machine.

The music shares a lot of characteristics with the Flaming Lips of the past dozen years – synthesized grooves, big rock beats, fuzz bass, airy keyboards, and different instrumental flourishes weaving in and out. But listeners are unlikely to confuse the two, and the score succeeds as a standalone album as well as a film accompaniment.

…And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead: Tao of the Dead (Richter Scale Records / Superball Music, 2/8/11)

…And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead: "Weight of the Sun"

There has been no shortage of grand themes and allegories in the canon of Austin post-punk quintet …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead. The band’s newest album, however, better matches its ambitious themes with its music, presenting an epic pair of pieces for Tao of the Dead.

The album recalls progressive albums of yore, from the likes of Rush and King Crimson, but channels them into easily digested movements. Stretches of heavy distortion and drum thrashing will appeal to the more metal-minded Trail of Dead fans, but there’s also plenty of hook-laden, radio-ready alternative rock.

Wires Under Tension: Light Science (Western Vinyl, 2/8/11)

Wires Under Tension: "Electricity Turns Them On"

Light Science is the exciting debut from Wires Under Tension, a duo comprised of violinist/multi-instrumentalist Christopher Tignor and drummer Theo Metz. With help from a few friends, including Jared Bell of Lymbyc Systym, the two combine live performance with electronic manipulation, sounding something like a progressive Dirty Three with horns, hip-hop beats, and post-rock guitar swells.

This seven-track release is a dense, fluid collection that retains consistency thanks to Metz’s steady rhythms. Electro-mechanical piano, clavinet, and synthesizers mesh with loops and samples to round out an impressive first release.

Pitom: Blasphemy and Other Serious Crimes (Tzadik, 2/22/11)

Pitom: "Head in the Ground"

Combining heavy, fuzzy rock jams with Jewish melodies, Pitom is one of many projects from guitarist, bassist, and composer Yoshie Fruchter. Blasphemy and Other Serious Crimes, the quartet's second release on Tzadik, follows the same path as its predecessor, but it does so with a bit more cohesion and restraint.

Built from the ground up with distorted bass and violin, the band's music carries similarities to that of Skeletonbreath and Miasma & The Carousel of Headless Horses. Whether driving a song with an infectious melody, commingling with the violin in the high end, or simply taking over a track with raw ability, Fruchter knows when to go full throttle (the punk power of "An Epic Encounter") or pull back (the dark slow jam of "A Resentful Repentance").

The Psychic Paramount: II (No Quarter, 2/22/11)

The Psychic Paramount: "RW"

Though relatively silent for the past six years, New York noise-rock trio The Psychic Paramount returned in February to release its first full-length since 2005. Effected guitar loops, devastating low-end grooves, and bashing rhythms again form the core of the band's sound, but II is a direct yet dynamic rock explosion.

Between the guitar, the cymbals, and the effects, the mid-range gets a constant workout. Those who are turned off by this kind of music may find it to be an exercise in patience, but the lengthier durations are a testament to the trio's skills at climax and denouement.

DeVotchKa: 100 Lovers (Anti-, 3/1/11)

DeVotchKa: "100 Other Lovers"

Following the fame from its Oscar-winning soundtrack for Little Miss Sunshine in 2006, Denver multi-instrumental quartet DeVotchKa has playfully tinkered with its sweeping, emotive sound. Though it already tossed together elements of folk, rock, Mexican, and Gypsy music, it remained united by the sullen croons and songwriting of frontman Nick Urata.

That unifying factor remains, but its newest album, 100 Lovers – its second post-Sunshine full-length – continues to expand the band’s scope. The material adds new and often subtle flavors to DeVotchKa’s repertoire. Uninitiated listeners might hear more of the same, but 100 Lovers is perfect for content fans – moving in new directions without a radical departure.

Stateless: Matilda (Ninja Tune, 3/1/11)

Stateless: "Ariel"

Matilda, Stateless' second full-length, showcases the British electro-rock group's continued maturity. Lead singer Chris James hits an impressive range of notes, from reverb-cloaked backing croons to soulful leads, atop an amalgamated mix of styles, sounds, and beats.

With contributions from The Balanescu Quartet, DJ Shadow, and Shara Worden (of My Brightest Diamond), Matilda is stylistically inventive, with familiar worldly touchstones reworked into new contexts.

Grails: Deep Politics (Temporary Residence, 3/8/11)

Grails: "I Led Three Lives"

With cinematic soundscapes, Westernized Indian melodies, film-noir mystique, 1960s psychedelia, and crushing heaviness, Grails is an instrumental rarity. The Portland band's newest offering, Deep Politics, is an engaging and epic mix of acoustic intonations, indigenous sounds and melodies, spaghetti-western motifs, somber piano balladry, and more doom-filled, Eastern-infused stylistic transcendence.

And thanks in part to arrangements by Timba Harris, the mighty violinist from unparalleled genre annihilators Estradasphere and Secret Chiefs 3, Deep Politics vies to be Grails’ best album yet.

Parts & Labor: Constant Future (Jagjaguwar, 3/8/11)

Parts & Labor: "Constant Future"

After establishing itself early last decade as an interesting new name in noise rock, Parts & Labor delivered a flurry of releases over the span of just a few years. Since then, the band has scaled back to a trio built around the fuzzed guitar, bass, keyboard hooks, and tight rock rhythms.

