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.

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)

Washed Out: Within and Without (Sub Pop, 7/12/11)

Washed Out: "Amor Fati"

In 2009, indie-electronica novice Ernest Greene appeared on the scene under the moniker Washed Out, offering an accessible and diverse dose of new wave with the impressive Life of Leisure EP. The debut recording delved into a re-imagined electronica sound, taking cues from mid-’80s synth heavyweights and incorporating a modern twist. It was a very bright start, but it was only a matter of time before Greene's fresh, revitalized “chillwave” sound was put to the test on a full-length effort.

Two years later, Washed Out has returned with a proper LP — Within and Without — that expands on that initial, unique sound. Employing a glut of synths and electronic beats, Washed Out has taken new wave to a whole new level, modernizing the sound and legitimizing the genre. Mixing slowed dance beats with synth-heavy arrangements and various electronica ornamentations, Washed Out has put together a solid, unified offering.

Within and Without’s soothing soundscapes stem from the standout opener, “Eyes Be Closed.” Integrating waves of synth with steady drumming and atmospheric strings, the track moves fluidly, fluctuating between Washed Out’s subtle yet complex inner workings. There are a lot of things going on musically, with ocean-like soundscapes pulling in and out, shoring up with spastic, spaced-out keys and a sea of, well, “washed out” and reverberated vocals that submerge into the rest of the song, becoming musical textures within themselves.

The opening track sets the stage for the rest of the album: a soft-served concoction of grooves, beats, and harmonies that cling to each other and rarely let go. The album swells and rolls like a coastline — moving back and forth between a dance record and a lo-fi chill-fest. It’s the perfect medium, meeting both music types halfway. From the late-night-highway-driving qualities of “Far Away,” to the sparse singer/songwriter aspects of “A Dedication,” to the endearing tropical lightness of “Amor Fati,”  Washed Out is able to capture a swath of moods. Each song is drenched in atmosphere, a collection of electronic peripheries, perfectly timed digital drumbeats, and hook-laden melodies.

The music expands as the songs go on, and Greene is happy to throw in a barrage of random percussion noises and random hits (see “Echoes”) and slowed-down groove beats (see “Soft”). Within and Without’s knack for pop catchiness frequently blends slow with upbeat, dreamy with focused — always mixing the music with the vocals, which often become indistinguishable from each other.

Washed Out’s sound isn’t new, necessarily, but Greene takes what has come before him and elaborates on it, turning a oft-hackneyed genre into one of re-imagination and prestige. Washed Out even ventures beyond the genre and is able to find a middle ground between the dance poppiness of Cut Copy and the subtle, soft-spoken intricacies of Panda Bear. His ability to transform these disparate influences into something his own makes this a can’t-miss musical experience.

William Elliott Whitmore: Field Songs (Anti-)

William Elliott Whitmore: "Field Song"

Inspired by his roots in the American Midwest, singer/songwriter William Elliott Whitmore has helped spark a renewed interest in blues and folk music over the past decade. Now with more than half a dozen records to his name, Whitmore’s raspy, soulful voice is as recognized as ever, and his new album, Field Songs, accentuates it with another sparse, minimalist backdrop.

Singing tales about adversity in middle America, Whitmore uses Field Songs to conjure images of rural life, with literal field sounds often in the background. Musically, it emphasizes acoustic guitar as much as or more than the banjo that has become synonymous with his name, and it goes further back to basics, cutting the few instrumental accompaniments that were present on his last album.

Decapitated: Carnival is Forever (Nuclear Blast)

Decapitated: "Homo Sum"

In the early 2000s, and at very young ages, the members of Decapitated began an ascent to become one of Poland's preeminent technical-death-metal outfits. The group enjoyed accolades for its complex yet hook-tinged sound, culminating with the release of its 2006 album, Organic Hallucinosis.

But just a year and a half after that release, tragedy struck: a car accident took the life of drummer Witold "Vitek" Kiełtyka (the brother of guitarist/composer and co-founder Wacław "Vogg" Kiełtyka) and left vocalist Adrian "Covan" Kowanek in a coma.

Wacław, however, eventually decided to reform Decapitated in honor of his fallen brother. With the additions of drummer Kerim "Krimh" Lechner and vocalist Rafał "Rasta" Piotrowski, the band has released a sterling return to form in Carnival is Forever, its first album in five years.

