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

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

Sigh: "The Summer Funeral"

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

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

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

RJD2: "Games You Can Win"

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

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

Chicago Underground Duo: "Spy on the Floor"

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

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

Algernon: "Broken Lady"

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

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

Bei Bei & Shawn Lee: "East"

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

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

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

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

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

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

Shining: "Fisheye"

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

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

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

Pillars and Tongues: "The Center of"

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

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

Dessa: "Dixon's Girl"

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

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

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

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

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

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

Freeway & Jake One: "Know What I Mean"

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

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

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

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

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

Mako Sica: "I'Itoi"

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

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

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

High on Fire: "Snakes for the Divine"

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

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

Jaga Jazzist: "One-Armed Bandit"

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

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

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

Rob Swift: "The Architect"

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

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

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

Rotting Christ: "Aealo"

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

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

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

Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté: "Ruby"

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

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

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

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

Fang Island: "Sideswiper"

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

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

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

B. Dolan: "The Reptilian Agenda"

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

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

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

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

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

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

“When Anna and I first met,” Gfeller reminisces, “we both owned massive vinyl collections. Over time, and due to several house moves, the non-vital part of the collection was cleaned – but we still own a few thousand records. Music plays a very important part in our lives – not just the music itself, but the whole cultural surrounding.”

The two designers are particularly fond of obscure punk, noise, lo-fi recordings, black metal, world music, and electronica. These eclectic influences are clearly discernible within Bongoût’s artwork. The duo has created posters and album covers for a diverse set of genre-defying clients like Black Mountain, Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, and PJ Harvey.
 

Bongoût: Black Mountain concert poster

The posters are generally multi-color prints that contain a mixture of animal-monster-human hybrids – creatures ecstatic with motion and lividly trying to escape off the page. The accompanying text holds similar attributes. It varies from straight-forward sans-serif typefaces to outrageous, psychedelia-inspired lettering scrawled beside the image and squeezed into every available crevice of the design.

Following their successful collaborations, Gfeller and Hellsgård eventually founded Bongoût’s design studio and silkscreen workshop. In 2008, Bongoût grew when the duo joined forces with Alain de la Mata, and Bongoût Gallery was born.
 

Bongoût: The Spouter-Inn Chapter 3

The gallery showcases the print-media works of the owners as well as collaborations with other talented artists and designers, striving to “build bridges that expand past the confines of contemporary art.” Focusing primarily on silk-screened posters and limited-edition artists books, Bongoût’s work has been collected and displayed at prestigious institutes and galleries such as Harvard, Yale, MoMA, and the State Museum of Berlin.

While screen-printing, the partners often use materials such as gouache, spray paint, tape, stamps, or whatever comes to mind – such as human hair or pieces of recycled film. “Our role as designers is to push some boundaries and explore new fields,” Gfeller says, “[but] we are not interested in crafty, laborious challenges for their own sake.”
 

Bongoût: AIDS Wolf concert poster

Bongoût remains undeterred by the lack of poster artists within Germany, and the space doesn't mind being one of the only alternative screen-printing shops around. Excited to see younger artists interested in printing posters, Gfeller and Hellsgård hope to see the DIY culture within Berlin reemerge, and they're happy to promote it in unconventional ways.

Aside from music-related artwork, Bongoût currently is focusing on a series of large-scale prints inspired by the chapters of Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. The prints vary in subject matter from figurative to graphic and abstract visual elements. Moreover, the owners are enthusiastic about the diverse upcoming shows that they will curate within their gallery space – hand-painted movie posters from Ghana, followed by a two-month stint as a custom guitar shop in 2011.

“[We're] not the typical white cube,” Gfeller jokes.

Pinky Blaster: Child Bite album packaging

Shawn Knight, a.k.a. designer and illustrator Pinky Blaster, has created art and music since an early age. Followers of the Detroit music scene may recognize his name – previously of the band New Grenada, Knight now performs in the high-energy punk band Child Bite. The band is notorious for its wide range of instruments, humorous live performances, and its members’ impressive facial hair.

