Ocean: "The Beacon" (excerpt)

Consider this partial list of bands: The Ocean, The Ocean Collective, Ocean Floor, The Ocean Floor, The Ocean Floor Orchestra, Ocean Chief, Oceano, Ocean (1970s), and Ocean (2000s). Watery band names are almost as ubiquitous as the substance for which they’re named. Oceanic imagery is inescapable.

Portland, Maine’s Ocean is particularly suited to ferry its moniker. The doom quartet made a leviathan of a debut with Here Where Nothing Grows in 2005, and it has since become one of the most prominent heavy bands in its home state. Its slow, feedback-drenched creations slowly crumble conscious thought over the course of 20-minute songs. These songs are a collection of delicate counterbalances: dissonance and melody, harsh gales and mellow currents, and despair and hopefulness. “Our sound is not for everybody, nor should it be,” says bassist Reuben Little. “If you like it, you like it; if you don’t, you don’t.”

The band’s connection to the ocean is both geographical and personal. “I live 300 yards from the ocean,” Little says. “We all live really close; Portland is a peninsula. It’s a huge, vast, empty thing, or it’s this beautiful entity — it just has so many different meanings for us because we grew up in this culture.” An ex-fisherman, Little imposes no singular meaning on the sea. “It’s just this entity that’s huge and mysterious,” he says. “It gives life and takes life, and it’s really close to being all things to all people in Maine. Everyone has some relationship to it. I just thought, ‘What a great name.’”

However, the similarity of Ocean’s name to Germany’s progressive metal purveyors The Ocean has created some confusion. “Our first records came out at exactly the same time, and were being reviewed in the same magazines,” Little says. The Germans contacted the quartet about relinquishing its name, but it was too late. “At that point, we had already recorded and released the demo that became Here Where Nothing Grows,” Little says. “We had merchandise with our name on it — it was the name of the band. Is it great that there are two bands with the same name?  No. Is it worth starting over again? I don’t know.”
 

“It’s just this entity that’s huge and mysterious. It gives life and takes life, and it’s really close to being all things to all people in Maine. Everyone has some relationship to it. I just thought, ‘What a great name.’”

Though the inlet for the wall-of-droning-amplifiers approach may have been carved by modern doom-lord Sunn O))), Ocean ups the ante by eking out dynamic song structures that channel despair into surprisingly melodic catharsis. Strangely, critics are more wont to compare the band to Canadian post-rock band Godspeed! You Black Emperor. “The biggest Godspeed connection is simply the length of the songs,” Little says. “I mean, sure, sometimes we have a sweeping, ‘indie post-metal or whatever' kind of feel, but we didn’t set out to rip them off.” Even at its heaviest, Godspeed never dredged the harsh, dissonant, despairing depths to which Ocean plunges.

Ocean’s 2008 effort, Pantheon of the Lesser, is even more sophisticated than its predecessor. Although the album consists of only two songs, they’re both fantastic. First is “The Beacon,” a nearly 36-minute behemoth. The second track, “Of the Lesser,” is equally as massive and sprawling. “It’s never a conscious decision that ‘this song has to be 20 minutes long,’ but from early on, we realize that’s the way it’s going to come out,” Little says.

The writing process likewise is lengthy and consists of extended jams over months at a time. “Some of the stuff [on Pantheon of the Lesser] had been around as ideas, riffs, sketches for a while, but I think it was pretty much 2006,” Little says. “That was the big year for writing. We’re not workaholics by any means, but when you’re doing this stuff, it’s nice to demo it, let it sit for while, and listen with fresh ears as close as you can be to a listener.” This often results in entire rearrangements of compositions.

“Songs are such weird things,” Little elaborates. “They’re precious, but they can’t be too precious — you can’t be too attached to one little thing if it holds back the rest of the song.” As for their length, Little asserts that each song is worth the time. “[Our songs] ask a lot of the listener. They’re an experience to listen to, and we try to give people little surprises, treats, and pinnacles, as well as big payoffs.”

Download the podcast for This Week’s Best Albums: November 9, 2010 and subscribe to This Week’s Best Albums for free with iTunes.