Lechner and Piotrowski more than prove their capabilities on the album, and that's no small feat — particularly for Lechner, who succeeds a drummer that was lauded by many, including Meshuggah drummer Tomas Haake. The riffs have a bit more head-banging potential, and there's a bit more polyrhythmic play (a la Meshuggah and its "djent" brethren); palm-muted guitar triplets often work over tom-intensive beats and extended double bass. Wacław unleashes a few shredding guitar solos at key moments, and Piotrowski lays a slightly higher-register intensity over everything. The result is powerful.

There's a bit of clean-guitar play on a few tracks, but the most notable use is on the beautiful solo-guitar, minor-key closer "Silence," which presumably is a tribute to Witold. It's a graceful end to an otherwise explosive tribute album.

Washed Out: Within and Without (Sub Pop)

Washed Out: "Amor Fati"

In 2009, electronica novice Ernest Greene appeared on the indie scene under the moniker of Washed Out, offering an accessible and diverse dose of new wave on the Life of Leisure EP. The recording delved into a reimagined electronica sound, taking cues from mid-’80s synth heavyweights and putting a modern twist on it. It was a very bright start, but it was only a matter of time to see whether Greene and his fresh, revitalized “chillwave” sound could retain its consistency and musical integrity for a full-length effort.

Two years later, Washed Out has returned with a proper LP that expands on Greene’s initial sound. Employing a glut of synths and electronic beats, Within and Without takes new wave to a new level while helping to modernize the sound. Mixing slowed dance beats with synth-heavy arrangements and electronica ornamentation, the album can be as sensually evocative as its album art. In all, it's a solid, unified offering — a must-listen.

- Text by Michael Danaher.

Samael: Lux Mundi (Season of Mist)

Samael: "Antigod"

Now approaching its 25th anniversary as a band, Switzerland's Samael has been a crucial piece of industrial metal's development. Lux Mundi, the band's ninth full-length album, continues in the tradition that it and countrymen Celtic Frost helped develop, moving away from black metal to incorporate industrial, electronic, and classical elements.

Whereas Above, Samael's last album, returned to the band's black-metal roots, the material on Lux Mundi is much more symphonic and mid-tempo, reveling in bombast as well as darkness. The raspy, gothic vocals, though straightforward, provide a degree of theatricality that again suits the dramatic music, which thrives thanks to lean, infectious riffs and regal synth flourishes.

Everyone has his or her favorite Samael album, and for some, Lux Mundi may never compete. But it's not a stretch to consider this among the most well-crafted releases of the band's post-black-metal days.

The Glitch Mob: We Can Make the World Stop EP (Glass Air)

The Glitch Mob: "Warrior Concerto"

With only one full-length release to its name, electronic trio The Glitch Mob has far surpassed its output with name recognition, thanks to a slew of high-profile remixes and digital mixtapes. That full-length, Drink the Sea, was a miniature modern cross-section of the genre, ranging from heavy drum-and-bass to dubstep grooves to sultry electronica. Now, following two full remix albums of Drink the Sea from earlier this year, the three-piece is tiding over fans with a three-track EP in advance of a new album in 2012.

True to its namesake, the music is glitchy, but there are plenty of dance-fueled beats and catchy melodies, as piano keys and faux strings mix with digitized vocals and bassy, buzzing synthesizers. "Warrior Concerto," the EP's single, winds a classical sample around chopped synths, rapid-fire drum fills, and a dance-floor foundation. It's a well-executed new direction and should be an exciting glimpse at what's next.

Honorable Mentions

Beware of Safety: Leaves/Scars (The Mylene Sheath)

Boban i Marko Markovic vs. Fanfare Ciocarlia: Balkan Brass Battle (Asphalt Tango)

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

Dave King Trucking Company: Good Old Light (Sunnyside)

Declaime: Self Study (Someothaship Connect)

Earth Crisis: Neutralize the Threat (Century Media)

Eleanor Friedberger: Last Summer (Merge)

In the Nursery: Blind Sound (Plastic Head Music)

Isis: Live IV Selections 2001 – 2005

Sepultura: Kairos (Nuclear Blast)

Zomby: Dedication (4AD)

Niki & The Dove: "The Fox"

Since forming in early 2010, Swedish electro-pop band Niki & The Dove — vocalist/songwriter Malin Dahlstöm and multi-instrumentalist Gustaf Karlöf — has moved swiftly, scoring a record deal with American indie label Sub Pop. Its first release on the imprint, a 12-inch single entitled The Fox, builds on the momentum of the band's first two singles, DJ, Ease My Mind and Mother Protect.

