rock

We’ve always been late late in dealing with the passing year; but this time we’re way into the new one. God only knows what next year will bring but knowing that lots of readers are still hunting good albums from 2008 here’s one final post about 2008 with a cream of the crop selection and we go straight to 2009! Promise!

Here’s our metalist of the most interesting best of lists from around the net, featuring (Thank God) more than the run-of-the-mill bands that you can find everywhere. Selected lists from Tiny Mix Tapes, Destination Out, Boomkat, Headphone Commute, The Decibel Tolls, The Wire, Rateyourmusic etc.

Taking its name from the forefather of Russian avantgarde painting, France’s Kandinsky is a guitars and drums duo that’ll make him proud. Last year I’ve listened to their “tRASKOMI eLCAÄST” MCD – don’t ask me what that means – which is a 25 minute piece cut into 9 movements.

Yesterday night though I had to act spontaneous as Marc Ribot was in town with his Spiritual Unity project playing Albert Ayler pieces.

We’re living in this silly little modern world, where indie is the new pop, folk is the new black and prog is the new alternative. The fact for instance, that an old song by Mogollar (Les Moguls) is the official Playstation 3 ad shows how people are returning to roots more and more each day.

I was searching for videos of the NYC avant jazz rock power trio Rashanim on the net for some time to no avail. A few days ago I saw that they announced a live video on their myspace page. Quickly checking it revealed not one but 4 complete Rashanim pieces played live at Bowery Poetry Club!!.

Colorado’s IZ, formed by guitarist Michael Serviolo is a power trio, with bassist Tom Sublet and drummer David Kerman. Their 2006 album E-M remained below the radar somehow but I think it’s worth a few listens, if you’re into experimental heavy stuff. Progressive riffs, timechanges, abrupt stops and noise is abound on E-M released by the experimental household RERUSA.

Thanks to digital technology and the constant remasters, music is becoming increasingly timeless, in a few years probably a huge amount of more music would be remastered and digitized. Although I’m sure it’s impossible to feel most of the energy without actually being involved in that particular scene and culture in the right time..