Featuring some of the band's sturdiest songs yet, Constant Future is direct, potent, and catchy. Behind Dan Friel and BJ Warshaw's echoing, harmonized vocals are dirty, thick grooves that power the overlaid electronic freak-outs.

Adebisi Shank: This is the Second Album from a Band Called Adebisi Shank (Sargent House, 3/15/11)

Adebisi Shank: "Micro Machines"

Released to European acclaim in 2010, the aptly titled second album from Irish electro/math rockers Adebisi Shank achieved North American release this year thanks to the peerless Sargent House.

The management company / record label describes the trio as a blend of Fang Island’s shredding riffs with Battles’ electronic quirkiness and rhythmic playfulness. That description isn’t off the mark, but readers won’t get a sense of the band’s real abilities until they hear its hyper-melodic, polyrhythmic, and — most importantly — jubilant songs in full.

Second Album delivers a maelstrom of zany electronics, unusual distortions, and triumphant, rapidly ascending scales mixed with vintage synths, marimba, horns, and other accoutrements. This is all packaged between and around gloriously catchy and powerful rock riffs, resulting in a manic and buoyant sophomore effort.

DJ Shadow: The Less You Know, the Better (Verve / Universal)

DJ Shadow: "Warning Call" (f. Tom Vek)

It has been five years since the release of The Outsider, DJ Shadow's divisive and eclectic take on the "hyphy" (hyperactive) electro-rap sub-genre. Though it was as far-reaching and hard to define as anything that he'd done, the album also alienated plenty of fans with its mainstream production values and radio-friendly guest vocals.

Now, after a lengthy layoff, Shadow is back with The Less You Know, the Better, an album that will better resonate with his original fan base. The club sounds that caused the consternation are gone, which should allow listeners to appreciate the producer's breadth without distractions.

The diversity is on display from the album's first handful of tracks. "Border Crossing" mixes sampled rock riffs with skittering beats; "Stay the Course" is a funky hip-hop track with guest MCs Talib Kweli and Posdnuos; "I've Been Trying" layers vocal samples over acoustic guitar, gooey electronics, marching snare, lap-steel guitar, and flute. Not far behind are the rock-hop hybrid "Warning Call," featuring Tom Vek (in shades of the new Boom Bip album), and "Sad and Lonely," a melancholy piano and violin ballad that also makes compelling use of sampled vocals. And there are still touches of Shadow's sense of humor, notably the opening sample: "I'm back. I forgot my drum!"

Like all albums that need time to be digested, The Less You Know, the Better may prove to be better received down the road than it is right off the bat. But as a notable return to form, it should be a grower for many.

Feist: Metals (Cherrytree / Interscope / Universal)

Feist: "How Come You Never Go There"

Following the avalanche of praise for The Reminder in 2007, Leslie Feist stepped away from her solo material a bit, instead spending time on guest appearances, collaborations, and gigs with Broken Social Scene. After four years, however, the Canadian songstress has completed her long-awaited follow-up, and Metals doesn't disappoint.

Each track, though led by Feist's gentle crooning, takes its own path and bears the stamp of the album's varied co-producers, including Chilly Gonzales, Mocky, and Valgeir Sigurðsson. Choirs of youthful voices complement a heightened symphonic atmosphere, likely courtesy of Sigurðsson, and slivers of other styles are further blended into the singer-songwriter's canon.

A touch of old soul supplements the lead single, "How Come You Never Go There," and blues guitar makes a key appearance on "Anti-Pioneer." Unconventional sax master Colin Stetson drops a whirling bridge on "A Commotion," an orch-pop song that makes contrasting use of choral harmonies and dudes yelling the refrain.

In all, Metals delivers a slightly wider glimpse of Feist's abilities. Whether it can live up to the hype of its predecessor is yet to be determined.

Dessa: Castor, The Twin (Doomtree)

Dessa: "The Beekeeper"

The only female member of Minneapolis hip-hop collective Doomtree, Dessa is a spoken-word vocalist, singer, and MC whose anticipated full-length debut, A Badly Broken Code, was released early in 2010. Since that time, the album has generated underground and above-ground buzz alike, praising Dessa's vocal diversity and storytelling abilities.

Castor, The Twin is a reflection of the live adaptation, described as "part rap show and part cabaret," that developed following the debut's release. With the exception of an advance single ("The Beekeeper") from Dessa's next album, Castor features new, fully live renditions of her older material. Built around upright bass and strings, electric guitar, piano, vibraphone, and a drum kit, the updated arrangements are organic and rich.

The re-recorded songs have a much stronger chamber-pop sensibility than anything else, but a jazz flavoring touches many tracks, including the standout "Dixon's Girl" from A Badly Broken Code. Whether or not you're familiar with Dessa's material, Castor, The Twin is worth checking out as an exciting reflection of her future.