While in high school, Knight began playing in punk and metal bands.  These two genres influenced him heavily while he was growing up; he notes both Black Flag and The Dead Kennedys as significant influences. Knight got his start designing local band fliers and posters, and he continues to use live music as an opportunity to expose his artistic skills — though now at a national level.

Pinky Blaster: Faith No More

His impressive list of music clients includes bands such as Faith No More, Ween, The Dead Weather, Jimmy Eat World, Dan Deacon, The Jesus Lizard, Russian Circles, Lightning Bolt, and Of Montreal. Beyond his uniquely designed rock posters, Knight also creates indie movie posters, album artwork, packaging, typography, and various other web-design and illustration work. His artwork for Make History by Thunderbirds Are Now! made it onto Rolling Stone’s top-50 album-artwork list in 2006. Knight also recently designed the vibrantly colored T-shirts for Faith No More’s 2010 reunion tour dates in Australia and New Zealand.

Pinky Blaster: Of Montreal

Knight creates a decent amount of work by hand – generally, in the form of drawing out type with Sharpies, or cutting up old magazine images for collages. These basic sketches then find their way to a scanner and are tweaked in Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator. Knight graduated from Detroit’s College for Creative Studies in 2000, and he says simply of his design process, “Working rough ideas out really fast was what I was taught in school — and it works.”

The successfully rendered collage work in Knight’s art is by far one of its most compelling and eye-catching attributes. However, Knight recognizes the importance of using found imagery in an appropriate manner.  “I try to mess with the found stuff enough to make it my own…which was a moral dilemma of mine for a long time," he says.  "As long as it’s old, unrecognizable, and manipulated beyond the original intent for the image, I’m good with incorporating it.”

Pinky Blaster: Women

Knight’s work incorporates hand-rendered typography with humorous and often ironic imagery. His posters tend to include thick, black, Xerox-quality outlines in contrast with large blocks of neon hues. The dark outlines surround playful, thought-provoking collages, and the text is often reminiscent of vintage newspaper headings or advertisements.

As far as poster art versus album art, Knight prefers poster art – partially due to the lack of involvement that the musicians usually have.  “I think a lot of the process happens inside of the artist’s head without [him or her] really being that aware of it," he says.  "When it’s time to work with someone else, it can be jarring.”

Pinky Blaster: Girl Talk

Currently, Knight works as a freelance designer in Ferndale, Michigan (a suburb of Detroit).  He delved into the process of screen-printing roughly a year ago and is by no means bored with the technique yet.  He recently finished working on a rock poster for The Thermals, but soon, those outside of indie-rock circles will better know his work; Knight landed a gig doing movie posters for the new Tron film.

Menomena: Mines (Barsuk)

With its Barsuk debut (Friend and Foe) three and a half years ago, Menomena came to indie-rock prominence thanks to a junior effort that stood out amid a sub-genre that was exploding in the mainstream.

The trio's quirky arrangements, unorthodox instrument switching, and three-part harmonies generally won over critics. It has been a blog favorite ever since, but despite this popularity, the group was in no rush to churn out another release — even with a relative abundance of material.

Taking those three and a half years to craft and finalize Mines, Menomena now returns with a mature and focused 11-song affair. In a forthcoming ALARM print feature, the group's drummer and co-singer/songwriter, Danny Seim, explains, "We’re more interested in writing more concise pop melodies than on Friend and Foe."

And though Mines falls into "pop rock" categorization, each tune retains its own skewed sense of structure, and Menomena remains unclassifiable within the broader distinction. As on previous albums, the trio employs many wailing vocalizations, epic harmonies, and unique blends of instruments — including fuzzed-out bass grooves, rock-and-roll guitar leads, piano, stuttering brass riffs, string accompaniment, guitar slides, marimba, and keyboards.

