Sailors with Wax Wings: s/t (Angel Oven)

Sailors with Wax Wings: "Yes, I Have a Thousand Tongues, and Nine and Ninety-Nine Lie"

Led by vocalist/producer R. Loren, Pyramids emerged in 2008 as a compelling new voice in atmospheric post-metal via its self-titled debut on Hydra Head.  A collaborative album with "shoegaze-metal" duo Nadja followed in 2009, and now R. Loren has debuted the first of two new solo projects — due in successive weeks — that each feature small armies of standout guests.

Sailors with Wax Wings is the first of the two, featuring members of Swans, Krallice, Nadja, and Current 93 as well as solo artists such as James Blackshaw and Marissa Nadler.  Though a few contributions seem larger than the rest — notably the guitar presence of Colin Marston (Krallice) and Aidan Baker (Nadja) — nearly all blend into the greater aesthetic.

When combined, the contributions create noisy, fuzzy post-rock/metal with cavernous drum hits and epic qualities, reflecting influence from bands such as Godspeed! You Black Emperor and Mono.  In addition to his "textures," Loren is responsible for droning, echoing vocals, most of which float in and out like another instrument.

The second new project, White Moth, has a few similar characteristics, but it's much more electronic and varies more from track to track, featuring a few digital-hardcore tracks, an improvised sax solo, and a guest rap.  Check back next week for more on that.

Marnie Stern: s/t (Kill Rock Stars)

Marnie Stern: "For Ash"

In 2007, Marnie Stern broke on the scene with a debut that marked her as one of rock's most shred-worthy female guitarists.  The album, In Advance of the Broken Arm, also drew in listeners with her quirky vocals and the wild beats of Hella drummer Zach Hill, who has recorded in Stern's band since.

Like In Advance of the Broken Arm and its successor (This Is It…), Marnie Stern is a dizzying mix of rapid-fire finger tapping, Stern's falsettos, and some of Hill's most straightforward (yet untamed) beats.

This junior release is a bit more direct, however, and a few more of the freewheeling high-string riffs are underpinned by single power chords.  This isn't a new dynamic, but it's emphasized more, and Stern doesn't follow those high notes with her vocals as often.

Frankly, the material on Marnie Stern could fit on any of her three releases, but each album has gotten a little closer to perfecting Stern's style.  This one is as good as any to be introduced to her.

Dark Dark Dark: Wild Go (Supply & Demand)

Dark Dark Dark: "Daydreaming"

The vocal- and piano-driven chamber folk of Dark Dark Dark deftly balances commanding harmonies and melancholy melodies. The sextet’s music is beautiful and potent, but each tune has the potential to break hearts. (Think of a musical place between the dense indie folk of Mirah and the haunting sounds of The Black Heart Procession.)

Wild Go, the band’s second full-length, is another stunner, expanding on the instrumentation and breadth of The Snow Magic, the group's debut LP.  Led by multi-instrumentalists/singers Nona Marie Invie and Marshall LaCount, Dark Dark Dark uses Wild Go to flesh out the direction of Bright Bright Bright, an EP that was released in March.

Invie's vocals are particularly powerful, but they couldn't achieve what they do without the group's backing vocals or its variety of sounds, including piano, upright bass, accordion, banjo, and guitar.  According to Invie, it's Dark Dark Dark's most personal and open material — but regardless, it's the band's best.

Shad: TSOL (Black Box / Decon)

Shad: "Yaa I Get It"

Born in Kenya of Rwandan parents, hip-hop artist Shadrach Kabango — better known as Shad — was raised in London, Ontario, where he has attained quite a deal of success on the Canadian charts.  (His second album, The Old Prince, was nominated for Juno Award and a Polaris Music Prize, and TSOL — originally released in May — got as high as 24th on the Canadian Albums Chart.)

TSOL, now available in the USA, is Shad's third full-length album.  His vocal style exudes a bit of a Kanye West vibe, but his delivery and rhyme scheme also are reminiscent of P.O.S — who put out one of the best hip-hop albums of 2009.

