New Colin Meloy Album Coming! Hurrah!

I speak truth. Colin Meloy Sings Live will be released on April 8th from Kill Rock Stars.

17 songs-

1 Devil's Elbow
2 We Both Go Down Together
3 Evoking a Campfire Singalong
4 The Gymnast, High Above the Ground
5 Here I Dreamt I Was an Architect / Dreams
6 Dracula's Daughter
7 Wonder
8 A Brief Introduction to Shirley Collins
9 Barbara Allen
10 The Engine Driver
11 On the Bus Mall
12 A Skull, a Ship, and a Sheep
13 California One/Youth and Beauty Brigade / Ask
14 The Bachelor and the Bride
15 A Cautionary Song
16 Red Right Ankle
17 Bandit Queen

To tide you over in the meantime, you can snag NPR's recording of the Birchmere gig from the 2006 tour here. For Colin/Decemberists fans, I strongly suggest downloading it. At least download this version of California One/Youth and Beauty Brigade.
You owe it to yourself.

Colin Meloy's Official Myspace has some cool demos and stuff too.

Combatwoundedveteran

Combatwoundedveteran was an experimental hardcore band. They condense breakneck tempos, buzzing guitars, and the throat-destroying screams of two vocalists into a wall of intense noise. And they do this all in under two minutes per song. They broke up in 2003.

Recommended Albums:
This Is Not An Erect, All-Red Neon Body

CWV on No Idea Records
Official Myspace
CWV live
More CWV live

The Foxymorons

Despite the joke name, these guys make some seriously good music. Incredibly stylistically diverse too- Acoustic, Folk, Pop-punk, Alt-rock... They also manage to pull off the atonal, Pavement style vocals very well, as well as soaring melodies more akin to ELP.
Definitely true indie-rock. Definitely worth listening to.

If you have a myspace account you can download an excellent set of 4 songs from their Official Myspace.


Free mp3s-
Hesitation Eyes
Harvard Hands

Wow, Owls!

Wow, Owls! was a Virginia screamo band. They were signed to Perpetual Motion Machine, who have some other good hardcore bands (La Quiete, Life At These Speeds, CTTS). They went from just being a fledgling local Richmond, VA band in 2003, to a tour of Europe 2.5 years later in 2006. They had some troubles with debt, and decided to call it quits after three final shows. 3 of the ex-members are now in a new band, Mouthbreather.

Recommended Albums:
Pick Your Patterns
Wow, Owls!/The Setup split

Official Myspace
Wow, Owls! live

Choking Victim

Choking Victim is a New York ska punk band associated with C-Squat. They famously made heavy reference to Satanism and crack smoking in their lyrics. They are staunchly atheist, leftist, and anti-discriminatory. They share members with other ska bands from the area, such as Morning Glory and Leftover Crack. They have broken up and reformed a few times. I hear they are currently together, apparently? Not totally sure about that.

Recommended Albums:
No Gods, No Managers

Official Myspace (I think)
Some mp3s at Epitaph
Some more mp3s at Purevolume
Choking Victim live

Cynic

Cynic is a technical death metal band from Florida. They added the influence of jazz fusion to their metal sound. They also used dual vocalists, one with death grunts, one with a robotic-sounding voice produced by a vocoder. Their lyrics are about deep philosophical and religious topics. They recorded one album, Focus, in 1993. They broke up the next year. Some of their members were in other technical/progressive metal groups, such as Atheist, Gordian Knot, Pestilence, and Portal. In 2006, they reunited to tour Europe.

Recommended Albums:
Focus

Official Website
Official Myspace
Veil of Maya at Roadrunner Records
Veil of Maya live
The reunited Cynic play How Could I? live

Napalm Death

Napalm Death is one of the pioneers of grindcore. They started as a hardcore punk band, but began to move toward a more death metal influenced sound. They created a high-speed mix of metal and hardcore which formed the basis for modern grindcore. And did I mention it's really fucking fast? They often tackle political topics in their lyrics. The band has undergone many lineup changes. By the time they recorded side 2 of Scum, they had no original members left. This means that there are a huge number of associated bands and side projects. To name a few, Carcass, Brujeria, Cathedral, and Godflesh were all related to Napalm Death. In recent years, Napalm Death has taken a more progressive deathgrind sound. They remain one of the most influential bands in extreme music.

