Magma - Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh

One of the earliest influences on Math Rock and pretty much all other forms of experimental music. Elements of their sound can be heard in bands such as Ruins & Hella. Magma was founded in Paris in 1969 and is one of the best examples of the Prog rock scene that was happening in France at the time. Drummer and band leader, Christian Vader, created his own language called Kobaian that was often used for Magma's lyrics. The most stand out feature of their music is the incredibly layered choral style vocals (aka Operacore). Check it out.

-PolarBear

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Big Butter - From The Udder...

Short lived and super underground(they don't even have a wikipedia page), this Clovis, California band only existed from about 1987-1990. However, in that time they created some awesome music. Very quirky and often not fitting into any specific genre, their songs share a lot of similarities with The Residents. At the same time, Big Butter is much more approachable and probably easier to understand. Check out the spoken word section of "Bearded Horses", hilarious.

-PolarBear

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Release The Bats: A Tribute To The Birthday Party

It's a safe bet that any band who likes The Birthday Party enough to cover one of their songs is going to be pretty cool. It's an even safer bet that an album full of bands covering The Birthday Party is going to be cool as hell.

-PolarBear

Download 1

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Les Rallizes Denudes - '77 Live

Classic live bootleg of amazing and obscure Japanese noise rock gods, Les Rallizes Denudes. If any band has been ahead of their time, it was these guys. If this doesn't blow your mind, you don't like music.

-PolarBear

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Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Orange

Probably my favorite JSBE album. I know, it's not as ""cool"" as Pussy Galore. But, damn it, this album rules. If you don't know about Jon Spencer, you should. This is a good place to start.

-PolarBear

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Exuma - S/T

One of the absolute greats of the Psych Folk genre. Exuma was part of the whole Greenwich village folk revival in the '60s and '70s. His music combines a great deal of influences and defies category. Maybe the most infectious album I've heard in quite a while. It has a way of getting under your skin and making you want to listen to it again and again.

-PolarBear

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Daniel Higgs - Hymprovisations For Banjo With Piano And Raindrops

This is for all you outsider free jazz banjo fans. As for the rest of you, listen to this anyways. It's good for you. Daniel Higgs is the former and sometimes current lead singer of Dischord post hardcore band Lungfish.

-PolarBear

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Uz Jsme Doma - Hollywood

That's right. Another crazy band with a saxophone player. I can't help it. It's just so damn good. Uj Jsme Doma hail from Prague, Czech Republic and have been playing their own brand of genre defying music since 1985. This band has been labeled many things and none of them are completely accurate. You're just going to have to listen for yourself.

-PolarBear

1. Koroze

2. Polykat

3. Jassica

4. Zvonek

5. Hollywood

6. Vlazna A Sediva

7. Poslepu

8. Cajdak

9. Belveder

10. Jdi Tam, Nevim Kam, Prines To, Nevim Co

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Architecture in Helsinki - Like It or Not EP

need i say more?

- WearWolf

1. Like It or Not (version 2)

2. Beef in a Box

3. One Heavy (February 2008)

4. Hold Music (Max Tundra Remix)

5. Like It or Not (El Guincho Remix)

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Avail and the (Young) Pioneers - The Fall of Richmond

really good split put out by Avail and the (Young) Pioneers on Lookout Records... found in the dollar bin at Corner Record Shop... really good listen

-WearWolf

1. Avail - New No. 2

2. Avail - Lombardy St.

3. Avail - You May Be Right

4. the (Young) Pioneers - Join or Die

5. the (Young) Pioneers - French Colonial Running Dogs

6. the (Young) Pioneers - Death to the Coalition

7. the (Young) Pioneers - Race Music

8. the (Young) Pioneers - Great White Hope (Version)

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Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O. - New Geocentric World Of Acid Mothers Temple

One of the most ridiculous albums from an already very ridiculous band. Acid Mothers Temple are the reining kings of Japanese psychedelic music. Generally preferring improvisation in place of structure, these guys have been a big influence on many bands. Most notably, Sonic Youth. The band is led by guitarist Kawabata Makoto and has featured a constantly revolving lineup since 1995. If you like this, have no fear. There's plenty more where it came from.

-PolarBear

1. Psycho Buddha

2. Space Age Ballad

3. You're Still Now Near Me Everytime

4. Universe Of Romance

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Zu - Carboniferous

Power trio that hails from Rome, Italy. Bass, Drums, Baritone Saxophone + lots of effects. Signed to Mike Patton's Ipecac Records. This album also features guest spots by Mike Patton. Sounds like a jazzy version of Lightning Bolt. Maybe the best album of 2009.

-PolarBear

1. Ostia

2. Chthonian

3. Carbon

4. Beata Viscera

5. Erinys

6. Soulympics

7. Axion

8. Mimosa Hostilis

9. Obsidian

10. Orc

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Vermillion Lies - Sibling Rivalry EP's

Two sisters that create dark pop songs with elements of Cabaret, Folk & Circus Music. Sort of like a combination of Bon Iver and Squirrel Nut Zippers. This is a collection of two EP's of the same name.

- Polar Bear

1. Billie Blue

2. The Organ Donor's March

3. Typewriter Girl

4. First The Bees

5. December

6. More And More

7. Little Johnny

8. The Day We Met

9. Stitches

10. Hurts Like Hell

11. Get Gone

12. Don't Tell Me

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Does It Offend You, Yeah? - You Have No Idea What You Are Getting Yourself Into

If you don't have it already, you are doing something terribly wrong. but if that 's the case.. check this out.

-WearWolf

1. Battle Royale

2. With A Heavy Heart (I Regret to Inform You)

3. We Are Rockstars

4. Dawn of the Dead

5. Doomed Now

6. Attack of the 60 ft Lesbian Octopus

7. Let's Make Out

8. Being Bad Feel Pretty Good

9. Weird Science

10. Epic Last Song

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Calvin Harris - I Created Disco

Calvin Harris = the Biggest Badass of Electro.