The chugging, twinkling title track is accompanied by two other tunes: a dance-floor-ready Mylo remix of "Gentle Roar" and the '80s throwback "Somebody (Drum Machine Version)." So if you like densely layered synth, bright pop melodies, and a vague undercurrent of disquietude befitting a land of dragon tattoos, vampire movies, and limited sunlight, you'll dig The Fox.

Shabazz Palaces: Black Up (Sub Pop, 5/31/11)

Shabazz Palaces: "An Echo From The Hosts That Process Infinitum"

Don’t bother looking up Shabazz Palaces on Google. Its official website is almost bereft of information, promotional photos are nonexistent, and interviews are scarce. In an Internet age when stars can be made through YouTube views, Shabazz Palaces seems to have gamed the system; its heavy blog buzz is, ironically, at least partially due to its spare Web presence.

Shabazz Palaces ringleader Palaceer Lazaro isn’t a new player on the hip-hop scene, however. He is better known as Ishmael Butler, who is, in turn, better known as Butterfly of Digable Planets. But don’t expect to hear smooth, jazz-infused rap, like Digable Planets' “Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like That),” from Lazaro's new outfit, Shabazz Palaces. After two acclaimed EPs, the band is poised to release its first full-length, Black Up, a discordant rap album if ever there was one.

The opener, “Free Press and Curl,” assaults the listener with relentlessly repetitive bass blasts. Melodic flourishes arise occasionally, but mostly the production is nothing but bursts of low-end buzz. Make no mistake: Black Up is a record that rewards listeners who have invested in quality woofers.  Lazaro’s rapping is mixed low, making it difficult to decipher exactly what he’s saying, and his flow and the rhythm of the production don’t seem to sync up.  It all makes for a thoroughly dissonant experience, exactly the kind that Shabazz Palaces wants the listener to have.

Lazaro raps, “I run on feelings, fuck your facts / Deception is the truest act,” and the sentiment is clear in the production’s reverberating, echoing loops of unnatural sounds. Shabazz Palaces goes one step further by having “Free Press and Curl” rapidly switch tempo, beat, melody, and mood about two-thirds through. An unaware listener would think the record had moved on to the second track. This kind of seismic shift mid-song happens a few more times throughout the record, keeping the listener constantly on the alert.

But the record isn’t all avant-rap experimentation. Strong melodies, consistent beats, and female vocalists make appearances, such as on “Recollections of the Wraith” and “Endeavors for Never.” The contrast between the clear, melodic female vocalists and the vast majority of the record’s music with Lazaro’s tinny-sounding, low-mixed rapping is refreshing, and breaks up a possibly monotonous listen.

More so than most rap albums in recent memory, Black Up provides musical experimentation. Songs could switch up at any moment. Instrumentation from track to track can be vastly different. Lazaro could be rapping with clarity and coherence only to become unintelligible the next track. The first half of “Youlogy” is a head-spinning adventure into an unpredictable morass of bass and undecipherable vocals, as layers upon layers of synthesized noise are thrust onto the listener, along with vocal tracks manipulated to reduce their clarity. It’s not for everyone, that’s for sure, but to someone looking for something unusual out of his or her hip hop, Black Up can’t be overlooked.

Shabazz Palaces’ mission, after all, is to create music intentionally out of the ordinary and shake up the genre. Many criticize rap for being a stale genre, but as Lazaro says on “Youlogy,” “Nothing’s gonna stop it if it’s bound to turn a profit.” Shabazz Palaces has made a compelling, unusual record of noisy experimentation, even despite Lazaro/Butler’s familiarity with the more popular rap world. It’s that kind of willingness to do what might not succeed that can move a genre forward. Though Black Up might repel some listeners with its segments of non-musical noise loops, those looking for hip hop to delve deeper will find it irresistible. Lazaro might believe, as he says on “Recollections of the Wraith,” that this album represents the “dilemma of this bitch-ass, cliché rap getting solved.” While it’s hard to say whether one record can accomplish that, Black Up certainly seems like a step away from stagnation, and that’s never a bad thing.