Recommended Albums:
Scum
From Enslavement to Obliteration

Official Website
Official Myspace
Napalm Death live
Napalm Death covering the DKs' Nazi Punks Fuck Off
You Suffer live (Shortest song ever?)

Bad Brains

Bad Brains is a Washington, DC punk band, and one of the really influential bands in early hardcore. They started off as a fusion band, but got into punk rock. They threw their considerable musical talents into the mix, and produced their own style of intense and complex punk. They could also play reggae, and included some reggae influence on most of their albums. They had some metal influence on some of their stuff as well. They have broken up and got back together again multiple times, and they are currently back together with their original lineup, and have produced a new album.

Recommended Albums:
Bad Brains
I Against I

Official Website
Official Myspace
Their Epitonic Page
Pay to Cum live at CBGB
Big Take Over live at CBGB

Circle Takes The Square

Circle Takes The Square is a modern screamo band. They use rather technical song structures to back up their intensity, with complex guitar, bass, and drum parts. They also use a very cool male/female dual vocalist style, and intricate lyrics. They work with Robotic Empire, who have some other good stuff out.
CTTS came to 242 Main over the summer, but I missed it. Hopefully they'll pay us another visit in the future.

Recommended Albums:
s/t
As The Roots Undo

Official Website
Official Myspace
CTTS live
More CTTS live

Romans

Romans is a Vermont metalcore band. They incoroporate post-metal influences from bands like Pelican or Isis, and some mathcore. They've produced their first album themselves. They've been gaining a lot of notice in the VT scene lately, so you might want to be watching them.

Recommended Albums:
All Those Wrists

Official Myspace
Romans live

Crass

Crass was an English punk band, and one of the pioneers of anarcho-punk. They were based around the anarchist community Dial House in Essex. They rejected the consumerism, capitalism, and violence of mainstream society, and instead promoted DIY, anarchism, and peace. Crass was a huge influence on the leftists/anarchist politics found in much of modern punk. Crass broke out of the previous rock paradigm, using spoken word and experimental improvisation on some tracks. They also integrated performance art and multimedia into their approach. They started Crass Records, which released albums by other anarchist bands. Throughout their career, the group stated an intention to dissolve in 1984, which they did. The members went on to continue in music, go to art school, and participate in performance art, among other things. Penny Rimbaud and Gee Vaucher bought Dial House, to ensure that its tradition continued. In 2002, many of the ex-members collaborated as a group that has been known as The Crass Collective, Crass Agenda, or most recently Last Amendment. This group puts on many different types of work, from poetry readings, to performing Crass songs. The legacy of Crass lives on.

Recommended Albums:
The Feeding of the 5000
Stations of the Crass
Yes Sir, I Will

Unofficial Myspace
Crass live (Live footage of Crass is pretty fucking rare stuff. You'd better appreciate it.)

Fire the Cannons

Fire the Cannons is (was?) a Burlington, VT indie rock band. You could compare them to Sonic Youth (at least the Sonic Youth of "Goo" and "Dirty"), or The Pixies. The bassist is very good, skillfully integrating chords with his playing. When I saw them, their drummer was pretty good too.
I was told they've apparently broken up? I'm not sure.

Recommended Albums:
I don't know that they have one out. Do they?

Official Myspace

Limp Wrist

Limp Wrist is a queercore band featuring ex-members of many other hardcore bands, in particular, Martin Sorrondeguy, founder of Lengua Armada Discos and ex-member of Los Crudos. They claim to "put the "core" back in "queercore." Personally, I'd say they do a damn good job at it. Homophobes, take notice: Limp Wrist are here, queer, and fuckin' hardcore!

Recommended Albums:
Limp Wrist - The Official Discography


Official Website
Official Myspace
A live set

Archer in Jeopardy

Archer in Jeopardy was a Vermont rock band. They were influenced by screamo, lo-fi indie rock, and post-rock. They're also a bit jazzy. To make a stupid comparison, think of it as Orchid beating up GYBE while Stephen Malkmus looks on. Or, better yet, go listen to their stuff. They released 2 EPs and a live album, and then broke up. However, they're releasing an an album, Black Dog, Subside: The "I Doesn't Matter" Story, on Young Optimists Records. Rumor has it that they're planning a reunion show to go along with it...