Unfortunately, this is not enough to describe Menomena; listeners have to hear for themselves.

Menomena: "Queen Black Acid"
queen_black_acid

William Brittelle: Television Landscape (New Amsterdam)

A composer and former front man of The Blondes, William Brittelle demonstrates the possibilities of pop when filtered through classical instrumentation and progressive song structures.

Television Landscape is only Brittelle's sophomore effort, but it may prove to be his magnum opus. It's a concept album based on a "media-saturated, pre-apocalyptic world," with stated influences ranging from harmony champions The Beach Boys and Animal Collective to impressionist composers Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy.

This ambitious undertaking is executed with the deft abilities of an all-star lineup, featuring members of So Percussion, Alarm Will Sound, Jerseyband and many other talented ensembles. "Sheena Easton," the album's first "single" and ode to the 1980s pop singer, puts many of the album's best elements on display via piano, strings, harp, rock-guitar solos, Brittelle's falsetto harmonies, and the Brooklyn Youth Chorus.

Other tracks have layers upon layers — many subtle, and many overt (horns, vocoder) — to create dense, interwoven soundscapes that twist and turn through movements. Brittelle's overarching theme and dramatic vocals unify Television Landscape, resulting in something of a classical rock opera. But no matter how you classify it, Television Landscape is a realized vision.

William Brittelle: "Sheena Easton"
William Brittelle: \"Sheena Easton\"

La Gritona: Demasiado Tonto Para Los Niños Listos / Demasiado Listo Para Los Niños Tontos 2xCD discography (Hydra Head)

Rescued from obscurity, the 41 tracks on this double-disc collection are the reflection of a powerful alt-rock sound whose heyday came too soon.

Headquartered in mid-1990s Boston, La Gritona took a definite influence from the Amphetamine Reptile roster, drawing upon elements of Helmet, Unsane, and The Jesus Lizard while channeling the vocal intensity of Henry Rollins.

The material is a dissonant, debauched mix of down-tuned guitars, distorted bass, mid-tempo beats, atonal vocals, and noise. A song such as "+2 Charisma" (bonus points for D&D reference) aptly summarizes the band's raw energy and repetitive power in just 63 seconds, and the collection's live tracks capture La Gritona's on-stage muscle.

La Gritona: "+2 Charisma"
+2_charisma

Jesca Hoop: Hunting My Dress (Vanguard)

[Originally appeared on This Week's Best Albums: December 15, 2009]

Having gained industry exposure via her contact with Tom Waits (as a nanny), songstress Jesca Hoop has released a series of well-regarded albums in the vein of Marissa Nadler, Mirah, and other enchanting folk artists.

Hoop, however, takes a few more chances with her production, and though the songs on this third full-length album are similar in tone and structure, it has enough differing elements to maintain a sound balance. Hoop's bewitching sound may be best epitomized by the beautiful harmonized overdubs of "Whispering Light," the album's opening track.

With a catchy cadence and rangy melodic progression, Hoop grabs listeners from the album's opening seconds. Her multi-tracked folk harmonies are the unquestioned highlight, but her steady acoustic guitar and instrumental complements make Hunting My Dress a complete, well-rounded work.

Released independently in the UK in November, Hunting My Dress is now available as a full US release after seeing imported availability in December of 2009.

Jesca Hoop: "Whispering Light"
whispering_light

Honorable Mentions

Blipvert: Quantumbuster Now EP (Eat Concrete)

Common Grackle: The Great Depression (Fake Four)

Cruel Hand: Lock and Key (Bridge 9)

Cut Chemist: Sound of the Police

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.: The Horse Power EP (Quite Scientific)

Dead Kenny Gs: Bewildered Herd (Ropeadope Digital)

Decrepit Birth: Polarity (Nuclear Blast)

Madlib (Yesterday’s New Quintet): Medicine Show No. 7: High Jazz

Daughters is a strangely grooving maelstrom.