Talkdemonic: Ruins (Glacial Pace)

Talkdemonic: "Revival"

Honorable Mentions

Absu: Abzu (Candlelight)

AIDS Wolf: Ma Vie Banale Avant-Garde double LP (Lovepump United)

The Browning: Burn This World (Earache)

Dreamers of the Ghetto: Enemy/Lover (Temporary Residence)

The Drift: Blue Hour (Temporary Residence)

Exitmusic: From Silence EP (Secretly Canadian)

Loney Dear: Hall Music (Polyvinyl)

Man or Astro-Man?: Your Weight on the Moon reissue (Overground / Plastic Head / Candlelight)

Myka 9: Mykology (SoundVise Records)

The Pine Hill Haints: Welcome to the Midnight Opry (K)

Siskiyou: Keep Away the Dead (Constellation)

Colin Stetson: Those Who Did Not Run EP (Constellation)

Tarana: After the Disquet EP (self-released)

Zola Jesus: Conatus (Sacred Bones)

Mister Heavenly: Out of Love (Sub Pop, 8/16/11)

Mister Heavenly: "Bronx Sniper"

Supergroups are usually a crapshoot. Sometimes they blossom into something outstanding (e.g., Wolf Parade), and other times they fall flat on their face (e.g., Audioslave). With so many ideas and creative juices flowing — as well as taking caution to not step on any toes of the other bands — collaborating can sometimes lead to strained and tolling music. So it’s with much caution that I began listening to Mister Heavenly, which features indie rockers Nick Thorburn (Islands, The Unicorns, Human Highway), Ryan Kattner (Man Man), and Joe Plummer (Modest Mouse, The Shins). But unlike so many side projects, which can serve as pedestals for glorified B-sides or a hodgepodge of directions that don’t always click, Mister Heavenly plays to its strengths, resulting in a fantastic album and listening experience.

After the first few tracks of Mister Heavenly’s debut, Out of Love, it becomes apparent that a collaboration of this caliber just makes sense. In fact, the songs fit so well together that it seems ridiculous that these three have never teamed up before. Thorburn has made a name for himself by being a part of quirky musical projects; Kattner has gained much attention for his band’s eccentric tendencies; and Plummer, as the drummer of Modest Mouse, has helped craft some of his band's best songs with erratic beats and percussive versatility.

Moreover, Mister Heavenly finds all three members not only playing to their individual strengths but playing to each other’s strengths as well. Thorburn lends his whimsical talents to the more dynamic Man Man-esque songs, and Kattner dabbles in the tropicalia-infused, hook-laden, Islands-esque songs. While each member’s musical approach is different, enough ground is given so that each song can fuse its disparate bits and pieces. For example, “Reggae Pie” features a mishmash of instruments and distinct Islands, Man Man, and Modest Mouse elements. It's Thorburn’s and Kattner’s complementary vocals that keep it all tied together. (It gets to the point where a song feels empty if they aren't switching off singing duties on a regular basis — though most songs do.)

One song in the album’s latter half, “Doom Wop,” perhaps defines the band’s sound better than a thousand words can. Though the song itself is only a little over a minute and a half long, the title captures the splendor, absurdity, and uniqueness of which Mister Heavenly is capable. The idea is largely what Out of Love has come to sound like: Kattner singing doo-wop and pop tropicalia (see “Pineapple Girl”), and Thorburn singing disturbing, off-kilter rock-outs (see “Harm You”). The two indie veterans have essentially swapped roles — and genres, for that matter — on this project. But it all works. Mister Heavenly has built a cohesive unit of indie-pop magic — one part dark, one part lighthearted. It would be a shame if this enthralling concoction of genres and musical idiosyncrasies stops at just one album. With these three making music together, the possibilities feel endless.

Mister Heavenly: Out of Love (Sub Pop)

Mister Heavenly: "Bronx Sniper"

In music, unlike the NBA, it’s perfectly acceptable for a hometown hero to enlist his buddies for a maddeningly dominant triumvirate. Formed in 2010 with far less pageantry than the would-be "big three" of the Miami Heat, Mister Heavenly comprises Nick Thorburn (Islands, The Unicorns), Ryan Kattner (Man Man), and Joe Plummer (Modest Mouse, The Shins).

The first 25 seconds of the trio’s debut album, Out of Love, feints left with a strummed guitar and brittle vocals — territory where Thorburn has made his name — and then cracks wide open with pure rock-'n'-roll swagger. With the two songwriters, Thorburn and Kattner, carrying on an exchange of verses and riffs, one expects a certain amount of fragmentation. Instead, the dual vocalists complement each other in surprising ways — a result likely due to the rather unlikely influence of doo-wop.

An ear for nostalgia and a strict set of ground rules keeps Out of Love from developing a split personality. Of course, it’s not doo-wop; it’s “doom-wop,” according to the band. Thorburn can sing a mean hook, and sticky melodies seem to come effortlessly, but it’s Kattner (known for his guttural vocals and manic, face-painted antics) and Plummer (a versatile drummer) who bring the edge and keep things unpredictable.

- Text by Kyle Gilkeson.

NewVillager: s/t (IAMSOUND)

NewVillager: "Lighthouse"

As a captivating yet mystifying merger of music, art, and performance, NewVillager is an otherworldly project revolving around an elaborate mythology and still-unfolding allegories, denoting three colors — red, green, and blue — as past, present, and future, respectively, while offering black and white as catabolic and anabolic forces.

With these as background, the project’s principals — Ben Bromley and Ross Simonini — use a large cast of contributors to depict different aspects of its creation myth via songs, videos, and installation art. One such video, for the song “Lighthouse,” features ornately costumed crimson- and sapphire-hued characters and draws inspiration from Papua New Guinean tribal aesthetics.

On the group’s debut album, each song focuses on one of the ten aspects of its mythology’s transformations. With rich, multi-layered results, the music intertwines reverberated indie-rock guitars with skittering hi-hat beats, synth grooves, and Beck-style falsettos with baritone weirdness and sing-along refrains.