Recommended Albums:
That's So Legit
Fragments To Decay
Black Dog, Subside

Official Myspace
Whiskey Waltz live
She Didn't Die, She Just Stopped Living live
There are also a hell of a lot more videos

The Dillinger Escape Plan

The Dillinger Escap Plan is a rather influential mathcore band. They are on the excellent Relapse Records. Their sound has changed over their career, moving away from their more straight-up mathy hardcore sound, and incorporating more eclectic influences. This has produced mixed results. Their line-up has changed even more than their sound, with guitarist Ben Weinman as the only original member left. At their best, they create uncompromising and intelligent music.

Recommended Albums:
Calculating Infinity
Ire Works

Official Myspace
Their page on Relapse
43% Burnt live
Sugar Coated Sour live

Antioch Arrow

Antioch Arrow was one of the early screamo bands. They were on the legendary, and absurdly awesome, Gravity Records. Their music is played at high speed, and mixes melody and noisy atonality. Their vocalist, Aaron, is cool, with his excellent control of dynamics. Their live performances were ridiculous. It's hard to explain, just watch the videos and you'll see. They broke up in 1994.

Recommended Albums:
The Lady Is A Cat
In Love With Jetts

Official Myspace
Their Epitonic Page
Antioch Arrow live
More Antioch Arrow live
Sorry about the abysmal sound quality on the videos.

Vitals

Vitals is a Vermont progressive post-rock band. Their music is all instrumental, and they intersperse rock aggression with ambient complexity. Their style is pretty unique, but it could be loosely compared to some of the bigger post-rock bands out there.

Recommended Albums:
The Legend That Was Earth

Official Website
Official Myspace
Their last.fm page has some free mp3s
At These Heights live
Terrifying Storms of Incredible Beauty live

Orchid

Orchid was a late-90's screamo band from Amherst, MA. They worked with the awesome Ebullition Records quite a bit. Their albums are somewhat obscure and hard to find (they were originally released on vinyl), but they are certainly worth it. Their music is absurdly, incredibly energetic, with breakneck speed and throat-destroying screams. And you absolutely must see the video of their live performance. It is intense.

Recommended Albums:
Chaos Is Me
Dance Tonight, Revolution Tomorrow
Totality - This was released on Will's label Clean Plate

Fan Myspace
An mp3 on Clean Plate
The full video of their last show - seriously, watch this. it's a good candidate for Best Video on Youtube Ever.

Maneuvers

Maneuvers is a Burlington, Vermont rock band. I don't know how they would describe themselves, but I would describe them as post-hardcore with emo and math-rock influences. They list greats of those genres such as Drive Like Jehu, Fugazi, At The Drive-In, and Jawbox as influences. They pull off this sound very well. Just listen to "Mare Oceanum" and try to tell me it's not catchy. Also, their drummer is pretty damn good.
Sadly, I missed them at Indiecon. I should be seeing them at 242 Main with Amadis and cccome? on January 28. It should be a good show.

Recommended Albums:
Their EP The Soothing Sounds Of Sirens is out now.

Official Website
Official Myspace
Maneuvers live at 242 Main for Indiecon 2007
More Maneuvers live

Earth

Earth is a band that has played many styles of music in their career. They are most famous for being pioneers of the drone doom genre. They have had massive influence on the bands that followed them is this genre, such as Sunn 0))) and Teeth of Lions Rule The Divine. Ex-members of Earth have gone on to participate in other metal bands in similar styles such as Thrones and Khanate.
However, Earth's musical style has evolved over their career. Their new music has turned away from the focus on drones, and incorporated eclectic influences and clean tone. By now, I might even go so far as to classify them as post-metal, or just general experimental. Throughout the changes in their style, they've maintained consistently high quality, and kept producing good music.

