Hella: Tripper (Sargent House)

Hella: "Headless"

In 2002, a wild math-rock duo named Hella released a much-ballyhooed debut that sounded impossible to perform with just two members. From there, guitarist Spencer Seim and drummer Zach Hill expanded their sound (and level of complexity) with synthesizers and additional members, eventually recording as a five-piece for their 2007 release, There’s No 666 in Outer Space.

Now, following a few years off to pursue other projects, Seim and Hill are back as Hella’s core, releasing their first album based around guitar and drums since Hold Your Horse Is, that 2002 debut. It’s a welcome return to original form, one that is both “accessible” and melodic despite being highly technical.

Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey: Race Riot Suite (Kinnara Records / Royal Potato Family)

Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey: "Black Wall Street"

Race Riot Suite is a new long-form work from Tulsa, Oklahoma-based jazz-fusion quartet Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey. The record was written by lap-steel guitarist Chris Combs, who has taken a large songwriting role since founding member Reed Mathis departed in 2009. A wealth of guest contributors helped in the recording process, and the album's formidable horn presence comes courtesy of Jeff Coffin (Bela Fleck & The Flecktones, Dave Matthews Band), Steven Bernstein, Peter Apfelbaum, Mark Southerland, and Matt Leland.

The album addresses an oft-overlooked, racially charged incident that took place in 1921. The track above, "Black Wall Street," refers to the affluent, largely African American neighborhood in Tulsa where a day-long conflict saw 800 people hospitalized and 35 city blocks destroyed by bombs. As racial tensions escalated, and the prospect of a lynching loomed, violence broke out outside the town courthouse and rapidly spread across the city — culminating in an aerial assault that was reportedly launched to help neutralize the nonexistent "Negro uprising."

The suite was performed in its entirety at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center in May, and JFJO will tour the US in the fall, following the release of the album.

- Text by Kyle Gilkeson.

Tinariwen: Tassili (Anti-)

Tinariwen: "Tenere Taqqim Tossam" f. Tunde Adebimpe and Kyp Malone of TV on the Radio

Though the voyage of Tinariwen has been well chronicled, the back-story of the Malian desert-blues band remains fascinating for first-time listeners. That sense of fascination, even for longtime fans, extends to the group’s newest release, Tassili, which returns Tinariwen to its acoustic roots.

Recorded in the Algerian desert with only unamplified guitars and percussion, the album is a more organic version of Tinariwen’s sound, which again is led by group chants and vocal harmonies. This time, however, the band has high-profile guests in the form of TV on the Radio members Tunde Adebimpe and Kyp Malone, Nels Cline of Wilco and the Nels Cline Singers, and members of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Perhaps the big names will help others discover what many already have: a unique band with a compelling story.

Vieo Abiungo: And the World is Still Yawning (Lost Tribe Sound)

Vieo Abiungo: "Drowsy Salted Morning"

Chances are that you’ve heard work by Oakland-based composer/multi-instrumentalist William Ryan Fritch, a.k.a. Vieo Abiungo. Fritch is a member of Skyrider, a band that joined forces with hip-hop artist Sole in 2007. He also has worked with Kronos Quartet, and he released a solo album entitled Music for Honey and Bile for the Asthmatic Kitty Library Catalog in 2010.

His new album, And the World is Still Yawning, expands on his established experimental sound, which combines modern classical, meditative ambience, and rich electronics. Having scored roughly 30 films since 2008, Fritch has a well-honed ear for nuance; many compositions evolve from apparent chaos to a grand cinematic climax. Unintelligible vocals fade in and out, buried beneath layers of polyrhythmic percussion and unusual, resonant instrumentation.

With a refined sound-collage aesthetic — like The Books without samples — the album drifts calmly, occasionally catching a strong gust of wind in its open sails. Song titles reflect this lazy-river sensibility: "Flotsam and Jetsam," "A Sad Swell," and "Still and Tepid Waters." Though nothing is forced, a masterful hand is clearly at the helm, navigating and orchestrating with veteran confidence.

- Text by Kyle Gilkeson.