Junk Science & Scott Thorough: Phoenix Down (Modern Shark)

Junk Science & Scott Thorough: "Box Art"

After a sophomore album on Definitive Jux that leaned on R&B, jazz, and cut-up vocal samples, hip-hop duo Junk Science has made a new beginning for itself with its first release on MC Baje One's new label, Modern Shark.

Somewhere between a long EP and a mini LP, Phoenix Down is a nostalgic collaboration with producer Scott Thorough — offering a journey back to 1980s video-game scores with modern nerd rap on top.  The music consists of original creations on 8-bit synthesizers, with beats by Thorough and DJ Snafu, and it's the best of the duo's catalog.

Fittingly, there are plenty of video-game and pop-culture references, including the famous Contra code in the chorus of "30 Lives."  Baje also rolls a cast of video-game characters into "In the Shadow of the Colossus," but like most of the other tracks, the references serve as metaphors for a greater theme — here, it's about confrontation, fear, and heroics.

My Morning Jacket: Circuital (ATO)

My Morning Jacket: "Holdin' on to Black Metal"

On paper, My Morning Jacket seems predictable — a hairy, five-piece rock-'n'-roll band from Louisville, Kentucky, known for rocking epic shows with twangy Flying V guitars and boatloads of reverb. Yet time and again, Jim James and company have explored diverse sonic interests including psychedelia, dance, funk, and R&B.

These explorations approached excessive indulgence on the band’s last album, Evil Urges, in 2008. But now, on Circuital, MMJ has found a sweet spot; its spacey Americana merges with an ever-simmering intensity that never dips too far into left field but often comes to a roaring head of both electric and vocal wailing. The band is also capable of dialing things back into folk territory, as evidenced on the Neil Young-esque “Wonderful (The Way I Feel).” More than a return to roots that its title suggests, Circuital is a document of a band comfortable in its own skin.

- Text by Kyle Gilkeson

Shabazz Palaces: Black Up (Sub Pop)

Shabazz Palaces: "An Echo from the Hosts that Profess Infinitum"

Hovering below the radar and intentionally light on biographical info, Shabazz Palaces is a hip-hop project that's spearheaded by Palaceer Lazaro, better known as Ishmael Butler, a.k.a. Butterfly of Digable Planets.

But don’t expect to hear smooth, jazz-infused rap from Shabazz Palaces. After two acclaimed EPs, the group offers a discordant, avant-garde rap album with its first full-length, Black Up.

The opener, "Free Press and Curl," assaults the listener with relentlessly repetitive bass blasts. Melodic flourishes arise occasionally, but mostly, the production is little more than bursts of low-end buzz.  Black Up rewards listeners who have invested in quality woofers, especially given that Lazaro’s rapping is mixed low, and his flow doesn't often sync with album's rhythms.

But the record isn’t all avant-rap experimentation. Strong melodies and consistent beats make their appearances, such as on “Recollections of the Wraith” and “Endeavors for Never.”  These tracks feature female vocalists as well, and the contrast between the clear, melodic vocals and the vast majority of the record’s music — with Lazaro’s tinny-sounding, low-mixed rapping — is refreshing, breaking up a possibly monotonous listen.

- Text by Tom Harrison

Honorable Mentions

Artichaut Orchestra: T is for Teresa (Tzadik)

Cheer-Accident: No Ifs, Ands or Dogs (Cuneiform)

Dark Castle: Surrender to All Life Beyond Form (Profound Lore)

Isis: Live I 9.23.03

Jeremy Udden’s Plainville: If the Past Seems So Bright (Sunnyside)

Anders Koppel: String Quartets | Mezzo Saxophone Quintet (Dacapo)

Melvins: Sugar Daddy Live (Ipecac)

Ocote Soul Sounds: Taurus (ESL)

Richard Pinhas & Merzbow: Rhizome (Cuneiform)

Tartar Lamb II: Polyimage of Known Exits LP

Vast Aire: Can Ox 2010: A Street Odyssey (Fat Beats)

Obits: "Pine On"

As I chat with Sohrab Habibion, guitar player for Obits, a sense of calm hangs in the stale basement air of a tiny Chicago rock club on a misty December evening. Minutes before the group’s performance, two or three band members haphazardly try to locate a marker and some paper to scribble down a set list. You’d think that they were preparing to empty a dishwasher or fold laundry instead of gearing up to play a show — their 12^th ever.