Recommended Albums:
That's difficult to say, because of their musical evolution. I guess I would suggest a couple releases to cover the different sounds.
Earth 2
Pentastar
Hex

Official Website
Official Myspace
Some mp3s are up on Southern Lord ( who rock, by the way)
Earth live

The Cancer Conspiracy

The Cancer Conspiracy was a Burlington, Vermont instrumental prog band. The band was composed of veterans of the local music scene who wanted to try a new musical direction. Their music is jazz and math-rock influenced. It's really excellent stuff for any fans of progressive music. They broke up in 2003, and their members have gone on to participate in other good bands musical entities. In particular, Daryl Rabidoux went on to work for Strangeways Recording, who have produced some really high-quality music. Their label collapsed in 2004, leaving their final album in a state of copyright limbo. However, they have finally obtained the rights, and this album, Omega, should be released on January 29!

Recommended Albums:
The Audio Medium
Omega

Official Myspace
There are some mp3s up at their new label Radar
Their Epitonic page

Song of Zarathustra

Song of Zarathustra is a hardcore band that formed in 1997. Aside from their radical music, odd meters, and intense vocals, they used keyboards and electronics to supplement their sound. Their chaotic, cathartic brand of noise is definitely worth a listen, if you're into this genre. From what I've seen, their live stuff is even better than their recorded stuff. It's got a more raw, real sound. I believe they've broken up though, and I've found it difficult to find live footage or recordings. If you have any info, I'd be glad to hear it.

Recommended Albums:
The Birth of Tragedy

Myspace
Some pictures of a live performance
Their Epitonic page
Some mp3s are available on Troubleman (who rock)
With Hands That Bleed live

Amadis

Amadis is a classic metal band from Vermont. They play straight-up metal influenced by Judas Preist, Iron Maiden, and Thin Lizzy. (They're pretty much the Judas Priest of New England...) They've got as many monster riffs and face-melting guitar solos as you could want. It seems their rhythm guitarist is in a spot of legal trouble... Hopefully, this won't stop them from producing more good music in the future.

Lead guitarist Franky Andreas has played in other local bands, and teaches guitar lessons. He also manages the booking for 242 Main now, which makes him double cool. Oh, and did I mention he's a kickass guitarist?

That's not to take the spotlight away from the other band members - they're all badass too. Especially with all the leather and such.

Recommended Albums:
I don't believe they have an album out yet. But hopefully they will soon.

Official Myspace
The video for Leatherhouse

The Pernice Brothers

It's really just Joe Pernice, and his brother Bob comes and goes. But great music.
Major Flaming Lips vibe- you know, that pure, concentrated happiness with just the right tinge of melancholy.
Speaking in genres, I classify it as indie-pop. Not that that says much.
Subtle vocal harmonies, lo-key guitar solos, ahh.

Recommended Albums-
well, all of them, but
Live A Little
Nobody's Watching (Live)

Links-
Official Site
Official Myspace
Free mp3 of Somerville
"Live A Little" Full Album Stream

In addition to making superb albums, Joe also makes this brilliant MTV Cribs spinoff about what its like for indie artists. Highly hilarious.
You can find the episodes here.

Harvey Milk

Harvey Milk is an experimental band from Athens, Georgia. Their music is difficult to define. They generally play heavy riffs at a plodding speed, interspersed with soft acoustic passages. They use some odd instrumentation, odd sound, and strange rhythms. The track "Pinnochio's Example" (available on on of the links) is a very good example of these elements. Their first two albums follow this general formula. They released one album that is not in this genre, 1997's The Pleaser, which is blues-rock and completely different from their other music. They broke up in 98, but reformed in 2006. Their albums used to be really hard to find, but Relapse Records (who kick ass) has rereleased their stuff.

Recommended Albums:
Courtesy and Good Will Toward Men
My Love Is Higher Than Your Assessment Of What My Love Could Be

Not-so-Recommended Albums:
The Pleaser - This is their blues-rock album. It's nothing like their other stuff at all. Personally, I dislike it.

Relapse Records page
Harvey Milk on Epitonic
Some music is available on Tumult (who still rock)
Harvey Milk live
More Harvey Milk live

My Revenge!