Many of Shad's rhymes are lighthearted and reference anything from Kindergarten Cop to lychee bubble tea, but occasionally he references serious topics such as the Rwandan genocide and Obama haters.  And though one of his tracks falls victim to "I'm a great rapper" syndrome — the single "Yaa I Get It" — it's also one of TSOL's hardest-hitting and best tracks.

Many songs lean heavily on soul samples — particularly the first non-intro track, "Rose Garden," Shad's remix of / take on the Lynn Anderson song of the same name.  Cuts of soulful strings and horns are all over TSOL, partnering with a few scratches, electronics, and solid if unspectacular beats for Shad's rap verses and some sung/synthesized vocal choruses.

TSOL has similarities with some of the better radio rappers of the USA — Common, Mos Def, Talib Kweli — but Shad goes toe to toe and delivers another album with some indie appeal.

Honorable Mentions

Clinic: Bubblegum (Domino)

Alain Johannes: Spark (Ipecac)

Mark McGuire: Living with Yourself (Editions Mego)

Mary Halvorson Quintet: Saturn Sings (Firehouse 12)

MiM0SA: Silver Lining (Muti Music)

Soars: s/t (La Société Expéditionnaire)

Tricky: Mixed Race (Domino)

Tom Zé: Estudando a Bossa (Luaka Bop)

The debut self-titled album is due for release on September 28, via Angel Oven Records, and the project has premiered the song "And Clash and Clash of Hoof and Heel"with accompanying video.

In the works since June of 2009, this Stephen Crane-inspired project was co-produced and mixed by Colin Marston, and mastered by seasoned guitarist / electro maestro James Plotkin (Khanate, Phantomsmasher, OLD).  The playfully batik-esque cover art was done by David Tibet of Current 93, while design/layout was charged by Faith Coloccia of Mamiffer.

The track list:

1.  “Soft Gardens Near The Sun, Keep Your Distant Beauty”
2. “There Came a Drooping Maid With Violets”
3. “If I Should Cast Off This Tattered Coat”
4. “And Clash and Clash of Hoof and Heel”
5. “Yes, I Have a Thousand Tongues, and Nine and Ninety-Nine Lie”
6. “God Fashioned the Ship of The World Carefully”
7. “There Was One Who Sought a New Road”
8. “Strange That I Should Have Grown So Suddenly Blind”

The artists:

R. Loren- vocals / textures
J. Leah- vocals
Ted Parsons (Swans, Jesu, Godflesh) – drums
Simon Scott (Slowdive) – electronics
Aidan Baker (Nadja) – guitar
Colin Marston (Krallice) – guitar
Vern Rumsey (Unwound) – bass
Prurient (Dominick Fernow of Hospital Productions, Cold Cave, etc.) – noise / electronics
James Blackshaw (Young God Records solo artist, Current 93) – piano
Hildur Gudnadottir (Touch Records) – cello
Aaron Stainthorpe (My Dying Bride) – vocals
Jonas Renkse (Katatonia) – vocals
Marissa Nadler (Kemado Records solo artist, appears on Xasthur’s latest record) – vocals
David Tibet (Current 93) – cover art
Faith Coloccia (Mamiffer) – design, layout, painting, collage

Recorded at Southern Studios, the Latitudes series reaffirms the bond between studio, label, and individual artists with the opportunity to record spontaneous, collaborative, or experimental work in the studio in a one-day session.  The result is truly unique, offering a more personal and relaxed experience from bands to their fans.

The packaging itself is complementary of this, distributed in limited runs primarily through small independent distributors, mail orders, web shops, and retailers.  The artwork for each cardboard CD case is personally embellished by the bands and framed within a template by cult musician/designer Stephen O’Malley (Sunn O)))).  In addition, an artisan sleeve motif is designed by each band with an insert bearing the details of the session, along with a photograph from the tour or session.