- Text by Katie Fanuko. Read the full story in Chromatic, available September 20.

All Pigs Must Die: God is War (Southern Lord)

All Pigs Must Die: "Pulverization"

As another new addition to the ever-growing sub-genre of metallic hardcore, All Pigs Must Die carries a set of credentials that most upstarts do not, counting vocalist Kevin Baker (The Hope Conspiracy), drummer Ben Koller (Converge), and guitarist Adam Wentworth and bassist Matt Woods (Bloodhorse) as veteran members.

God is War is the group's full-length debut, and following a five-track EP last year, it spreads the band's assailing sound over more than 30 minutes worth of material. Citing influences that range from the Cro-Mags and Discharge to Entombed and Celtic Frost — and recorded, naturally, by Kurt Ballou of Converge — All Pigs Must Die follows a path that's well tread but still powerful.

Contemporaries such as Trap Them (and much of the Deathwish Inc. roster) draw close comparisons, but God is War delivers an intensity that is matched by few, bringing more speed to the traditionally doomy Southern Lord roster.

MoHa!: Meiningslaust Oppgulp (Rune Grammofon)

MoHa!: "Brikjande Glime"

Mixing composition and improv in a sort of "free electro-rock" style, Norway's MoHa! has been one of the country's finest avant exports since the mid-2000s.

Just a duo, the two-piece overcomes its size limitations with a barrage of sounds, triggering effects from its drums and cymbals while running electronics alongside guitar and other noise. MoHa!'s live performance is quite the spectacle as well, as quickly flashing lights inundate the audience in synchronicity with the noise-rock insanity.

The duo has three full-length offerings through Rune Grammofon, but it also has an assortment of seven-inches and other hard-to-find releases. Thankfully, that small-run material is now released as this singles collection. The music is every bit as frantic and zany as one would expect — but without the visual accompaniment, you're not doing yourself justice. Pick this up and then head to YouTube.

Gojogo: 28,000 Days (Porto Franco)

Gojogo: "Firebird"

The third full-length from Bay Area classical-jazz quartet Gojogo is a compelling hybrid that blends electronic sampling with strings, upright bass, and Indian percussion. Each member brings a different background to the table, and in the case of percussionist Elias Reitz, who plays dholki and ghatam, learning how to communicate musically with Western-trained musicians was a difficulty in itself. The cross-pollination came with rich rewards, however, as 28,000 days (76 years, or the average lifespan) is masterfully unpredictable and textured.

The album begins with the string-based “Tale of Tales,” which, with its dramatic peaks, valleys, and multiple movements, would be at home in a cinematic setting. Indeed, Gojogo has worked on both film scores and dance performances in its 10-year career, but as the second half of the lead track indicates, the band has no hesitation in plugging in and getting loud.

The deep, plucked bass and the familiar clack of hand-struck drums drive the album through its various moods, creating a consistent backbone for conversational electric guitar and violin. Elements of drone and post-rock are present as well, lending an intensity and hard edge to a laid-back, melodic tour of genres and eras.

- Text by Kyle Gilkeson.

Honorable Mentions

Appetite: Scattered Smothered Covered (Crossbill)

Awol One & Nathaniel Motte: The Child Star (Fake Four)

Braid: Closer to Closed EP (Polyvinyl)

Jeff Bridges: s/t (Blue Note)

Case Studies: The World is Just a Shape to Fill the Night (Sacred Bones)

The Cool Kids: When Fish Ride Bicycles (CAKE  / Green Label Sound)

Matthew Friedberger: Cut it Out LP (Thrill Jockey)

GDFX: One Thing (Impose)

Gold Leaves: The Ornament (Hardly Art)

A Lull: Confetti Reprise EP (Mush)

Sølyst: s/t (Bureau B)

The War on Drugs: Slave Ambient (Secretly Canadian)

Yellow Ostrich: The Mistress (Barsuk)

As usual, ALARM leaves no genre unexplored in our list of this year's overlooked gems.

Sigh: Scenes from Hell (The End, 1/19/10)

Sigh: "The Summer Funeral"

With a history of fusing other revered genres to a doomy combination of black metal and thrash, Japan's Sigh used its eighth studio album to deliver symphonic, epic metal that calls upon classical instrumentation to top its rock foundation.

Brass, woodwind, and string instruments — as well as organ and piano — accent as well as lead sinister melodies that take surprising turns through fanciful themes. Raspy, menacing vocals coat each track, resulting in a dramatic presentation that isn't much at odds with its complex backdrop.

RJD2: The Colossus (RJ’s Electrical Connections, 1/19/10)

RJD2: "Games You Can Win"

Following a divisive album that saw the introduction of poppy, soulful vocals, producer RJD2 returned with something of a split release — an album that leaves no shortage of accessible, vocal-driven tunes but that emphasizes some inventive instrumentals.  Whether or not you dig the soulful RJ, there's no doubt that the music on The Colossus is some of his best to date.

Chicago Underground Duo: Boca Negra (Thrill Jockey, 1/26/10)

Chicago Underground Duo: "Spy on the Floor"

For 15 years, the Chicago Underground Duo (and Trio, Quartet, and Orchestra) has been an avant-garde jazz outlet for prolific Chicago musicians Rob Mazurek (Exploding Star Orchestra, Isotope 217) and Chad Taylor.  Boca Negra is an interesting dichotomy, as spiraling vociferation leads to upbeat grooves, shifting piano chords, harmonic electronics, and ambient samples.