My Revenge! is a Burlington, VT punk band. They've been around since 2001, releasing hardcore in a pretty traditional style. They remind me a bit of Minor Threat and Agnostic Front. Their lyrics are often about skateboarding, gay rights, and fighting against intolerance. They are playing a final show on April 5, 2008. If you're in the Burlington area then, I recommend you go see them. It will be worth your time, and it's the last chance you'll get to experience it.
Hopefully, I shall be there.


Recommended Albums:
Any of them.

Official Myspace
Their page at Thorp Records
My Revenge live (sorry about shitty sound quality...)

Aus-Rotten

Aus-Rotten was a classic crust punk band. Their anarchist politics and excellent lyrics are as good as the music itself. Their primary topic was politics, and they covered it damn well. They officially broke up in 2001, but its members have gone on to participate in other bands in the Pennsylvania punk scene.

Recommended Albums:
Not One Single Fucking Hit Discography contains the majority of their music.

Myspace
Some free mp3s are available from Havoc Records (who rock, by the way)
Aus-Rotten live

The Wards

The Wards are Vermont's longest-lived punk band. They've been around since the late 70s. Their live shows are pretty chaotic. When I saw them, Tea Curley seemed pretty drunk, they played until they got kicked off the stage, andthey ordered out a pizza and gave some to the audience. They're still alive and kicking, and still play shows around VT.

Recommended Albums:
The World Ain't Pretty And Neither Are We
Ripped Off In Boston

Official Myspace
History of The Wards
The Wards live

Hammers of Misfortune

Hammers of Misfortune is an eclectic progressive metal band from San Francisco. They incorporate elements from many different styles of metal, and from folk. They've been around since the late 90s, and released three albums so far. Their first two albums generated a lot of buzz in the metal community, and they live up to the hype as well.

Recommended Albums:
The Bastard
The August Engine

Official Website
Official Myspace
A couple of songs are available on their old label, Tumult.
Their new label, Cruz Del Sur, has a preview for The Locust Years.
The Locust Years live
An Oath Sworn In Hell live

From The Ground Up

From The Ground Up is a melodic hardcore band based in Burlington, Vermont. They sound a bit like Bane, Kid Dynamite, or Turning Point. They did a lot of their recording at Strangeways Recording back before it relocated from Burlington to Providence, RI. The very cool Mike Poorman and Daryl Rabidoux worked on their records. They've got an album, "Words Can't Explain," out on Round 2 Records. There should be a new self-titled album coming out on Stop Whining Start Winning soon.

Recommended Albums:
Words Can't Explain

Official Website
Official Myspace
Greater Good live

Envy

Envy is one of the most famous Japanese hardcore bands. Their sounds can be compared to classic screamo bands such as Orchid, Yaphet Kotto, or Heroin. They tour internationally, and they have quite a few fans even outside Japan, with good reason. Their music is intense and earnest, with contrast between calm instrumentals and hardcore outbursts. If you like this general style of hardcore, Envy are a very good example of it, and definitely worth a listen.

Recommended Albums:
A Dead Sinking Story
Insomniac Doze

Official Website
Official Myspace
Some free MP3s from Temporary Residence Limited
Chain Wandering Deeply live
Scene live

Lowell Thompson Band

It's great to see a local band making some waves- especially when they deserve too. The Lowell Thompson Band plays really good alt-country with some old time rock n roll. Their cd has a pretty diverse collection of tunes, at times branching out into folk and indie-rock.
I really like the track "Crenshaw"...it conjures Red House Painters and the sk6ers.

I saw these guys live last August, and hopefully will see them again soon. Very nice show.

Links-
Official Site
Myspace
A few streams. (bad quality, sorry)

Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers

Caught these guys about two years ago on their tour with the Pat McGee Band and they were absolutely amazing live. It's good to see that they've been steadily gaining recognition, and are now on the verge of mainstream, I'd say. Still, they remain true to their indie label Everfire, almost following in O.A.R.'s footsteps...
Anyway, SK6ERs play a great alt-country style, with original, catchy melodies. To be picky, their albums are alittle overproduced for my taste, but their live show more than makes up for it. Definetly get a ticket if you can.