Around since '01, the Rhode Island hardcore group has worked through a bevy of lineup changes while maintaining the same dizzying fret work and guitar leads that sound like tornado sirens.

Underneath the madness is a behemoth low end and series of gnarly rock riffs, not unlike Lightning Bolt at times. On top of that are spoken vocals in the vein of The Jesus Lizard, Cougars, etc.

With just its third "full-length" album since 2003 (and first over 25 minutes), Daughters has lengthened its songs a bit, pressing into three- and four-minute territory to expand and better realize its style. Powerful, progressive, and full of grooves, Daughters is the band's best release to date.

Imperium Dekadenz: Procella Vadens (Season of Mist)

As self-described "intelligent black metal," the music of Germany's Imperium Dekadenz reflects influences from its Scandinavian counterparts, but with a stronger balance of melodies, epic arrangements, and acoustic passages.

Haunting minor-key piano melodies and acoustic guitar lead or augment assailing mid-tempo black metal, which levels diminished keys over the steady pounding and relentless double-bass beats of drummer Vespasian.

Joining Vespasian is guitarist/vocalist Horaz, who shares instrumental duties for sorrowful, reverberated clean-channel guitar and a synth-pad backing. Horaz adds pained shrieks and growls, often recalling Sweden's At the Gates, and the result is an album that isn't far removed from the dark beauty of the Swedes' Slaughter of the Soul.

Imperium Dekadenz: "An Autumn Serenade"
Imperium Dekadenz: \"An Autumn Serenade\"

Liars: Sisterworld (Mute)

Following lengthy stints in cities around the USA and abroad, adventurous art-rock trio Liars has returned to LA and released an album that was inspired by the city of its origin.

Fans of the band have known to expect the unexpected, and Sisterworld is no different. "Scissor," the album's opener and successful single, morphs from harmonized wails to big rock action. Beautiful ascending strings, guitar, and piano highlight "Here Comes All the People," which builds to a tension.

Other pieces either hit or miss: "Drip," for example, essentially is circular noise until a piano wanders into the frame, taking attention off unnecessary vocal offerings.

Nevertheless, Sisterworld is another bold effort from a group that is keeping "post-indie" rock interesting.

Aloha: Home Acres (Polyvinyl)

Known by many as "that indie-rock band with the marimba," Aloha is now four albums into its era with T.J. Lipple, a multi-instrumentalist producer who helped expand the band's style with Here Comes Everyone in 2004.

Home Acres continues lengthening the quartet's reach ever so slightly. Original tracking for the album took place back in 2007, and since that time, Aloha rebuilt a number of songs with different instruments.

"Moonless March" is one of the album's hardest-rocking tunes, with distorted bass and snare rolls as the foundation for the song's melodies. "White Wind," though a bit new for Aloha, reflects the mood of modern indie music with soft, multi-tracked vocal harmonies taking the spotlight.

In all, it's another sound effort. Fans won't be disappointed.

Aloha: "Moonless March"
Aloha: \"Moonless March\"

Honorable Mentions

Acrassicauda: Only the Dead See the End of the War (Vice)

Besnard Lakes: Besnard Lakes are the Roaring Night (Jagjaguwar)

Eluveitie: Everything Remains: As it Never Was (Nuclear Blast)

Gonjasufi: A Sufi and a Killer (Warp)

Gorillaz: Plastic Beach (Virgin)

Iannis Xenakis: Works with Piano (Mode)

Zu: The Way of the Animal Powers reissue (Public Guilt)

Squarepusher

Solo Electric Bass 1

Though his eclectic IDM creations as Squarepusher have alternately bombarded fans with dance-y, jazzy, funky, fusion-filled drum-and-bass styles, Tom Jenkinson may be most beloved by his fans as a bass guru.