Gang Gang Dance’s Kamakura consists of one 15-minute track, recorded in August of 2007.  The group blends genres from indigenous to familiar Western forms, celebrating organic sound with non-verbal communications.

Sky Burial, by Nadja, is a 38-minute, two-track instrumental CD recorded in September of 2009.  Appealing to fans of Sunn O))) and Pyramids, the two lengthy tracks are crushing yet ethereal, in the habit of the group's usual doom-infused "dream sludge."

Distribution for both recordings is limited to 1,000 hand-numbered, rubber-stamped CDs and 1,000 vinyls.  Previous releases in the series, as well as upcoming recordings, can be found here.

In Tune is the second solo release by cellist Alison Chesley, a founding member of Verbow who has appeared as a guest on albums by Mono, Anthrax, Broken Social Scene, and others.

Like the first, self-titled Helen Money album, In Tune is a collection of minimalist, a-percussive creations that excel through overdubbed harmonies, dirty rock effects, and brooding melodies.

An absence of accompaniment leaves the focus on Chesley, who continues finding her voice as a solo artist. The songs on In Tune are darker, fuzzier, and well balanced. With the high-quality engineering of Steve Albini’s Electrical Audio, In Tune reflects an original rock cellist who is reinventing her musical career.

Honorable mentions:

Vladimir Horowitz: Complete Original Jacket Collection box set (Sony Classics)
Mi Ami: Cut Men 12" (Thrill Jockey)
Nadja: Belles Betes (Beta-Lactam Ring)
Trans Am: What Day is it Tonight? live 2xLP (Thrill Jockey)

Heavy Trash: Midnight Soul Serenade (Fat Possum)

As Jon Spencer and Matt Verta-Ray unleash their third disc of old-school roots rock and rockabilly as Heavy Trash, the duo collaborates with a bona fide cast of contributors to create some of its finest tunes on a disc that expands its repertoire.

Accompanying organ is spread throughout Midnight Soul Serenade, an album that also contains splashes of piano on "Gee, I Really Love You," vocal gentleness and female vocal backings on "Good Man," vocal eccentricities on "Bumble Bee," Southwestern guitar and baritone harmonies on "Pimento," and low tones and acid flair on "The Pill," a tune evocative of Twin Peaks that tells its own psychedelic tale.

Top-end players Simon Chardiet, Sam Baker, Powersolo, Mickey Finn, Daniel Collas, and Those Darlins lend their good graces. If this kind of music piques your interest, pick this up.

Themselves: CrownsDown (Anticon)

After six years of silence (spent on countless other projects, many with each other), no-nonsense rap duo Themselves — Adam "Doseone" Drucker and Jeffrey "Jel" Logan — returned with a free "mixtape" earlier this year. Now the two have released their proper third album, CrownsDown, a sample-driven album that is both experimental and traditional.

The gritty, nasally intonation and rapid-fire delivery of Jel are slathered up and down the disc, which is based on hip-hop and dance beats and patchwork samples. Subtle founder Dax Pierson and 13 & God bandmates Jordan Dalrymple and Markus Acher make cameos.

Minamo: Kuroi Kawa: Black River (Tzadik)

Avant-violinist extraordinaire Carla Kihlstedt (Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, 2 Foot Yard, The Book of Knots) and prolific classical pianist Satoko Fujii (Satoko Fujii Orchestra) spend much of their time on the outskirts of musical convention, combining their desired genres in whichever ways that they see fit.

Here the two create two worlds on two discs: one of dutifully recorded compositions and one of live, stream-of-conscious improvisations. Fans of experimental chamber music should dig this.

Honorable mentions:

Dave Douglas: A Single Sky (Greenleaf)
Jesu: Opiate Sun (Caldo Verde)
Mike Reed’s People, Places & Things: About Us (482 Music)
Jessica Pavone: Songs of Synastry & Solitude (Tzadik)
Pyramids with Nadja: s/t (Hydra Head)
Rupa & The April Fishes: Este Mundo (Cumbancha)
The Squirrel Nut Zippers: Lost at Sea
John Zorn: Femina (Tzadik)

Diamond Watch Wrists

Each maintaining a busy 2009, Guillermo Scott Herren (Prefuse 73, Savath & Savalas) and Zach Hill (Hella, Bygones) join forces to create Diamond Watch Wrists, a project that holds elements of each artist but sounds unlike what one might imagine their collaboration to be.