Maserati: Pyramid of the Sun (Temporary Residence)

Maserati: "We Got the System to Fight the System"

Nearly one year ago today, Maserati and !!! drummer Jerry Fuchs died in a tragic accident.  His loss, naturally, was a devastating blow for his many bandmates, who have cited him as the propulsive energy behind each outfit's work ethic and driving rhythms.  He was, it seems, a tireless source of creativity, as he also was a graphic designer and freelance writer and also wrote, recorded, or toured with MSTRKRFT, LCD Soundsystem, Moby, Cloudland Canyon, and others.

So it was with heavy hearts that the remaining members of Maserati decided to finish Pyramid of the Sun, an album that Fuchs was helping to record when he passed.  This, the band's third full-length album, was finished in his memory.

The music continues the direction of the past few releases, combining spacey dance rock with old synth sounds and and elements of campy 1970s horror scores (partially, at least, thanks to contributions by Steve Moore of Zombi).  It also retains a great 1980s dance-rock vibe, and when it's all combined, it creates the band's release yet.  All told, it's a fitting tribute to an indie-rock workhorse.

War from a Harlot's Mouth: MMX (Lifeforce)

War from a Harlot's Mouth: "Insomnia"

Still young as a band, Berlin's War from a Harlot's Mouth has further improved with MMX, its third full-length album in three years.  The Berlin metal-core quintet has built its reputation over that short span thanks to über-down-tuned guitars, massive breakdowns, pitch harmonics, and the occasional clean-channel interlude.

With a denser guitar tone and more Meshuggah-style grooves, MMX is even heavier than its predecessors.  There are even fewer changes in style, but it's a bit more cohesive and simply better.

The band would do well to write more parts like the start to "Sugarcoat / Spineless," which uses a few vaguely jazzy chords, a fusion-esque bass line, sliding guitar melodies, and a tinkling keyboard accompaniment.  It's a welcome change before another brutal breakdown and gang vocals, and with more shifts in the extreme aesthetic, the heavy parts are that much more effective.

Zion I: Atomic Clock (Gold Dust)

Zion I: "Many Styles"

Comprised of DJ AmpLive and MC Zumbi, Zion I is an Oakland hip-hop duo whose seven-album output has been solid but inconsistent over the years.

The group's last album, The Takeover, was a radio-ready party disc that was built around uninspired and overplayed mainstream sounds.  Atomic Clock, however, finds the two redefining their sound and diving head first into reggae- and dub-inspired jams.

The result is a disc of much more mature songs, with live instruments and more intricate melodies performed over AmpLive's productions.  It's chock full of funky bass lines and horn accents, and based on the music alone, it is, in fact, a much better party album.  Zumbi, meanwhile, is full of positive vibes and inspirational lyrics, and he continues coming into his own, furthering himself from comparisons to Q-Tip.

Ultimately, Atomic Clock must be considered Zion I's best album.  If we're lucky, we'll hear the duo build from this going forward.

Akudama: Sun EP (self-released)

Akudama: "Sun (from Underneath the Lake)"

Last year, Brooklyn's Akudama began a (roughly) monthly series of free digital EPs, stretching from April of 2009 to February of 2010.  Most releases consisted of just a pair of tracks, but each demonstrated considerable indie-rock proficiency.

Now the quartet has assembled six of the "A-sides" from those EPs and released Sun EP.  The six songs each present a slightly different side to the genre, but they all shine with catchy melodies, three-part vocal harmonies, and fine-tuned timbres — whether it's oodles of reverb, acoustic guitar, string accents, or slide-guitar swells.

You can hear the whole EP at Akudama's Bandcamp page, where you can (and should) buy it.

Atheist: Jupiter (Season of Mist)

Atheist: "Second to Sun"

As one of the early adopters of tech metal in the Southeast, Atheist built a major reputation in the late 1980s and early '90s despite releasing only three albums.  The third, in fact, was without key drummer and co-founder Steve Flynn, and it left fans clamoring for more material from him and guitarist/vocalist Kelly Shaefer.

The group, with Flynn back behind the kit, returned to the stage in 2006, but it's only now that it has written and released new material, 17 years after what most assumed to be the final Atheist album.

Jupiter should do more than delight older fans; it should give them an even greater appreciation, because down the road, this might be considered its finest release.  Shaefer's shifting riffs are fast, tightly wound, and complex, but they're always direct enough for head banging.  Flynn's fills and beats are meticulous, and the two seem to have an innate chemistry.

Whether or not you know the Atheist back catalog, check this out.  Either way, you shouldn't be disappointed.