“It’s just a crappy rock band, basically,” says singer/guitarist Rick Froberg, casually cutting in when I ask Habibion whether the band has a particular musical vision. “If people like that, that’s cool. It’s really just about having fun.” Froberg is the band’s wiry, 40-ish lead man, who, with previous bands Hot Snakes and Drive Like Jehu, helped shape the sound that some refer to as “post-hardcore.” Along with most of his present cohorts, he has paid his dues in the independent-rock circuit. Straining to make a favorable impression on teen masses, market themselves inside of a scene, or even sell records seems to be an athema to the guys that make up this new project.
 

But just a crappy rock band? No matter what he says, that ain’t the case. Obits released its debut full-length in March of 2009. Titled I Blame You, it’s a breezy, lo-fi rock-’n’-roll record that revels in dirty garage rock, pop, punk, and ’60s psych. Among originals, the album includes an impressive cover of “Milk Cow Blues” by Chicago blues musician Kokomo Arnold. One of those original numbers, “Two Sided Coin,” mixes punk with a sleazy, groove-laden bass line until Froberg’s voice cuts through and grinds it down into something that resembles timely and frenetic garage rock. Reminiscent of Jehu’s best, “Light Sweet Crude” shows the band at its most tight, blazing, and concise.
 

“It’s just a crappy rock band, basically. If people like that, that’s cool. It’s really just about having fun.”

Despite the album’s merits, the band’s reputation as an indie-rock stalwart clearly precedes it, though Froberg would eschew the suggestion. “The music stands on its own,” he says. “I mean, if that — our background — gets them to hear us, that’s great. But I’d hope that people would be open-minded enough to listen to the music for what it actually is.”

Habibion says that listeners may have “expectations based on familiarity with our past projects,” like his own former Jade Tree band Edsel, but he emphasizes that this new endeavor is firstly for themselves. “It’s not like we’re actively trying to do something different, just like before I wasn’t actively trying to play or not play hardcore music,” he says. “Other people define those terms. We’re just trying to let our influences bleed…come out a bit more in the music, and hopefully arrange the stuff that we like into something that people enjoy.” However, Habibion admits to being a bit more selfish this time around. “I think we’re more worried about what we take away from it. Like, did we have fun?”
 

Though a lack of urgency is evident before the show, Obits shines onstage regardless of whether its members are playing for themselves or for the audience. With drummer Scott Gursky and bassist Greg Simpson joining Froberg and Habibion, the music is no more “refined” than the members’ previous groups, mixing surf rock with heavy guitar solos. It’s still rooted in abrasive punk rock, but with a slightly more easygoing tone. And though they might have appeared flippant during their interview, the members’ enthusiasm for their “crappy rock band” clearly shows though.

So what does Froberg want listeners to take away from an Obits performance, if anything? “I want people to have a good time,” he says simply, before adding, “unless they go away, like, openly hostile. I wouldn’t want that!”

Taking a page from the Stuckism book of Billy Childish, which implies that the value of artistic expression is in communicating emotional experience rather than constantly searching for the next big thing or aggressively trying to break new ground, Obits is simply playing what it wants to play and having fun doing it. That’s the only big reward.

Low: "Try to Sleep"

After more than 15 years of stringing together grim, minimalist lullabies that are equally at home on long walks through moonless winter eves or in well-lit churches, slowcore stalwart Low has begun to experiment a bit more with the trappings of, and opportunities created by, modern music. On its ninth record, C’mon, the band blends its signature brand of melancholia with bouncing, uptempo electronic textures, giving the 11 songs a lively, volatile feel.

In the third track, “Witches,” guitarist/singer Alan Sparhawk advises listeners to confront their problems with a baseball bat, and in the same spare voice, he tells guys who “are trying to act like Al Green” that they are weak. He sings this over drummer/vocalist Mimi Parker’s characteristically haunting “ooos” and “ahhs,” while a choppy, lighthearted guitar riff drifts over barely audible acoustic-guitar (or banjo?) plucking. Much like the song “Hatchet” on the band’s previous effort, Drums and Guns, “Witches” is a catchy number that adeptly references select facets of pop-music history and, in doing so, reveals a playful side of the band.