Algernon: Ghost Surveillance (Cuneiform, 1/26/10)

Algernon: "Broken Lady"

The brainchild of guitarist Dave Miller, Algernon walks a thin line between melodically driven post-rock and instrumental unconventionality.  Ghost Surveillance places greater emphasis on synthesizers and sprawling song structures, but at its core is the combination of accessibility and technicality that has defined Miller's style. Noisy, circular rock riffs transform to tranquil, wandering passages. "Timekiller," the album's fourth track, is a beautiful, buoyant number — and one of the band's best creations to date.

Bei Bei & Shawn Lee: Into the Wind (Ubiquity, 1/26/10)

Bei Bei & Shawn Lee: "East"

In the hands of a marvel, the guzheng — a gorgeous Chinese zither — resonates with tactile beauty as its many strings are plucked with precision.

Bei Bei, a native of Chengdu, China, is one such musical technician. And this collaboration with Shawn Lee, a prolific producer who can man as many genres as he sees fit, is undoubtedly one of the year's finest albums.  Together, the two use Into the Wind to navigate through funky down-tempo jams, Kung-Fu flavor, hip hop, soul, and driving grooves.

Daníel Bjarnason: Processions (Bedroom Community, 2/1/10)

Daníel Bjarnason: "Bow to String I: Sorrow Conquers Happiness"

Best known as a conductor and arranger for indie groups such as Sigur Rós, composer Daníel Bjarnason also holds a lofty classical résumé. Processions, his proper debut, is, at many points, a challenging classical work.  Powerful cellos scale and race with crackling percussions before settling into gently bowed and pizzicato string accompaniments; easily half a dozen strings battle for dominance in a sorrowful, harmonic piece that resonates long after hearing it.  Undoubtedly, Processions is a daring and original debut.

Shining: Blackjazz (Indie Recordings / Distribution, 2/2/10)

Shining: "Fisheye"

Beginning as an experimental acoustic jazz ensemble, Norway's Shining — the brainchild of saxophonist Jørgen Munkeby — transformed to a progressive jazz-fusion outfit before delving into its darker side for a collaboration with black-metallists Enslaved.

Blackjazz pushes deeper into the band's dark recesses, forging a progressive industrial sound for the young century.  Big, complex rock riffs, twisted through gnarly distortion, form the foundation and support a mass of frantic, whirring synth lines and gut-wrenching black-metal screams.  In all, Blackjazz is a new epic — and perhaps the best metal album of 2010.

Pillars and Tongues: Lay of Pilgrim Park, LP + download (Endless Nest, 2/9/10)

Pillars and Tongues: "The Center of"

With just three members, Pillars and Tongues manages to craft powerful folk abstractions and interwoven, trance-inducing vocal dynamics. Both composed and improvisational, these shifting forms evoke spiritual vibes in their soulful essence, heavenly harmonies, and repeated patterns.

Dessa: A Badly Broken Code (Doomtree, 2/9/10)

Dessa: "Dixon's Girl"

The only female member of Minneapolis hip-hop collective Doomtree, Dessa is a spoken-word vocalist, singer, and MC whose awaited full-length was finally released earlier this year.

On A Badly Broken Code, her true solo debut, Dessa's vocal diversity is matched by its underlying music, ranging from hard-hitting beats and rhymes to lilting harmonic overdubs.

The Bastard Noise / The Endless Blockade: The Red List (20 Buck Spin, 2/16/10)

The Bastard Noise: "Mutant World of Shame / Underworld"

A spinoff of treasured "power-violence" hardcore group Man is the Bastard, The Bastard Noise is approaching its 20th anniversary of creating noisy electro-doom brutality.  For this split release with hardcore/punk experimentalists The Endless Blockade, the group utilizes the trademark drum-and-bass style of Man is the Bastard in combination with its far-out sounds.  The Endless Blockade contributes three tracks to the release — one 14-minute epic and two avant-garde remixes.

Freeway & Jake One: The Stimulus Package (Rhymesayers, 2/16/10)

Freeway & Jake One: "Know What I Mean"

Continuing his life after Roc-A-Fella Records, former freestyle star Freeway now makes his debut on Rhymesayers, a fitting new home — if only temporary before a move to Cash Money.  Fellow Rhymesayers standout Jake One provides a funky, malleable backdrop for Freeway's fiery delivery and lyrics that are alternately personal and light in content. And though Freeway deserves his accolades, Jake One's production is the MVP of this collaboration.

Carolina Chocolate Drops: Genuine Negro Jig (Nonesuch, 2/16/10)

Carolina Chocolate Drops: "Hit 'Em Up Style" (Blu Cantrell)

Beholden to the traditions of Americana and early African-American folk, the string trio Carolina Chocolate Drops continues blurring the lines of old and new. On Genuine Negro Jig, the group's fifth album, a few original numbers and a trove of traditionals take root in banjo, fiddle, and percussion. Three-part harmonies shimmer on the famous folk tune "Trouble in Your Mind," and simplicity shines on gripping renditions of "Why Don't You Do Right?" by Kansas Joe McCoy and "Trampled Rose" by Tom Waits.  Most surprisingly, Genuine Negro Jig includes an enjoyable rendition of "Hit 'Em Up Style," an unintentionally farcical pop hit by Blu Cantrell.

