Osamu Kitajima - Benzaiten (Antilles, 1976)

This album is a highly unlikely hybrid. Traditional Japanese instrumentation (flute, biwa, and percussion) fuses with prog rock and western funk (electric wah gutar, clavichord, and thumping basslines). The result is improbably amazing. As far as I'm concerned, everything works perfectly. The album is as tense as it is light-hearted, with a solid narrative. Slow grooves and popping jams glued together by ancient sounding vocals. There are over the top moments but you'll find them as forgivable as I do.

Thanks to Rob for the heads up.

Laddio Bolocko - The Life and Times (2005, No Quarter)

Formed in the wake of early 90's Post-Rock and hardcore bands by members of Mars Volta, Dazzling Killmen, Panicsville and Craw and Chalk, these talented musicians could easily have been playing Jazz. Instead, they chose to keep pushing forward with intellectual but not too high brow rock fusion.

Comparisons to Can, This Heat, King Krimson, The Boredoms and even Albert Ayler are all valid. Prog, Kraut, Noise, Drone and Jazz. This Compilation is a nice document to the legacy that obviously impacted many bands after them. This was a truly amazing troupe.

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