Taken from a live performance in Paris from September of 2007, Solo Electric Bass 1 showcases Jenkinson's full fretted talents, displaying his uncanny ability to play his six-string bass like a classical guitar — with gorgeous chords and intonations that eerily resemble the nylon-stringed instrument that he has employed on such phenomenal albums as Ultravisitor and Hello Everything.

Jenkinson's skills really must be seen to be believed, but this unedited live disc is the next best thing.  Long-time fans and newbies alike mustn't miss this one.

John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble: Eternal Interlude (Sunnyside)

An enlivened jazz percussionist and classical and worldly composer, John Hollenbeck has brought his many talents to the Claudia Quartet, assorted chamber pieces, collaborations with experimental vocalist Theo Bleckmann, and much more.

This shape-shifting big-band effort grabs a number of regular guests, including Bleckmann, to follow the Large Ensemble's Grammy-nominated 2005 debut, A Blessing.  The engaging result is a hybrid classical/jazz creation that may appeal to fans of each, fans of both, or fans of neither.

Keelhaul: Keelhaul's Triumphant Return To Obscurity (Hydra Head)

Following a hiatus of nearly five years, chugging mathcore quartet Keelhaul steps ever so gently from the shadows on an aptly titled return to form.

Moments of melody, clean-channel passages, and even vocal harmonies are scattered on the disc, but riotous riffage, decimating drums, and gruff shouts steal the spotlight as usual.  In a year chock full of great heavy releases, Keelhaul's Triumphant Return to Obscurity shouldn't be overlooked.

Keelhaul: "Pass the Lampshade"
Keelhaul: \"Pass the Lampshade\"

David Daniell & Douglas McCombs: Sycamore (Thrill Jockey)

For their first recorded collaboration, experimental guitarist David Daniell and pedal-steel guitarist Douglas McCombs lay tape to four long-form creations that intertwine composition and improvisation as well as acoustic/electric foundation and effect-drenched accompaniment.  The resultant disc, Sycamore, is borne from last year's recording sessions, which were diced and reassembled into resonant, ambient creations.

The efforts of McCombs, best known for his bass and guitar duties in Tortoise, play a beautiful and spectral foil to Daniell, whose multiple talents are as obvious as those of his partner.  Sycamore is built on this interplay, which also receives dynamic percussive contributions from esteemed guests Frank Rosaly, John Herndon, and Steven Hess, ranging from distant pings to untamed freak-outs.

Pissed Jeans: King of Jeans (Sub Pop)

Gritty punk fury, driving riffs, guitar squeals, and mish-mashed time signatures again define Pissed Jeans on this, the band's third full-length album.  A bit more focused than the 2007 Hope for Men album, King of Jeans recalls the raw, atonal vocals of David Yow and the rhythmic punishment of the rest of The Jesus Lizard.

Pissed Jeans: "Dream Smotherer"
Pissed Jeans: \"Dream Smotherer\"

The Waitiki 7: Adventures in Paradise (Pass Out)

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Hawaii's statehood, the Waitiki 7 balances a thematic tribute to Martin Denny and musical stars of yore with piano-driven Latin sounds, modern jazz, lounge, and film motifs.  Adventures in Paradise, as the name suggests, could double as the soundtrack for a cheery private-dick mystery flick, calling upon exotic vocal calls, flute, horns, and vibraphone to create just the right mood.

The Waitiki 7: "Manila" (sample)
The Waitiki 7: \"Manila\" (sample)

One of the Pitchfork Music Festival’s greatest triumphs is highlighting an independent-minded culture that goes beyond music with volunteer-staffed info-booths run by social action groups and non-profits, DIY clothing and gift vendors, 

The Flatstock art exhibit gathers some of the most innovative concert poster artists in the business,  not to mention the CHIRP Record Fair, where independent labels from around the country, record stores and collectors are able to sell their wares.

The focal point of this community, needless to say, is the music itself. But despite high pre-fest anticipation, and a wide-ranging cast of talent that combined emerging artists with long-time favorites including iconic Sunday-night headliner The Flaming Lips, as often as not, many would-be extraordinary moments were marred by sound problems or obscured by the claustrophobia-inducing crowds in the moderate-sized Union Park.