YAWN: Open Season (FeelTrip/Englophile)

YAWN: "Acid"

Chicago quartet YAWN has demonstrated remarkable growth since it first emerged as a high-school rock trio. After a makeover influenced by Animal Collective and other modern psych-pop outfits, the band issued a promising debut EP with heavy use of vocal harmonies, poppy electronics, and quirky effects.

Yawn’s first full-length album, Open Season, reflects an additional dose of musical maturity. A few more hints of the 1960s and ’80s have seeped into the band’s sounds to go with dueling croons, polyrhythms, and a broader spectrum of moods. While maintaining the tom-heavy drumbeats and electronics of prior recordings, Open Spaces fuses unusual samples (croaking frogs, high-pitched vocals, rushing waves) with previously unexplored instrumentation, giving each track a distinctive vibe.

- Text by Lauren Zens. Read the band's story in Chromatic: The Crossroads of Color and Music.

Others & Honorable Mentions

Alias: Fever Dream (Anticon)

Balaclava: Crimes of Faith (Southern Lord)

Beirut: The Rip Tide (Pompeii)

Blood Orange: Coast Grooves (Domino)

Butch Walker & The Black Widows: Spade (Dangerbird)

Century: Red Giant (Prosthetic)

End of Level Boss: Eklectric (Exile on Mainstream)

Michael Gordon: Timber (Cantaloupe)

Tom Morello: The Nightwatchman: World Wide Rebel Songs (New West)

The Nocturnes: Aokigahara

Jamie Saft: Borscht Belt Studies (Tzadik)

Thundercat: The Golden Age of Apocalypse (Brainfeeder)

Stay Gold is the latest new beginning for Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, a melodic jazz-fusion group that has logged more than 15 years under its moniker.

This disc, however, may mark its biggest change — which says a lot, because the group morphed from an octet to a trio early last decade (and to a quartet in 2008).

Founding member Reed Mathis and JFJO mutually parted ways early last year, coinciding with the free release of Winterwood, a masterful affair that was Mathis' final contribution. Taking his place is guitarist and lap-steel player Chris Combs, whose addition is the most noticeable different between Winterwood and Stay Gold.

Though Mathis' multi-instrumental abilities are missed, the soaring melodies of keyboardist Brian Haas remain front and center, with the rest of the band offering eloquent accompaniment and robust grooves and beats. Stay Gold is another compelling chapter in the storied history of JFJO.

Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey: "Stay Gold"
Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey: \"Stay Gold\"

David Karsten Daniels & Fight the Big Bull: I Mean to Live Here Still (FatCat)

Already championed by NPR, the pairing of neofolk songwriter David Karsten Daniels and big-band experimentalists Fight the Big Bull is a unique crossroads between two beloved genres.

Daniels, who lives in San Francisco, holds impressive vocal and instrumental chops, displaying a choir-tested voice and a music-composition pedigree. Fight the Big Bull, based in Richmond, Virginia, is every bit as talented, relying on a brass-heavy and woodwind-infused front-line to morph between any given sub-genre of jazz.

For this project, Daniels adapted poems from Henry David Thoreau to use in his sweeping style. Fight the Big Bull's work is crucial but unobtrusive, weaving flourishes and accents in and out without feeling forced.

Behind the creative lead of guitarist/composer Matt White, that natural accompaniment reflects a band coming into its own and growing more and more comfortable with others. The nonet is coming off a release with Sex Mob slide trumpeter Steven Bernstein, and this fall finds the group joining forces with Megafaun and Bon Iver as well as Karl Blau.

Guessing what each half of this collaboration has coming next should be as fun as actually hearing it.

David Karsten Daniels & Fight the Big Bull: "All Things are Current Found"
David Karsten Daniels & Fight the Big Bull: \"All Things are Current Found\"

Coliseum: House with a Curse (Temporary Residence)

The move of hardcore trio Coliseum from Relapse to Temporary Residence has come with a shift to minimalist hard-rock punishers.