I'd recommend starting with their eponymus album, especially "You've Changed" and "Anthem of our Discovery"

Links-
Official Site
You've Changed Music Vid
and this kinda stuff is what makes for a great show.

chainsaws.and.children

chainsaws.and.children is a self-described "guitar heavy electrocore band" based in Vermont. Their music is a pretty brutal midpoint between hardcore and industrial. Unfortunately, they've been on "indefinite hiatus" since 2004. It's also difficult to find much by them online, since the mp3s on Big Heavy World's website aren't all working.

Recommended Albums:
.daca.
It will be hard to find, but it's worth it if you like industrial. It should be on Amazon, if you want it.

Official Website

The Gay Blades

The Gay Blades are a rock duo composed of guitarist/vocalist Clark Westfield and drummer Puppy Mills. Their stripped-down sound could be compared to The Kills, The White Stripes, or The Black Keys. They are ridiculously energetic at live shows. I mean, seriously good. Better live than on CD. Check out the Youtube videos linked to here for examples.

Recommended Albums:
Ghosts

Official Website
Official Myspace
Bob Dylan's 115th Nightmare
Hey She Say
Robots Can Fuck Your Shit Up

Big Heavy World

Big Heavy World is a Vermont music organization. They support local music of all genres.

Big Heavy does everything from the website itself, to running the Vermont Music Library & Shop, to managing a small record label, to organizing and promoting some shows. One new thing is their collaboration with Radio Bean to run a new low-power radio station, WOMM-LP 105.9 The Radiator. I have had the pleasure of seeing The Radiator go from nothing at all to a working community radio station with regular programming. Unfortunately, the station is currently audible only in Burlington, VT. But fear not: Within the year The Radiator should be available as streaming radio, giving much wider access to Vermont music.

Unrestrained

Unrestrained is a fuckin' awesome hardcore band from my local Burlington, VT. They are composed of veterans of such other bands as My Revenge!, Spies in America, Dog Days, and others. I'll let the music speak for me here.

Official Myspace
Unrestrained Live
More Unrestrained Live


Like it? Support the Vermont music scene and buy their CD "Appleseeds." While you're at it, see one of their frequent shows if you're in the local area.

Vocalist Ryan also works for a certain Vermont music organization by the name of Big Heavy World. Take notice of this, because I'm probably going to mention BHW at every opportunity.

Deerhoof

Deerhoof is an experimental rock band from the Bay Area. Their music ranges from dissonant noise, to soft indie rock, to really strict composition. Most of their albums and songs fall somewhere between these extremes. Some common characteristics of their songs are loose tempos, odd juxtapositions of catchy melody and noise or dissonance, improvisation, weird meters, and singer Satomi Matsuzaki's distinctinctive vocals.

Recommended Albums:
Hell, there's so much variation between them that it's difficult to suggest which are the best. But for someone first being introduced to Deerhoof, I would suggest listening to Revielle and Apple O'

Official Website
MP3s courtesy of Ibiblio.org
Official Myspace
The Perfect Me
Deerhoof Live

Colin Meloy Sings Morrissey

It's probably a safe bet that most Decemberists fans are unaware of frontman Colin Meloy's solo cover projects. Being a fan of the Decemberists, a fan of Morrissey, and partial to acoustic songs, I really enjoy his Morrissey cover EP. It didn't garner great reviews from certain large media outlets (i.e.Pitchfork), but they're wrong. Its home-recording style and the acoustic guitar arrangements have a visceral indie appeal. The imperfections and mistakes just make it more accessible- they add a camaraderie not usually attained in the studio.
Highlights would be Jack the Ripper(absolutely amazing), Sister I'm a Poet, and Every Day is Like Sunday.

Tracklist-

1. I Know Very Well How I Got My Name
2. Pregnant for the Last Time
3. Jack the Ripper
4. I've Changed My Plea to Guilty
5. Sister I'm a Poet
6. Everyday Is Like Sunday
   

Luckily for us, the whole thing is available in mp3 from the Internet Archive.
Click here for a direct link to the zip file.

Charles Bronson

Charles Bronson was one of the classics of the thrashcore/powerviolence scene, and they're fucking amazing. They play ultra-fast, ultra-short lofi hardcore. There are quite a few movie samples incorporated into their music. Almost none of their songs are over 1:30. Sadly, I won't get the chance to see them live, since they've broken up. But from the videos here, you can get a little idea of what it was like.