Although there was still plenty of fun to be had, it seemed likely that many artists that might blow someone over in a club setting had the odds stacked against them.  

Bill Frisell

Jazz guitarist Bill Frisell has left an indelible mark on the genre since the early 1980s, and in the process, crossed into Americana, country, blues, experimental rock, classical and more.

He has worked with artists as diametrically different as drummer Paul Motian and doom-drone group Earth, and this release finds him scoring the 2007 film All Hat with a beautiful country-Western soundtrack that leans on pedal steel, harmonica, and Frisell's sublime melodies.

Skeletonbreath: Eagle's Nest, Devil's Cave (Ernest Jenning)

The fiery fiddle of O'Death violinist Robert Pycior leads Skeletonbreath, a trio that combines Pycior's strings with the low-end rumble and punishing, straightforward rhythms of mid-'90s alt-rock.

Pycior's violin work combines progressive rock leads with discordant keys, neoclassical melodies, and worldly flavor.  Andrew Platt's bass rumbles with the force of Shellac or The Jesus Lizard, and Tris Palazzolo's drums thud with urgent ferocity.  The trio's mixture is unlike almost anything else, and this comes highly recommended.

Nicole Mitchell's Black Earth Strings: Renegades (Delmark)

Composer/flutist Nicole Mitchell holds rare talents, composing her own brilliant works and contributing to many masterful discs that include works from Exploding Star Orchestra, Frequency, Indigo Trio, and more.

As a smaller incarnation of her Black Earth Ensemble, Black Earth Strings combines modern jazz sounds and African rhythms via an acoustic quartet.  This, the group's first commercial release, is a compelling mixture of percussion-less themes that capture with melodies and hooks and rivet with adroit improvisations.

Upsilon Acrux: Radian Futura (Cuneiform)

With heaping doses of melodicism, the über-precise rhythms of math/prog quintet Upsilon Acrux should appeal to adventurous music fans who enjoy old-school Hella, Tera Melos, or other likeminded musicians.

The band's swirling finger-tapped guitar action, Moog harmonies, dirty riffs, and clean-channel harmonics layer atop beats that alternate between chaotic and playful.  The style also recalls old Nintendo scores (on crack) with melodies similar to those of Minus the Bear. Fans of virtuosic guitarists will get their money's worth.

Upsilon Acrux: "Landscape"
Upsilon Acrux: \"Landscape\"

Here's a list of tours on our radar, including dates from The Bad Plus, Fucked Up, Orange Tulip Conspiracy, P.O.S., Secret Chiefs 3, Young Widows, and more.

Follow each artist's link to see current tour dates.

The Bad Plus: March 5 – April 17
After a few one-off shows and a short stint in Eastern Europe, the rock-infused jazz trio begins a month and a half of spread-out dates in major North American cities. Accompanied by vocalist Wendy Lewis, the group is supporting the release of its first all-covers album, For All I Care.

Dan Deacon: April 6 – May 17
Electronic artist Dan Deacon takes a six-week jaunt across the US and Canada with a full supporting ensemble to perform the electro-acoustic works of his new album, Bromst.

Don Caballero: Feb. 3-28
Led by drummer/instigator Damon Che, these rock instrumentalists began a US tour last week that will hit major cities from coast to coast. Since being recreated, the group (with Che as its only remaining original member) has emphasized a heavy rock sound, continuing with its most recent album, Punkgasm.

Fucked Up: Jan. 27 – Feb.
Closing out its three-week US tour, Fucked Up plays a few Midwest dates before culminating with two Valentine's Day shows in Chicago and a recently added gig in Michigan. The shock-value cross-genre punks then take a breather before traveling to Europe in late February.

