Saturday, February 12, 2011

Zu - Carboniferous


This is an amazing amalgamation of so many genres. Hailing from Rome, Italy there is no doubt in my mind that whatever you could call this....Zu is the greatest at it. To effectively compile every style that is twisted by this trio you would have to include.

Jazz
Free-Jazz
Rock
Metal
No-Wave
Math
Punk
Noise
Experimental

phew...

It should be noted that this is the groups 14th release and shows with its laser focus. Fans of any of the above mentioned flim-flam please check it. 

Carboniferous

Friday, February 11, 2011

Appy Polly Logic


From the Burbs of Philly.
Four Piece
Jazz-Rock Funk Experimental
Saxophone as prominent instrument

Its fresh. Its crisp. Intentions that pay off!

BOOM!

Saying Hi





Your punishment Ninko for not posting music is to identify this character. You may utilize google if need be.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Mouse On The Keys

Piano Driven Jazz Math

As Metaghost will certainly attest to, Mouse on the Keys is some seriously amazing stuff. I cant think of another progressive jazz group that employs math elements that is really this fun and knows how to man handle a groove. The drummer for this group needs to give lessons to some of the other math rock groups, possibly start some sort of out reach program. I'm shamefully unfamiliar with these guys former group "Nine Days Wonder" but I'd be willing to bet its pretty straight amazing as well. Thank you Japan once again for sending us auditory delights.


an anxious object   (Track 2, Spectres Des Mouse, has possibly the single tightest drum lick of your life)

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Monsoon Bassoon




psych-rock w/math elements

I don't really think psychedelic rock is a fair tag for this. Active in the mid to late 90's Monsoon Bassoon flits about in their own universe. Not exactly what I'd call a math rock band but they do exhibit occational time changes. Odd tunings and complex rhythms are more what you run into here. Guitars chug energetically through chorus's getting a tad bit stale after a few songs. In all fairness this is highly influenced by prog-rock of the 70's and more contemporary independent groups of the 90's. Its some good stuff and a nice hidden gem 

monsoon bassoon 

metaghostin' Vol. 2 - In Reality Is Reality Reality?

In Reality Is Reality Reality? - 56'40''
---
1 - "Start" (Mew / No More Stories... B-Side / 2009)

I didn't have an especially high opinion of Mew prior to No More Stories..., and much of their earlier material still grates on my nerves a good deal, but No More Stories... was definitely one of my favorite albums of 2009. (At least I think it was 2009.) This B-side is much less dense than most of that album, being mostly vocals and piano, but it does a great job of condensing the bizarre childlike melancholy that pervades No More Stories... into such a simple song.

2 - "October All Over" (Unwound / Leaves Turn Inside You / 2001)

There are a great many reasons to love this band, this album, this song, but I mostly just want to talk a little about the immaculate production. Entirely self-produced, they managed to really indulge in what a studio can offer without going overboard as many overwrought double-LP tend to be. It has a density to it, a great low-frequency heft, and yet never sacrifices clarity of each instrument carefully arranged within the stereo field. Even the cliché reverse guitar solo rips, searing the flesh off all your faces.

3 - "Visions" (Stevie Wonder / Innervisions / 1973)

Being mostly a dude who grew up on hard rock, cock rock, schlock rock, and other bullshit older brothers listen, I was never exposed to what Stevie Wonder was really about until college. Some times you feel dumb and sometimes you feel fucking retarded. Hearing Innervisions was one of those moments, but damn it felt good. In the words of MF Doom, "quite buttery".

4 - "Green Typewriters III" (Olivia Tremor Control / Dusk at Cubist Castle / 1996)

This album is just jammed with some of the dopest minute-long pop songs.

5 - "Lobster in Cleavage Probe (Suite)" (Hatfield & the North / S/T / 1974)

In local parlance, Hatfield & the North were the absolute sluttiest of the Canterbury bands. Yeah, yeah, dudes were instrumental beasts, but they were just laying down the most hilarious soft-jazz licks and singing about taking baths and eating candy bars. They have a choir to back up their Rhodes cheez and some guy going buckwild on the Big Muff bass. It's just thoroughly outrageous, Prog progenitors takin' the piss and having fun.

6 - "Don't Cry for Me" (The Zombies / Odessey & Oracle / 1968)

Sick harmonies, brah.

7 - "Heaven and Weak" (Maudlin of the Well / Bath / 2001)

What's the name of the story that's referenced in the lyrics? I feel like I knew it once, because there was a girl I knew who made a piece of claymation about it. Probably a Greek Myth or just a thing that doesn't exist.

8 - "The Great Below" (NIN / The Fragile (Left) / 1999)

Why is it that stoner kids are still getting high to Dark Side of the Moon when they could be getting all introspective and tripped out to this?

9 - "Virtually" (Soft Machine / Fourth / 1974)

Hugh Hopper (RIP) is easily one of my favorite bassists of all time and if you're into electric bass within a Jazz or Fusion context, you owe it yourself to go out and pickup this record.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Tangled Thoughts of Leaving - Tiny Fragments

         Jazz-core Math-core Manti-core


Australian *Jazzcore? YES PLEASE. These guys can be brutal as anything yet easily tone it down at a moments notice. Ridiculous technical skill showcased here with varying styles being represented.  Its really nice to see the piano also brought so much to the front of the pack and not cowering in the background. Call it what you will this is some amazing music.



*jazz cross bred with **grindcore.

**metal that incorporates down tuned guitars, fast tempo's and ***blast beats.

***an extremely fast  sixteenth note figure played on the drums