Mako Sica: Dual Horizon LP (La Société Expéditionnaire, 2/16/10)

Mako Sica: "I'Itoi"

A translation of the phrase "land bad," Mako Sica has more than a nominal Native American influence; the trio's distant vocal reverberations and dirge-inspired tunes recall the spirituality of America's original inhabitants.

Between the vocalizations of Brent Fuscaldo, the melodies of guitarist Przemyslaw Krys Drazek, and the rhythms of drummer Michael J. Kendrick, Mako Sica maintains a strong balance of abilities — with a brooding combination of jangly guitars, reverberated vociferation, and instrumental dynamics.

High on Fire: Snakes for the Divine (E1 Music, 2/23/10)

High on Fire: "Snakes for the Divine"

Stoner-metal trio High on Fire has built a devoted following over the past dozen years as fans fell in love with Matt Pike's gruff vocals and thunderous guitar riffs. On Snakes for the Divine, Pike uses his throat to channel Lemmy Kilmister; meanwhile, the band has picked up its pace and crafted an album that isn’t as outstretched. Hard-hitting riffery leads an effort that, though diverse at times, may be the band’s most driving release.

Jaga Jazzist: One-Armed Bandit (Ninja Tune, 2/23/10)

Jaga Jazzist: "One-Armed Bandit"

Five years have passed since we've heard the powerhouse melodies of Norway's Jaga Jazzist, the post-rock/"nü-jazz" conception of brothers Lars and Martin Horntveth.

One-Armed Bandit, immediately the group's best album, resembles symphonic prog rock, arguably a few steps removed from parts of Frank Zappa's expansive catalog and closer to countryman Jono El Grande's diverse and theatrical style.  This album, however, is much more cohesive than either of those comparisons suggest, and at times it is nearly overwhelming with grooves and harmonious refrains.

Rob Swift: The Architect (Ipecac, 2/23/10)

Rob Swift: "The Architect"

Turntablist/DJ Robert Aguilar, formerly of the X-ecutioners, has long utilized his love of jazz, R&B, and other musical movements to create compelling hip-hop instrumentals while displaying his tight beat-juggling skills.

The Architect is Swift’s foray into the classical world. In addition to a multitude of sampled styles and sounds, classical cuts comprise a substantial chunk of this Ipecac debut. Rearranged strings, organ, and horns often make the foundation of a given track, occasionally evoking high-tension Italian Westerns, as Swift’s scratches dance atop banging beats.

Rotting Christ: Aealo (Season of Mist, 2/23/10)

Rotting Christ: "Aealo"

For more than 20 years, Athens' Rotting Christ has traversed different directions on the metal path.  With its previous release, Theogonia, the group released a striking, original album that fused its dark sound to the ethnic sounds of its ancestors.

Like its predecessor, Aealo features female Benedictine chants, lingual pipes, and a medieval feel. Combined with dueling high-pitched harmonies and powerful guitar work, these new elements highlight an album that should be among the most original metal releases of the year.

Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté: Ali and Toumani (Nonesuch, 2/23/10)

Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté: "Ruby"

As two of Africa's most internationally renowned musicians, guitar legend Ali Farka Touré and kora phenom Toumani Diabaté have displayed impeccable abilities while integrating the styles of other cultures into their ethnic sounds.

Each Malian, the two collaborated for the acclaimed In the Heart of the Moon in 2005, shortly before Farka Touré's passing in 2006. Fortunately, the two set aside time to record new material before touring for In the Heart of the Moon, and the result is another beautiful set of duets that sees a posthumous release.

Throughout Ali and Toumani, Farka Touré roots each creation in melodious African-blues pieces. Diabaté's virtuosity accents each track in the form of fanciful scales, which at times evoke classical harpsichord passages, perhaps most notably on "Sabu Yerkoy."

Fang Island: s/t (Sargent House, 2/23/10)

Fang Island: "Sideswiper"

Mostly comprised of ex-Daughters, the good-time rock quintet Fang Island was one of the most quickly ascending bands of 2010, jumping onto tours with The Flaming Lips and Stone Temple Pilots following the release of its first full-length album.

The self-titled release is chock full of palm-muted and speed-infused indie-prog anthems, with über-layered vocal harmonies to go with a triple-thick guitar assault and distorted-bass bludgeoning.  It's one of those rare releases that feels absolutely radiant and thrashing at the same time.

B. Dolan: Fallen House, Sunken City (Strange Famous, 3/2/10)

B. Dolan: "The Reptilian Agenda"

Going way back with Sage Francis, rapper B. Dolan is a like-minded MC and slam poet whose style isn't terribly dissimilar to that of his long-time friend. Fallen House, Sunken City is Dolan's second full-length for Strange Famous, and it's full of the sociopolitical themes (if often in quick blasts or asides) and contentious delivery for which he's known.

In addition to some seemingly personal lyrics, Dolan takes passing shots at big business, taxation, the pharmaceutical industry, the concept of ownership of natural resources, the Israeli razing of Palestinian developments, and, among many other things, the so-called New World Order — dropping clips of Dick Cheney and George H.W. Bush in "The Reptilian Agenda."  On top of Dolan's socially conscious rhymes, A-list production by Alias makes this one of the year's top hip-hop releases.

Archie Bronson Outfit: Coconut (Domino, 3/2/10)

Archie Bronson Outfit: "Shark's Tooth"
Archie Bronson Outfit: "Shark's Tooth"

With its warbled vocals and driving percussion, British psych-rock trio Archie Bronson Outfit is like a more adventurous Wolf Parade — as comfortable burning up the dance floor with clean, bouncy riffs as it is turning up the reverb and rocking in a garage.