Irepress: March 4 – April 11
Heading out in support of its sophomore album, Sol Eye Sea 1, this (mostly) instrumental Boston group treats rock clubs to mathy, melodic, chugging, epic songs.

The Oddity Faire: A Mutated Mini Fest: March 4-28
This four-week traveling mini festival features an outstanding lineup of Les Claypool, DeVotchKa, Saul Williams, and Secret Chiefs 3 in many cities. Some dates include the Yard Dogs Road Show, O'Death, and The Mutaytor. Tickets are a bit pricey but should be worth every dollar. Claypool is supporting a new album, Of Fungi and Foe.

Orange Tulip Conspiracy: May 1-23
This new project from Estradasphere guitarist Jason Schimmel makes its debut US tour in support of its excellent first album.

P.O.S.: Feb. 5-28
With what should be one of the year's best hip-hop albums in tow, Minnesota's P.O.S. kicked off a three-week US tour in Montana last Thursday. His jaunt runs through the West, the Midwest, and the East Coast before returning to Minneapolis.

Sleepytime Gorilla Museum: April 9-20
This theatrical art-metal group takes a short Midwest and East Coast tour between albums, getting a fabulous opener in Dub Trio for five of the dates.

Young Widows: March 13 – April 7
After a stretch of European performances, Louisville's Young Widows will have spent the better part of two months on the road, punishing crowds with a rhythmic heaviness and inspiration from forerunners such as The Jesus Lizard.

The Bastard Noise

Borne as a side project from pioneering industrial hardcore outfit Man is the Bastard, this electro-noise trio provides a surprisingly accessible soundtrack to the Armageddon. Crackling, squealing, and howling electronics surround steady bass rhythms and eerie ambience, often while notable guest contributions — in this case, the unmistakable screams of The Locust vocalist Justin Pearson — add to the unsettling doom.

The Bastard Noise: "Tyranny Beyond Earth Epilogue"
The Bastard Noise: \"Tyranny Beyond Earth Epilogue\"

The Low Frequency in Stereo: Futuro (Rune Grammofon)

Norwegian rock quintet The Low Frequency in Stereo create unabashed pop tunes with enough appeal to make even emotionally hardened metal heads tap along. The group's electronic/rock hybrid of fuzzy, tremoloed guitar riffs, dancing organs, grooved-out melodies, and loaded effects draw parallels to plenty of contemporaries, but The Low Frequency in Stereo accomplishes this mixture in a unique fashion.

Lymbyc Systym: Carved by Glaciers [reissue] (Magic Bullet)

Before their beautiful full-length debut of Love Your Abuser on Mush Records, brothers Mike and Jared Bell made well-crafted, keyboard-driven post-rock for their Carved by Glaciers EP. The duo's heartening tunes employ piano, synthesizers, organs, xylophones, brass instruments, and much more to provide a gorgeous multi-layered mix. Coinciding with a separate split release with This Will Destroy You, also on Magic Bullet, Lymbyc Systym now has its debut EP reissued.

Lymbyc Systym: "Carved by Glaciers"
Lymbyc Systym: \"Carved by Glaciers\"

Drew Brown: Tiago La is Losing the Plot [US release] (Lex)

Though Lex Records' website would have one believe that this album doesn't exist, amazon.com begs to differ. Brown's MySpace page has a scant trio of songs, but they exhibit the eclectic singer/songwriter possibilities of this EP.

Quatre Tete: Art of the State (Sickroom)

With two EPs and a full-length album under its belt, this Chicago trio returns with its unadulterated, math-influenced mid-'90s-style rock. Fans of hard-hitting guitar/bass/drums configurations would do well to pick up Art of the State, recorded by engineer Bob Weston.

The album draws a bit of sonic inspiration from Weston's most famous group, Shellac, as well as musical brethren like The Jesus Lizard and Dianogah.

Quatre Tete: "Mouth of the Rattlesnake"
Quatre Tete: \"Mouth of the Rattlesnake\"