The Jesus Lizard
Pummeling mid-tempo rock icons The Jesus Lizard will briefly reunite; idiosyncratic rapper Busdriver performs live with a jazz band tonight; minimalist folk group Phosphorescent has recorded a disc of Willie Nelson covers. Read on.
Shellac is an enigmatic, metallic-toned, minimalist rock trio that appears whenever it feels like recording a new album. The lyrics of guitarist/vocalist/engineer Steve Albini are just as untroubled, touching on anything from a prayer for two deaths to a catastrophic squirrel attack. Here are six of the group’s great lines.
Wu Fei: Yuan
Chinese-American composer Wu Fei leads our list this week with expressive ensemble creations. Her label’s owner, John Zorn, also makes an appearance next to the ambient jazz/electronics of Colorlist and the political throwback rock of The (International) Noise Conspiracy. (more…)
Femi Kuti confirms US tour dates, Ennio Morricone will write music for Quentin Tarantino, and we have previews for new albums by Andrew Bird, Burnt by the Sun, William Elliot Whitmore, and Powersolo. Read on.
Dub Trio, photo by Bryan Sheffield
Heading the “mustn’t miss” portion of our weekend, ALARM cover artists Dub Trio return to Chicago. If we have enough time (or the ability to clone ourselves), we hope to also catch Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers, Calexico, the Melvins, Big Business, and a number of other musical talents.
The Bad Plus
Infused with the energy of a hard-rock outfit, The Bad Plus wields its jazz chops with considerable force. In anticipation of the trio’s forthcoming covers album, For All I Care, ALARM has an exclusive MP3 streamer of “You and I Is a Comfort Zone,” an original song that will only be included on the album’s vinyl edition.
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Kieran Hebden and Steve Reid: NYC
If you haven’t noticed, our musical interests are pretty damn diverse. Our album picks this week include the Gypsy brass mania of the Kocani Orkestar, the Afrobeat fusion of Femi Kuti, the brutal sludge of Ocean, and the dense atmospherics and jazz drumming of Kieran Hebden and Steve Reid.
The Bad Plus
Care to peek at our personal playlists? Here is a collection of ten songs that we’re jamming at the moment, including work by Mike Patton, Helms Alee, 2 Foot Yard, Ocean, The Bad Plus, and more.
Garage a Trois
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez announces a new solo album for Stones Throw; Saul Williams speaks about the aftermath of The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust; Garage a Trois announces tour dates and posts an album preview; Don Caballero returns to the Northeast, and much more.
The Lonesome Organist
Care to stalk us this weekend? Search for us around Chicago as we see Subtle, The Lonesome Organist, Eastern Blok, the Andreas Kapsalis Trio, Young Widows, and more. And maybe you’d care to see The Dark Knight with online editor Scott Morrow…