Honorable Mentions

Aborym: Psychogrotesque (Season of Mist)

Cee Lo Green: The Lady Killer (Arista)

Cradle of Filth: Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa (Nuclear Blast)

Gregory and the Hawk: Leche (Fat-Cat)

Julie Christmas: The Bad Wife (Rising Pulse)

Ocean: Anthropocentric (Metal Blade)

Shigeto: Full Circle (Ghostly International / Moodgadget)

Sub Swara: Triggers (self-released)

V/A: Tradi-Mods vs. Rockers (Crammed)

Violens: Amoral (Friendly Fire / Static Recital)

Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation

This self-described "doom jazz" release isn't what one might imagine from the group's name — and, in fact, this Dutch septet is the improvisatory sonic alter-ego of The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble, a moody, jazzy, electro-acoustic group with an equally deceptive moniker.

But be it dark jazz, doom jazz, or un-jazz, the ensemble entangles typical jazz instrumentation with delectable atmospherics and percussive accents.  Spellbinding layers of horns — often distant and dissonant, indecipherable, or practically human — meld with über-reverberated drums, slide guitar, wordless falsettos, and assorted strings.

Succubus was recorded by the group as it watched the 1969 Jess Franco movie of the same name, and with the film's arty inspiration, this disc ended up being less heavy than its predecessor, Doomjazz Future Corpses! Either way, this is a must-own album for fans of improvised ambiance.

Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation: "Erotic Love Queen"
Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation: \"Erotic Love Queen\"

The New Christs: Gloria (Impedance)

Led by ex-Radio Birdman vocalist Rob Younger, Australian garage rockers The New Christs have experienced numerous lineup shifts since the band's formation in 1980.

Its first album in seven years, Gloria applies the group's long-form minimalism to a new batch of post-punk anthems, leaning on Younger's New Wave vocals and repetitious riffs that are perfect for zoning out.

Bloody Panda: Summon (Profound Lore)

After the substantial buzz that accompanied its Pheromone LP in 2007, NYC doom quintet Bloody Panda now issues its sophomore full-length disc, Summon, on the apt home of Profound Lore.

The group is led by Osaka visual artist Yoshiko Ohara, whose bewitching song echoes amidst tidal waves of distortion, dissonant ambiance, otherworldly organ, and wicked screams.  Haunting samples and tabla beats add to the aural melangé — one with enough power and diversity to attract like-minded collaborators such as Ocean, Jamie Saft, Mike Pride, and Toby Driver (Kayo Dot).

This special edition comes with a bonus DVD, featuring a 20-minute abstract video for "Miserere," of which a nine-minute excerpt can be heard below.

Bloody Panda: "Miserere"
Bloody Panda: \"Miserere\" (excerpt)

Kocani Orkestar: The Ravished Bride (Crammed Discs)

A vivacious Romani brass band, the Kocani Orkestar returns after its release of Alone at My Wedding, an album full of Gypsy wedding music.

The Ravished Bride finds the group as powerful as ever, combining wild instrumental runs with the crooning voice of Ajnur Azizov. The album contains a touch of surf influence while also including a Mexican number and a few traditional Macedonian pieces. Guitarist Uri Kinrot (Balkan Beat Box) makes a guest appearance.

Femi Kuti: Day by Day (Wrasse)

The eldest son of Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti, Femi furthers his own legacy with Day by Day, the newest installment in his 20-year career as a bandleader. Like much of his family's catalog, Day by Day targets the corruption of African politicians, but its soul-jazz influence takes Femi in a new direction — trading his saxophone for a piano and a trumpet, his original instrument.

Ocean: Pantheon of the Lesser (Important)

Two years in the making, Pantheon of the Lesser is Ocean's brutal new two-song full-length.

The album's opener, "The Beacon," is 41 minutes of über-slow doom – which consists of three movements and turns into more than an hour of material when played live. But the songs are more than distorted, minimalist dirges; melancholy chimes combine with clean-channel guitar to give "The Beacon" a downright deathly feel.

Ocean: "The Beacon" (excerpt)
Ocean: \"The Beacon\" (excerpt)

Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid: NYC (Domino)

Kieran Hebden (Four Tet) and Steve Reid (Steve Reid Ensemble) present another helping of atmospheric samples, dense sound collages, and jazz drumming. Influenced by New York City and its "infamous energies," the songs on NYC are time-tested structures — no longer the "instant compositions" that marked the duo's initial collaborations.