Another place where Low shines is in setting a mood, via the literal language of childhood, to highlight adult hang-ups and anxieties. “Something’s Turning Over” illustrates everything that is great about the band: a simple, instantly memorable melody, serpentine male/female harmonizing, and biblical, apocalyptic imagery. Listeners are reminded that the “things we turn our backs on when we’re older / only drag us back into our beds,” and Sparhawk urges us to “get out” while we’re young. It’s a powerful statement and a beautiful sentiment — and the dark reality to which it alludes is that we all gotta grow up. And growing up, much more than youth, requires evil. It’s a death trip.

Overall, C’mon is a nice, subtle departure from Low’s usual codeine-coated, shimmering, slow-motion narcolepsy. Many of the songs on this album are more punchy and upbeat than any release to date, but they're still punctuated by the stripped-bare emotional honesty for which the band has come to be known. Listeners will hear “ahems,” children’s intonations, and strange little asides cropping up throughout the record, pulling back the curtain on the recording process and lending the record a clever but laid-back undertone. Still, the emotional honesty of the music will chase its way into your head, and by the time that you’re done listening to the eight-minute opus “Nothing But Heart,” in which Sparhawk repeats those same three words over and over, you can’t help but be moved.

Gangpol & Mit: The 1000 Softcore Tourist People Club (Ipecac)

Gangpol & Mit: "The 1000 People Band Part 1"

French animation/electronic duo Gangpol & Mit makes music for a playful cartoon world. On its newest album, the bizarrely titled The 1000 Softcore Tourist People Club, G&M expands its zany video-game aesthetic with a conglomerate of textured, glimmering Tinkertoy instrumentation.

“The 1000 People Band (Part 1),” one of the album’s first “singles,” demonstrates this Mario Kart-meets-Architecture in Helsinki-meets-The Books musical collage. The rest of the album is a strange and lighthearted romp through airy and electro-classical orchestrations, drum-and-bass distortions, wandering keyboard melodies, and other oddities, using mallets, flute, harpsichord, harp, oboe, and other “standard” sounds alongside the 21st Century additions.

Todd Reynolds: Outerborough (Innova)

Todd Reynolds: "Transamerica"

Though Outerborough is just his first solo album, violinist/composer Todd Reynolds holds an impressive résumé, including memberships in Bang on a Can, Steve Reich and Musicians, and his own avant-garde string quartet, ETHEL.  But his compositional skills and cross-century aesthetics leave a longer-lasting impression, offering dynamic melodies and structures alongside amplification, loop effects, and laptop electronics.

Outerborough, meanwhile, is no ordinary debut.  As a double album, it presents two sides to Reynolds: one as adventurous neoclassical composer and one as interpretive performer.  The first disc contains seven personal compositions that achieve a wide range despite fairly limited timbres (although one unique track is performed by the League of Electronic Musical Urban Robots' Guitarbot).  The second disc holds nine previously unreleased pieces by other acclaimed musicians, including David Lang, Phil Kline, and Nick Zammuto and Paul de Jong of The Books.

True Widow: As High as the Highest Heavens and from the Center to the Circumference of the Earth (Kemado)

On its self-titled debut in 2008, True Widow turned heads with its blend of down-tuned shoe-gaze and stoner rock, somehow straddling the line between doom aesthetics and pop sensibilities.

The trio’s second album and first for Kemado, As High as the Highest Heavens…, is a new dose of drawn-out melodies, fuzzy guitars, and hypnotizing harmonies.  That last aspect comes equally from guitarist DH Phillips (formerly of Slowdive) and bassist Nicole Estill, whose echoing vocals ensure that you experience the music at a comfortably slow pace.

Bibio: Mind Bokeh (Warp)

Bibio: "Excuses"

Since beginning his career on Mush in 2005, British electronic artist Bibio (real name: Stephen Wilkinson) has used his study of "sonic arts" to create a swatch of styles. Whereas earlier albums brought field recordings, folk guitar, and lo-fi synth together over smooth electronic pop, Bibio’s 2009 Warp debut, Ambivalence Avenue, displayed a wider palette and opportunistic risk-taking with flashes of hip hop, dubstep, and dance.