Coconut is the band's first LP in nearly four years, and it kicks off with a crunchy, swirling guitar line and a hypnotic bongo-laden beat. Produced by DFA's Tim Goldsworthy, Coconut gets spaced-out and drone-like at times, but it always offers a hint of pop accessibility amidst the static and haze.

Sporting two locations, (Fabulous!) Jackpot Records has served Portland's independent music community for 13 years as both a new/used CD, LP, and DVD retailer and a record label that reissues lost treasures.  We recently caught up with Burnside manager Patrick Dennehy to get some staff picks and see what has been trending.

Rhys holds Kurt Vile: Constant Hitmaker

Justin holds Cold Waves and Minimal Electronics Vol. 1 (various artists)

Jake holds Absolute Belter (various artists)

Britt holds Emeralds: Does It Look Like I'm Here?

Patrick holds Sadat X: Wild Cowboys II

Aaron holds Health: Disco2

What are some of your recent favorite albums? Your least favorite / most overrated?

Concerning newer things, Lisbon by The Walkmen, Beach House’s Teen Dream, The Lone Star Lowlands compilation, Sound of Wonder compilation, and Underwater People’s Winter Review. I pretty much stick with doo wop at home, so I’m glad that I work in a record store.  My least favorite remains Indian Reservation by Paul Revere and The Raiders. It has no current rival.

Which albums has your store sold the most over the past month?

It’s been a pretty good time for hazy, summery pop stuff — Beach House, Best Coast. The Big Boi album has done real well. I guess that things that start with B sell well for us.

How was the record label formed (2004) and what do you release?

The label saw the light when we realized that we had the ability to do so. Getting exciting records onto people’s turntables that were resigned to relative obscurity due to scarcity or increasing collector’s prices is the general idea. We started with re-issuing the 1970 LP by professional wrestler / Viking enthusiast Beauregarde, which is a mix of psych and soul that’s not turning up on a Lawrence Kasdan soundtrack anytime soon. From there it was The Wipers, Jandek, MIJ the yodeling astrologer, and anything else that we feel is criminally under-circulated.

What makes your store unique?

How we enjoy listening to music is how we enjoy selling it. The effortlessly catchy sits comfortably next to the relatively un-listenable here. The only obligation in regards to what we carry is that it be something that someone might enjoy and that it be music.

Our walls aren’t lined with posters for sale of Bob Marley kicking a soccer ball with a doobie in his mouth. We have no spinning rack of edible magnets or whatever. That allows us to stay focused on music, which is a constant pursuit of freshness. That also applies to our stores’ presentation, promotions, and in-stores. We have zero interest in being a curio trapped in amber.

How do you maintain an independent music store with corporate and digital competitors?

I don’t know what benefit worrying about what CDs Refrigerator Land is carrying would be, and I certainly don’t spend my nights in the basement trying to un-invent the Internet. By maintaining an inviting, informative, and tactile environment while making sure that our stock is interesting, reasonably priced, and ever-changing, we’ve had no problems unlocking the door every day. I think people with an album under their arm will always enjoy the vibration of wandering among other people with an album under theirs.

How do you support independent musicians?

A good amount of what we stock new comes from musicians that I’m sure would be considered independent. As for actual independent musicians, musicians with no backing or support whatsoever from a label other than the one they started in their bedroom and named after their dog, we do try to carry LPs and CDs by up-and-coming or going-nowhere acts that we think are good and would like to get into people’s hands. We also do in-stores with bands when we come across something exciting.

Do you promote zines or visual art?

We certainly promote those sorts of things but stop short of offering them for sale. Portland has good shops that specialize in both, and I think that we would be slightly out of our element trying to maintain relevance in those worlds.

What's the worst album that you've had to special order?

Nothing shockingly awful comes to mind. I do have a Tenacious D CD that’s been on hold for about three years. They may have had second thoughts.

What is the music community like in Portland?

There’s certainly no shortage of people being musical here. If you like your music bearded and stool-sat or Johnny Thunder-ed and lying in its own vomit, you’re in luck most nights, somewhere, between 10 and 2. People here seem to be supportive of your right to be amazing or absolutely awful. There’s little pressure to be the next big thing because no one knows what that is and everyone seems to think that they’re it.

Have you noticed any recent trends in the Portland music scene?

The music scene here seems to be diversifying itself. It doesn’t seem to be exclusively young men in decaying T-shirts playing a budget version of Modest Mouse. We have Blood Beach, who do a gritty throwback thing that effectively puts to use mandolin and theremin. There’s the Dungeon Brothers, who do a druid/psych strain of hip hop. I abhor novelty for novelty’s sake, and bands seem to be finding a way to be unusual and legitimate simultaneously.

Hans Zimmer: Inception soundtrack (Warner Bros.)

As you likely know from dozens of trailers, Inception is the latest film from Christopher Nolan, best known for directing the new Batman movies but beloved for his mind-twisting thrillers Memento and The Prestige.

Ranking 72nd on the Telegraph’s list of 100 living geniuses, German composer Hans Zimmer is a Grammy-winning soundtrack maven. And though blockbuster scores often all blend together with the same soaring, emotive motifs, Zimmer’s talents are unique, and his material for Inception stands out amid the typical Hollywood fare.