Like Hill's 2008 solo record, Ice Capped at Both Ends is very much a pop record, for as unconventional as both records may be.  Reverberated, multi-layered vocals guide each track, similarly to Savath & Savalas, and Hill's beats are as focused and straightforward as they've been in a while.  Effects and ambiance hold important roles, but Herren's electronic Prefuse work essentially is a nonfactor here.

Given the impending release of the next Savath & Savalas release, it's an interesting time to release Ice Capped at Both Ends, but at first glimpse, the S&S disc contains more elements of Herren's initimable work as Prefuse 73.  It seems that we've entered an impressive stretch of Herren's creative legacy.

Themselves: theFREEhoudini (Anticon)

After a seven-year hiatus, Anticon hip-hop duo Themselves (Doseone and Jel) has returned with this free (for 90 days) "mixtape."  Consisting of one 39-minute track, the release serves as a self-remixed album and teaser for the duo's third full-length album, CrownsDown, due in August.

Doseone's nasally delivery is as aggressive as ever, presenting less of the high-pitched anti-raps from his work in Subtle. Jel's breakbeats carry the well-balanced mix, and hip-hop bedfellows Aesop Rock, Slug, Busdriver, and Yoni Wolf make well-placed appearances.  Like the duo's respective careers, theFREEhoudini is a compelling, original endeavor.

Soap&Skin: Lovetune for Vacuum (PIAS)

Austrian singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and actress Anja Franziska Plaschg holds musical ability and power that is stunning for her age of 18.

On Lovetune for Vacuum, Plaschg's debut album, powerful, melancholy harmonies pour out of her throat and piano in contrast to softer, somber exchanges.  Vocal overdubs, pounding low keys, ominous sample, and bits of violin and electronics augment the main melodies as Plaschg channels influences from Bjork, Aphex Twin, and Sergei Rachmaninoff.  Prepare to hear a lot about Plaschg in the coming years.

Soap&Skin: "The Sun"
Soap&Skin: \"The Sun\"

Nadja: When I See the Sun Always Shines on TV (The End)

This interesting cover EP continues a highly prolific streak for Canadian heavy/ambient duo Nadja, which has a pair of upcoming albums due later in 2009 — one of which is a double release.

Foreseeable innovators like My Bloody Valentine and Swans are covered in baths of fuzz, feedback, and synthesizers, but less-predictable favorites such as Slayer, The Cure, Elliot Smith, and A-Ha also are turned on their heads.  Preexisting fans of Nadja and electro-noise dirge enthusiasts should both greatly enjoy this one.

Corey Wilkes & Abstrakt Pulse: Cries from tha Ghetto (Pi)

Trumpeter Corey Wilkes' debut album as a bandleader, Drop It, was released just 10 months ago on storied jazz/blues label Delmark Records.  The funky debut contained quirky soul jazz with moments of extended solos and improvisation, but Wilkes digs back to a bebop-fueled sound for this new release with his group Abstrakt Pulse.

Featuring the reed work of Kevin Nabors and the exemplary melodic guitar licks of Scott Hesse, the sextet fuses some 1960s Blue Note-era jazz with the freeform influence of Lester Bowie, a lauded experimentalist whose seat Wilkes filled for the Art Ensemble of Chicago.  The fusion on Cries from tha Ghetto isn't smashing any boundaries, but its execution is top notch.  Highly recommended for jazz heads.

Corey Wilkes & Abstrakt Pulse: "Visionary of an Abstrakt"
Corey Wilkes & Abstrakt Pulse: \"Visionary of an Abstrakt\"