Mind Bokeh continues down that same winding, multi-forked path.  “Take Off Your Shirt” combines power-chord pop with coolly sneering, falsetto-backed vocals for a retro rock tune that sounds like a less ironic Chromeo. But then there’s a track like “K is for Kelson,” which takes frolicking single-note guitar lines and mason-jar percussion into Lemon Jelly-esque bliss pop.  Blurred edges abound — bokeh, indeed.

Obits: Moody, Standard and Poor (Sub Pop)

Obits: "Shift Operator"

Followers of Rick Froberg's previous bands, Drive Like Jehu and Hot Snakes, had anxiously awaited Obits, his new partnership with Sohrab Habibion (of Washington, DC-based Edsel), since the band began writing and rehearsing together in 2006.

The new outfit delivered on its potential in 2009, presenting a stripped-down, high-energy blend of indie and garage rock with touches of surf.  Its follow-up album, Moody, Standard and Poor, finds Obits further honing its gutsy blend of melodic garage punk without sacrificing the energy that defined its first release.

The rock-'n'-roll guitar energy of Froberg and Habibion again take center stage as Moody… rumbles from track to track, with a flood of bluesy punk that even slightly dabbles in rockabilly.  Though Obits never quite reaches the raucous hollering of Hot Snakes, there's plenty of growling, spitting, and snarling to accompany its more melodic approach to vocals. And though that vocal energy remains subdued just a touch, Moody… suggests that, two albums in, there's plenty of life left in Obits.

Wagon Christ: Toomorrow (Ninja Tune)

Wagon Christ: "Manalyze This!"

Electronic producer Luke Vibert is a man of many sounds and aliases, recording since the early '90s under his own name as well as under Wagon Christ and Plug. His brand-new release as Wagon Christ, Toomorrow, retraces his funky roots while pasting disparate vocal samples over squiggly bass lines and hip-hop beats.

Over the course of 15 tracks, Toomorrow showcases Vibert's humorous combinations and reflects the slinky rhythms of his Wagon Christ alias.  But there also are plenty of quirky cuts, down-tempo moments, and worldly electronica sounds, and it gives another glimpse of Vibert's prolific abilities.

Arrington de Dionyso's Malaikat dan Singa: Suara Naga (K)

Arrington de Dionyso's Malaikat dan Singa: "Aku di Penjara"

As a member of Old Time Relijun, longtime K Records affiliate Arrington de Dionyso explores the edges of experimental rock.  For his solo project, Malaikat dan Singa (translation: Angels and Lions), Dionyso translates his wildly inventive vocal gymnastics into “trance punk,” as K calls it.

Dionyso taught himself Indonesian specifically for the project, and between all of the guttural grunts, growls, and shrieks, he manages to exercise his tongue and throat with reckless abandon. Suara Naga, the project's second album, is much more than linguistic tricks, however, as it melds noodling guitar, driving percussion, and blasts of free-jazz bass clarinet into an other-worldly musical odyssey.

Honorable Mentions

All Tiny Creatures: Harbors (Hometapes)

Amon Amarth: Surtur Rising (Metal Blade)

Bloodiest: Descent (Relapse)

Bosco Delrey: Everybody Wah (Downtown / Mad Decent)

Build: Place (New Amsterdam)

Erland & The Carnival: Nightingale (Full-Time Hobby / Yep Roc)

Generationals: Actor-Caster (Park the Van)

Infinitirock: Library Catalog Music Series Vol. 14: Music for Primordial Recollection (Asthmatic Kitty)

Leb Laze: Library Catalog Music Series Vol. 13: Music for Troubled Machinery (Asthmatic Kitty)

Melting Season: Harmoni-Pet Deluxe (Mush)

Obscura: Omnivium (Relapse)

Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou: Cotonou Club (Strut)

Josh T. Pearson: The Last of the Country Gentlemen (Mute)

Radiohead: The King of Limbs (XL / TBD)

Secret Cities: Strange Hearts (Western Vinyl)

[Have you pre-ordered yet? Don't forget to visit the Kickstarter page for Chromatic: The Crossroads of Color and Music, our next book that profiles independent musicians and artists who explore color in unorthodox ways.]