The music here is dramatic and eerie — as one would expect for a dream-based, mind-bending movie — but its range is more dynamic, making use of Zimmer’s penchant for electronics.

Tracks such as “Mombasa” (heard below), percussive and built around synthesizers, sound modern but also inspired by classic scores from the ’70s and ’80s. Ominous strings and synths swell in the background, but the pounding foreground keeps the focus with PVC-ish banging and a pulsing rhythm.

To coincide with the film’s LA premiere and the score’s release, Zimmer is performing the music with guitarist Johnny Marr (The Smiths, Modest Mouse) and a 20-piece orchestra. If you can’t make it, stream the performance here.

Or if you’d like the studio version, stream the whole soundtrack here — and walk into the movie feeling like you’ve dreamt it already.

Hans Zimmer: “Mombasa”
Hans Zimmer: "Mombasa"

Gifts from Enola: s/t (The Mylene Sheath)

Coming just a year after its last full-length, the new self-titled release from Gifts from Enola is surprising in the maturation that it reflects over a short course of time.

From Fathoms, the band’s 2009 release, was an interesting blend of instrumental post-rock and shoe-gaze influences, with echo-delayed palm muting leading into swirling effects and aggressive, mid-tempo rock riffs. This latest full-length maintains those attributes, but it sounds like an entirely different band thanks to one key element: power.

Much of this might be due to the addition of of Jud Mason on drums, and his potent kit sounds are a major factor. But the band also succeeds here with newly down-tuned guitars, righteous atmospherics, and focus. Each tune has its own direction, and though the diversity of previous efforts was a perk, Gifts from Enola shines thanks to solidarity.

Gifts from Enola: “Lionized”

So Percussion & Matmos: Treasure State (Cantaloupe)

Experimental electronic duo Matmos is a noted contemporary practitioner of musique concrète, a cut-and-paste art form that channels existing sounds into new and surprising pieces. The duo differs from its forebears, however, by welcoming listeners into its world via techno beats and dance rhythms.

And despite delving into what seems like a juxtaposition to electronic music, Matmos uses Treasure State to team with So Percussion, a Brooklyn quartet that brings to life the works of contemporary composers like David Lang, Iannis Xenakis, and John Cage.

“Needles” uses an electrified cactus to pluck sharp notes that are simultaneously melodic and rhythmic. “Cross” most obviously bears Matmos’ stamp; it’s a wheezing, thumping piece, screeching a collage of noise and sound effects that tear up and re-purpose So Percussion’s instruments.

Other physical objects — ceramics and metal — are explored elsewhere, and acoustic instruments play a substantial role on a number of tracks. The pairing sounds natural, and it’s surprising that it didn’t happen sooner.

So Percussion & Matmos: “Treasure”
So Percussion & Matmos: \"Treasure\"

Calibro 35: Ritornano Quelli Di… (Nublu / Ghost)

Formed to recreate the funky and creepy Italian soundtracks of the 1970s, Milan’s Calibro 35 has evolved into something much more, creating original pieces that rival some of their inspirations in range and “jam kicking.”

To accomplish this feat on just the band’s second album, recording engineer Tommaso Colliva (Muse) again assembled a murderer’s row of funk players, banging out no-nonsense shit that also calls upon moodiness and off-the-wall effects. Wah pedals, organs, horns, and bass grooves lay the foundation, but lap steel, guitar fuzz, and a stray xylophone provide the decoration.

Now, having played at ethnically inspired New York club Nublu last year, Calibro 35 is getting some exposure in the USA, thanks to the venue’s record label of the same name. If they cross the Atlantic again soon, don’t miss ‘em.

Honorable Mentions

Angel Eyes: Midwestern (The Mylene Sheath)

Autechre: Move of Ten (Warp)

Canvas Solaris: Irradiance (Sensory)

Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse: Dark Night of the Soul (Lex / Capitol)

Devotionals: s/t (Alive)

Glenn Branca: Symphony No. 3 (Gloria) [reissue] (Atavistic)

Grasscut: 1 Inch / ½ Mile (Ninja Tune)

Mad Sin: Burn and Rise (People Like You)

Melvins / Isis split 12″ (Hydra Head)

Nox Aurea: Ascending in Triumph (Napalm)

Quantic Presenta Flowering Inferno: Dog with a Rope (Tru Thoughts)

School of Seven Bells: Disconnect from Desire (Vagrant)

Sun Kil Moon: Admiral Fell Promises (Caldo Verde)

Torche / Boris: Chapter Ahead Being Fake split 10″ (Hydra Head)

Zoroaster: Matador (E1)

Sage Francis

Sage Francis' new album features Brian Deck (Modest Mouse, Iron and Wine), Jim Becker and Tim Rutili (Califone), and songwriting by Jason Lytle (Grandaddy), Chris Walla (Death Cab for Cutie), Tim Fite, and members of Calexico, DeVotchKa, and Sparklehorse.

"We specifically sought out songwriters who had never worked with a rapper," Francis explains.

The record's title Li(f)e is a deliberate amalgamation of the words life and lie. As Francis says, "What about life is a lie? What we're told about God is a lie. What we're told about race, gender roles, beauty, war, food, drugs, sexuality, capitalism, history, the nature of humankind…a gang of lies. I feel it in my gut, I think it in my brain, I write it with my hands and I speak it with my mouth. That's what makes Li(f)e the general theme of this album."