-WearWolf

1. Merrymaking at My Place

2. Colours

3. This is the Industry

4. the Girls

5. Acceptable in the 80's

6. Neon Rocks

7. Traffic Cops

8. Vegas

9. I Created Disco

10. Disco Heat

11. Vault Character

12. Certified

13. Love Souvenir

14. Electro Man

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Shitdisco - Kingdom of Fear

FUCKING GREAT! a must have for any fan of dance rock or punk.

-WearWolf

1. Kung Fu

2. Reactor Party

3. Disco Blood

4. 72 Virgins

5. Dream of Infinity

6. 3d Sex Show

7. Lover of Others

8. Another

9. Ok

10. Fear of the Future

**bonus (because i like you) 72 Virgins (bloody beetroots remix)

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You Love Her Coz She's Dead - Inner City Angst EP

Excellent 8-bit electro. In the vein of Crystal Castles. lots of atari sounds... very fun.

-WearWolf

1. Blood Lust

2. Dead End

3. Superheroes

4. Wizards

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Toe - The Book About My Idol Plot On A Vague Anxiety

Japanese Math Rock/Post Punk band. Just listening to them, you would never know they're from Japan. It Sounds exactly like the American Midwest math bands. Some of the most introspective and beautiful music I've heard from the genre. Killer drums.

-Polar Bear

1. Hangyaku Suru Fuukei

2. Kokoku No Hatsmei

3. Tremolo + Delay

4. Mukougishi Ga Shiru Yume

5. All I Understand Is That I Don't Understand

6. C

7. Past And Language

8. Music For You

9. I Do Still Wrong

10. Metronome

11. Everything Means Nothing

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Don Caballero - What Burns Never Returns

A great example of the later cleaner sounding Don Cab. On this album they turned down the distortion pedals and went for more precision and melody. An excellent decision, in my opinion. This is the best place to start if you've never heard the band before. Enjoy.

-Polar Bear

1. Don Caballero 3

2. In The Absence Of Strong Evidence To The Contrary, One May Step Out Of The Way Of The Charging Bull

3. Delivering The Groceries At 138 Beats Per Minute

4. Slice Where You Live Like Pie

5. Room Temperature Suite

6. The World In Perforated Lines

7. From The Desk Of Elsewhere Go

8. June Is Finally Here

9. The Organ Donor's March

10. Don't Tell Me

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Maps & Atlases - Tree, Swallows, Houses

One of the main bands in the whole "tappy screamy" Post Punk scene. More emphasis on the tapping than the screaming. In fact these guys don't really scream at all. They're still incredible though. And they have influenced a bunch of bands. Just listen to it. Could possibly change your life. Or not. Make up your own damn mind.

This is one of my favorite albums to play in the car on a nice warm day with the windows rolled down. Yeah.

-Polar Bear

1. Everyplace Is A House

2. The Most Trustworthy Tin Cans

3. The Ongoing Horrible

4. Big Bopper Anthems

5. Stories About Ourselves

6. The Sounds They Make

7. Songs For Ghosts To Haunt To

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Sweep The Leg Johhny - Going Down Swinging

One of my favorite albums from the whole Midwest Math Rock scene. Chicago four piece featuring drums, bass, guitar and saxophone. The band existed from about 1996-2002. Their sound is incredibly dynamic. A single song can easily go from quiet minimalist jazz into high energy technical punk. If you're like me, and you can't help but love a punk band with a saxophone, then this album is absolutely necessary.

-Polar Bear

1. The Blizzard Of 1999

2. Sometimes My Balls Feel Like Tits

3. Only In A Rerun

4. The One That Goes Boom

5. Rest Stop

6. J. Daly's Message To Jacob And Sylvia

7. Transit Must Suffer

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Steve Aoki - Pillowface and His Airplane Chronicles

Amazing Disc by DJ Steve Aoki.

six thumbs up - WW

1. New Noise (Erol Alkans Durrr Durrr Durrrrr Re-Edit) refused

2. Waters of Nazareth (Erol Alkans Durrr Durrr Durrrrr Re-Edit feat. Pase Rock) justice

3. We are Rock Stars (feat. Spankrock and Amanda Blank) does it offend you, yeah?

4. Element of Danger (MSTRKRFT remix feat. Har Mar Superstar) services

5. Bring it On (feat. Todd Fink) goose

6. Licky (Work it Out) (Herve Goes Low Remix feat. Santogold) larry tee & princess superstar

7. Shake and Pop (feat. Kid Sister) green velvet

8. Gravity's Rainbow (Soulwax Remix) klaxons

9. the Boy Who Ran Away (Riton Re-Dub) the mystery jets

10. Fa Fa Fa (feat. Steve Bays) datarock

11. Je Veux Te Voir - yelle

12. Do You Want To (Erol Alkans Glam Racket Remix) franz ferdinand

13. Wet 'N Wild (feat. Mickey Avalon) kim

14. Helicopter (Weird Science Remix feat. Peaches) bloc party

15. D.A.N.C.E. (MSTRKRFT remix) justice

16. Low Life (L.A. Riots Remix feat. Uffie) scanners

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Shellac - The Futurist

the "friends only" Shellac release, only 779 of these were ever pressed.

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Beast In the Field -Lechuguilla

Sludge Metal from Michigan. Rocks like Sabbath but as loud as a the four horsemen of the apocalypse riding through a minefield. a definite must have for any fan of metal.

1. Condenada Suerte

2. Mira El Sol

3. Dry, Dead End Passages

4. Lake of Blue Giants

5. Castrovalva

6. the Emperor's Throne Room

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