A minute-long string intro notes that this is a "gentler" Coliseum, even if its sounds barely reappear. Ryan Patterson's gruff vocals and gnarled guitar still drive the band, but mid-tempo is the de-facto speed as push beats are nowhere to be found.

Tracks such as "Perimeter Man" hold similarities to Young Widows, a Temporary Residence labelmate that is led by Ryan's brother Evan Patterson, and tunes like "Isela Vega" vocally channel a bit of Nick Cave. Ultimately, however, the band's sound isn't fundamentally different, and fans should enjoy House with a Curse all the same.

Coliseum: "Blind in One Eye"
Coliseum: \"Blind in One Eye\"

Wovenhand: The Threshingfloor (Sounds Familyre)

Begun as a side project to 16 Horsepower, Wovenhand is now the primary endeavor of guitarist/singer David Eugene Edwards.

Focused on faith and a powerful folk aesthetic, Wovenhand has evolved into a full band, one that incorporates as many varied sounds (or more) as 16 Horsepower. In place of the latter's bluegrass, Appalachian folk, and forceful rock moments, however, are haunting chants, Native American influences, Middle Eastern motifs, and Medieval folk.

Agnostic or atheistic listeners may grow tired of Edwards' lyrical themes, and they can be a bit much at times. But the lyrics are personal and spiritual without being heavy handed, and they fit a style that channels otherworldly energy.

Wovenhand: "Sinking Hands"
Wovenhand: \"Sinking Hands\"

Honorable Mentions

Baths: Cerulean (Anticon)

Dave Douglas & Keystone: Spark of Being (Greenleaf)

David Weiss & Point of Departure Quintet: Snuck In (Sunnyside)

Diskjokke: En Fin Tid (Smalltown Supersound)

Fol Chen: Part II: The New December (Asthmatic Kitty)

Health: Disco2 (Lovepump United)

Super Chron Flight Bros.: Cape Verde (Backwoodz Studioz)

Crippled Black Phoenix @ Beat Kitchen (Chicago)

Counting Portishead's Geoff Barrow among its many past and present contributors, the United Kingdom's Crippled Black Phoenix creates what have been dubbed "endtime ballads."

The sound is one of dark folk with dirty guitars, ominous effects, diversified vocals, and countless guest electro/acoustic contributions, leaning on the multi-instrumental prowess of Justin Greaves (former drummer of Electric Wizard).  Imagine Mono, the Black Heart Procession, Rachel's, Godspeed! You Black Emperor, and a tiny touch of Isis being swirled together.

Saturday, April 4

Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey @ House of Blues Back Porch Stage (Chicago)

Combining elements of jazz, groove, rock, classical, and electronic music, Tulsa’s Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey presents a style of nü-jazz often associated with groups like Norway’s Jaga Jazzist. Yet the group's sound remains highly unique, and now JFJO tours in support of Winterwood, its great new album that can be downloaded for free and that marked the final recording with long-time member Reed Mathis.

Sunday, April 5

Pelican, Tombs @ The Empty Bottle (Chicago)

A month and a half removed from the release of Winter Hours, its brutal new album, Tombs finishes a tour with some dates through the Midwest.  The Brooklyn trio continues touring with Pelican, dirge metallists who hail from Chicago.  Expect a lot of pummeling mid-tempo riffs and half-time breakdowns.

Instrumental(-ish) Boston group Irepress has completed its sophomore album, Sol Eye Sea 1, which will be released February 17 on Translation Loss (a new song can be heard here). The group's mathy, melodic, chugging, epic songs can be heard on a five-week US tour that begins March 4.

Les Claypool has announced a four-week traveling mini festival, scheduled to begin in early March, that is officially titled The Oddity Faire: A Mutated Mini Fest. The fest's outstanding lineup is different depending on the city; guests include Secret Chiefs 3, Saul Williams, DeVotchKa, Yard Dogs Road Show, O'Death, and The Mutaytor.

And speaking of Secret Chiefs 3, the incomparable Indian/surf/metal group has a concert DVD being released in March on mastermind Trey Spruance's Mimicry label.

Hardcore trio Young Widows has announced a major list of tour dates that run from February through April. See the list here.