Spylacopa: s/t EP (Rising Pulse)

This five-song debut EP is a studio project from John LaMacchia (Candiria), Jeff Caxide (Isis), Greg Puciato (The Dillinger Escape Plan), and Julie Christmas (Made Out of Babies / Battle of Mice). The disc's primary style is one of modern metal, but it crosses into alternative sonic territory with the pretty piano work on "Together We Become Forever" and the Pink Floyd-sounding guitars of "I Should Have Known You Would."

Spylacopa: "Haunting a Ghost"
Spylacopa: \"Haunting a Ghost\"

The Bad Plus

Care to peek at our personal playlists? Here is a collection of ten songs that we're jamming at the moment, including work by Mike Patton, Helms Alee, 2 Foot Yard, Ocean, The Bad Plus, and more.

Mike Patton: "A Perfect Twist (Vocal)" (A Perfect Place soundtrack)

With the brilliant soundtrack to the short film A Perfect Place, Mike Patton filters the same melodic theme through spaghetti western, ragtime swing, film noir, and much more. The theme is first heard while blasted through commanding horns and played over Latin percussive elements, and it later undergoes dark atmospherics while morphing to and fro.

With "A Perfect Twist (Vocal)," Patton uses the melody in a vibrant, springing, Munsters-inspired rock tune, in which he first declares, "I'll bend you over my knee / let's see what you can take / never gonna break."

Ocean: "The Beacon" (Pantheon of the Lesser)

Opening Pantheon of the Lesser, "The Beacon" is almost 36 minutes of the slowest doom. Don't try to match your deep-breathing exercises to this band; you'll die due to lack of oxygen.

Ocean: \"The Beacon\"

Andreas Kapsalis Trio: "Doppelganger" (Original Scores)

Finger-tapping guitar virtuoso Andreas Kapsalis creates captivating pseudo-soundtrack work that bounds across genres. With the aid of percussionists Jamie Gallagher and Darren Garvey, Kapsalis traverses Mediterranean, Spanish, Asian, and African styles to fantastic effect while establishing a unique sound.

Andreas Kapsalis Trio: \"Doppelganger\"

Helms Alee: "A New Roll" (Night Terror)

Mixing male/female vocal harmonies with alternately melodic and fuzzed-out rock riffs, Helms Alee engages listeners through its ability to soothe as well as bludgeon. "A New Roll," the first song after Night Terror's intro, does the former with bassist Dana James' soft two-part vocals and the latter with guitarist Ben Verellen's searing screams.

2 Foot Yard: "Octopus" (Borrowed Arms)

Leading off the group's 2008 album Borrowed Arms, this song is beautiful enough to melt the coldest of hearts. The gorgeous chamber pop of violininst Carla Kihlstedt, cellist Marika Hughes, and percussionist/guitarist Shahzad Ismaily creates a stirring backdrop for Kihlstedt to sing about her three hearts (like the title's namesake).

American Relay: "Long Gone" (Corn & Oil)

Blues-rock two-piece American Relay doesn't beat around the bush. The duo's straightforward approach will get you grooving with fuzzy slide riffs and driving beats.

Jerseyband: "The Glad Hand" (unreleased exclusive)

From the forthcoming full-length by this lungcore seven-piece, "The Glad Hand" marks another pummeling chapter in the band's horns + metal oeuvre. Check out the exclusive track below.

Jerseyband: \"The Glad Hand\"

The Evpatoria Report: "Eighteen Robins Road" (Maar)

This Swiss outfit produces dreamy, spacey, instrumental rock with a violin that can double as a slide guitar. "Eighteen Robins Road" opens the band's epic new release for Get a Life! Records.

The Bad Plus: "Feeling Yourself Disintegrate" (For All I Care)

In February, hard-hitting jazz trio The Bad Plus will release a disc entirely of covers. The group's deconstructed renditions of rock songs are often fan favorites, and with "Feeling Yourself Disintegrate," the three make an already-grand Flaming Lips tune into a jazz-rock epic. Guest vocalist Wendy Lewis establishes a powerful presence throughout For All I Care.

Nebula: "All The Way" (BBC/Peel Sessions)

Psychedelic garage-rock trio Nebula recently released an official bootleg of live cuts recorded with John Peel between 2002 and 2004. A worthy listen for any long time fan or psych/stoner rock aficcionado.