Recommended Albums:
Complete Discocrappy has all their songs. Get it.

"Marriage Can Suck It"
Charles Bronson on Myspace
Youth Attack Live
More Live Charles Bronson

Preview- The Grand Archives

This is Mat Brooke's (from Band of Horses) new band.
Their self-titled debut comes out on Feb. 19th courtesy of SubPop, but there are some early tracks to be found around the intarwebs. I can best describe the sound as dream-folk rock, with some excellent four-part harmonies...very nice.
Sleepdriving departs from their folky feel in favor of an alt-pop mood, but is probably my favorite song...there's something very peaceful in it.
You can get it and a couple other mp3s for free from Pitchfork Media.
(Make sure you use the MP3> link and not the imeem stream links.)

I'll do a more in-depth review once the album is out.

Behold... The Arctopus

Behold... The Arctopus
is a band at the forefront of experimental metal. Their particular brand of instrumental tech metal is heavily influenced by jazz and modern classical. Their tempos switch at whiplash speed, and the guitar parts are ridiculously intricate. Also, band member Colin Marston plays a very cool Warr guitar.

This music is not for everybody, but if you like extreme metal and you want to hear something that breaks boundaries, I recommend giving B...TA a listen.

Recommended Albums:
Skullgrid
Nano-Nucleonic Cyborg Summoning (reissue)

Exospacial Psionic Aura live
Alcoholocaust live
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/beholdthearctopus
Free tracks

On mainstream music.

New artists rise to the general spectrum through corporate promotion, not through dedication or inspiration. The industry tells people what they want to hear through promotion and the creation of faux-band images like MCR. People need to learn to elevate their minds beyond the confines of corporate selection, and at least decide whether they truly appreciate the art, or whether they simply employ its facade as a social and mental narcotic.

When you listen to a song, can you hear nothing else? Does it grip your consciousness, and leave an imprint on your psyche? Or does it just wash across your ears and fall away?

This state is not helped by modern music production techniques- the policy of most producers is to create a shimmering, sugar-coated diamond of perfection. This, to me, is missing the point. Art is not about mathematical precision and scientific procedure; art is about humanity and empathy. We smother the art in packaging, steal its breath, and leave a shell. A shell of scintillating beauty, perhaps, but there is no feeling, no life, and the inherent mystery unique to living things is gone. I don't mean to deride the use of technology in art, or anything of the sort. (Pro tools kicks ass!) I advocate its use, in fact, but to enhance expression, not to synthesize perfection.

Consequently, indie music is suppressed by the corporate media. Too much thought is bad for the industry- we need for people to realize they can actually think for themselves and decide what they want to hear. That would hopefully precipitate the industry fragmenting enough to allow artists the recognition they deserve.

American Gothic EP

Smashing Pumpkins
Time for a brief foray into mainstream alt-rock.

These are the first new Pumpkin's tracks since Zeitgeist, and I think they are much better.
It could be because this is an acoustic EP, and is therefore less overproduced, or just because I have an affinity for acoustic music.
The stripped-down tracks also make American Gothic also sound like less of a Billy-athon than Zeitgeist.
Pox has a great edgy feel, Rose March is kinda folky, Sunkissed is growing on me, and I'm not a huge fan of Again, Again, Again.
Lyrically, as far as I can tell, Corgan has gone back to his deeper, personal, and enigmatic style- much better than the abstract, politcal-pop on Zeitgeist.

Someone has uploaded the tracks as Youtube vids, so here's a link to Rose March. You should be able to link to the rest from there.

Descended Like Vultures

Rogue Wave

For their second release, and last album with SubPop, Rogue Wave releases a set of tracks ranging from grandly urgent to smoothly relaxing. There's a more orchestral aura than their first album, and the arrangements are well developed. The catchy, alt-pop vocals are, for the most part, backed up by solid, accessible lyrics. (A few exceptions, but nothing's perfect.)

For free mp3s, visit the SubPop artist page.
(10:01 and Publish My Love are from "Vultures")