Dan Deacon has announced a six-week tour, starting April 3, that will feature a full ensemble in support of Bromst, his new album due March 24 from Carpark.

Marking its final recording with long-time member Reed Mathis, the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey has made a new studio album, Winterwood, available for free downloading on its website.

Next Tuesday, February 3, Tibet House US hosts a benefit concert and dinner at Carnegie Hall. Performers include Philip Glass, Antibalas, Keb' Mo', Vampire Weekend, The National, and more.

Nile linchpin Karl Sanders has another solo album in the works, this time to be released through The End Records. Titled Saurian Exorcisms, the album will be out April 14. Some awesome preview tracks are already posted on Sanders' MySpace page.

Despite comments from main member Tobacco that the group was on indefinite hiatus, dreamy hip-hoppers Black Moth Super Rainbow have a new album, Eating Us, that will be released on May 26 via Graveface.

New York jazz group Dred Scott Trio has a live album being released via Ropeadope on February 3.

Hardcore group Pulling Teeth has a new album, Paranoid Delusions | Paradise Illusions, that takes a crushing and despairing direction. The album is available today to preorder from Deathwish Inc. and its official release date is March 31. Hear a preview track, "Foreshadowing," here.

Grindcore group Agoraphobic Nosebleed will release its fourth full-length album, Agorapocalypse, through Relapse on April 14.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stoner-metal outfit Witch has announced tour dates starting in late February with Tee Pee Records labelmates Earthless. Head to Tee Pee for the list.

Due to illness, Afrobeat star Femi Kuti has canceled his North American tour that was set to begin on Wednesday, January 7.

In anticipation of Bromst, his new full-length album due on March 24, Dan Deacon has posted "Get Older," one of the album's tracks, on imeem. Deacon also has a split 12" with electronic brethren Adventure coming out on January 27.

Converge and Supermachiner (side project with vocalist Jacob Bannon and guitarist Kurt Ballou) each have a new album in store for 2009.

Bannon's new experimental project, Irons, has a split 12" with Pulling Teeth also due in 2009. Bannon's label, Deathwish Inc., has a glut of releases planned for this year.

Chinese-American composer Wu Fei will perform on January 16, 17, and 18 in China to celebrate the recent release of her new album, Yuan, on Tzadik. Details can be found at her website.

Watch the brief trailer for Mastodon's new album, Crack the Skye, at the band's website.

Fifty free pairs of tickets are being given away to Kronos Quartet's performance of Terry Riley's Sun Rings in France on January 16. To request a pair of tickets (by Monday, January 12), e-mail announcements@kronosquartet.org, with the subject line "Paris Sun Rings – MySpace", including your name and e-mail address in the body of your message.

Bassist/guitarist Reed Mathis, a founding member of 15 years, has left Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey to pursue other endeavors. The group has a lineup with two new members that will perform for scheduled shows in January and February.

Founding drummer Pat Pengelly has quit Bedouin Soundclash, making the group, for now, a duo with Jay Malinowski and Eon Sinclair. The group's February tour dates will remain intact.

These Arms are Snakes has announced a month-long US tour, primarily hitting the Midwest and East Coast, that begins in late February.

Madlib has a new disc for his Beat Konducta series — Beat Konducta Vol. 5-6 — that will be released February 10 on Stones Throw.

Danish weirdo rockers Powersolo will release their new album, Bloodskinbones, on February 23.

Via an interview with band manager Peter Mensch, the BBC reports that the instrumental members of Led Zeppelin — Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and Jason Bonham (son of John Bonham) — are looking to tour and record a new album without Robert Plant. The article says that it is unknown whether the group will continue under the famous name, but in a separate interview with Mensch on musicradar.com, the manager emphatically states that "Led Zeppelin are over."

Apple is finally doing away with DRM protection (short for digital rights management) on its iTunes music files.

Tonight, punk ensemble World/Inferno Friendship Society will perform a special one-off gig at New York's Webster Hall. The show, a multi-media operetta based on the life of Peter Lorre, is part of the Under The Radar Festival.