Legendary drummer and bandleader Paul Motian cast a long, long shadow with his eclectic work over the course of his sixty-decade career.

Ireland’s Columbia Mills may not be widely known in the US, even among Big Takeover readers, but their post-punk—infused, indie-electronic music is a perfect fit. Bassist, Uisneagh Treacy, recently discussed the band and their outstanding new LP, “Heart of a Nation” with me.

Chicago-based dark alternative post-punk outfit The Bellwether Syndicate presents the single “Dystopian Mirror’” a powerful dark and lush taster of the band’s Vestige & Vigil album, which is scheduled for release in the first half of 2023 via Sett Records and Nexilis Records, a division of Schubert Music Europe.

LA-based alt-pop artist Faith Marie presents her new single “NVM (Remix)”, an infectious downtempo song about depression and the author’s personal struggles to move forward.

Folk-Pop trio The Burnt Pines, comprised of singer and lyricist, Kris Skovmand, instrumentalist and arranger Aaron Flanders on guitar and banjo, and piano, keyboard player and arranger Miguel Sá Pessoa, have announced the release of Don’t Look Down, their affecting sophomore album, via CEN/The Orchard.

“Relentless” marks the first of four cuts to be released before the LP arrives next spring. While the group writes collaboratively, each of the forthcoming singles allows each individual band member to highlight their own style and influences within the broader context.

The Off-Off Broadway Guide to Synergism is a masterful piece of work that reminds us that great composers still draw nourishment from their inspirations.

American indie rocker Rob Munk presents his new single “Amazon”, an upbeat environmentally-conscious banger that previews his Phased Out LP. It will be released on November 18 via New Jersey’s new Magic Door Label, founded by Guided by Voices drummer Kevin March, together with producer Ray Ketchem and artist Renée LoBue.

Alternative music legend Chris Connelly presents “Ripcord, Ripcord”, the second single from his forthcoming album Eulogy to Christa: A Tribute to the Music & Mystique of Nico. Written by Connelly, this song was inspired by a little known detail about Nico’s life – her rape by a military offering while she was a teenager holding a bureaucratic position for the U.S. Army. This traumatic incident would inform the rest of her already war-torn life.

Two generations of Cuban jazz pianists come together for Front Street Duets.

A Fab Four masterwork, refurbished and expanded.

Saxophonist Ivo Perelman is one of the most prolific players in music, any music. Not only does he record frequently, but the results are often multi-disk sets.

Inspired equally by bebop and an eighteenth century French Christian cult, Seances puts the players through Dunn’s paces on a set of knotty, dynamic compositions with a new twist.

Veteran Norwegian bassist Arild Andersen is well known not only for his expert, tasteful playing, but also for his extraordinary compositions. For Affirmation, however, he’s taking a different road.

The duo’s sixth LP together, The Strange Case of Persephone Nimbus is their most ambitious yet. (Just look at the cover.)

For Anime Mundi, Nagano strips her support down to a trio, but without stinting on the space-filling sound she essayed last time.

Lumenette has released their debut album, “All Around My Head.” Vocalist Christine Byrd has created a sonic stunner built on the gorgeous post-rock and ambient instrumentals of her husband’s Nashville-based outfit, Hammock. This is a must listen.

Ron Carter is undeniably one of the titans of jazz. Though best known for his stint in Miles Davis’ Second Great Quartet in the 1960s, the bassist has racked up hundreds, if not thousands, of recordings and performances with jazz musicians far and wide, including dozens of his own albums as a leader.

Joined, as usual, by pianist Matthew Shipp and bassist Brandon Lopez, Dickey adds a new face to his ensemble: saxophonist Tony Malaby.

Russian/Ukrainian composer *Evgueni Galperine*pulls his artistic sources from a few different areas – the advanced harmonics of Shostakovich, the dramatic tension of Tchaikovsky, the lush minimalism of Arvo Pärt – and molds it into his own distinctive point of musical view.

Free comes ahead of a full album release marked for early next year and sees Bristol, UK due Leathers doing what they do best – boiled down, no-nonsense, groove-driven, minimalist rock and roll.

Eschewing power pop, Barr looks to different, more sophisticated forms of American pop music as inspiration.

This new single from Clay Joule shows a very different side to the artist, one that is more reflective and whistful but which is no less positive and life-afirming.

Guitarist Doug Wamble has always had one foot in jazz and the other in the blues, and his latest album Blues in the Present Tense continues his successful crossbreed.

Just three years out from being minted as a Rock & Roll Hall of Famer with Roxy Music, Brian Eno returns with his 22nd solo LP. Adding vocals to many of his compositions, the new record paints a thoughtful, artful, dreamy, and bleak emotional portrait of our planet at present. Listen in.

The latest in a fruitful string of releases, The Persian Leaps released their widely acclaimed Drone Etiquette album in late 2021. Here again, they dish out a fine new collection of 90s college rock-inspired compositions, their distinct sound built on a magnetic alternative rock foundation.

Born in Berlin and based in the U.S., pianist Benjamin Lackner has led several ensembles throughout the years, including his eponymous trio.

As with the originals, the Montreal-to-New York musician keeps the performances riff- and tune-oriented, using his prodigious technique for short bursts of feeling, just like a good blues guitar solo.

The new NØISE track “Automatic (Ree-Vo Remix)” appears on Ree-Vo’s new limited edition 10” vinyl, which also features collaborations with* Object Object*, Dälek and iconic industrial dancehall artist The Bug. Limited to 500 copies, the cover artwork is a tribute to Lee Perry. The 10” vinyl is being released together with Ree-Vo’s debut album All Welcome on Planet Ree-Vo, pressed on turquoise-blue gatefold vinyl (and also released on CD and digitally). The 10” release was released on orange vinyl.

Inside Outside is the new EP by Stafford-based singer Ben Calvert. Ben is a prolific artist with a string of releases under his belt including many with the legendary cult label Bearos.

Former (?) Connection singer Brad Marino has spent the last couple of years conquering the power pop world, but for Basement Beat he’s going for something slightly different.

As New York-based garage rock purveyor Dmitry Wild gears up to release his Electric Souls album, he brings us the Jesus and Mary Chain -flavored single “Sweetest Thing”, which is about fear and our tendency to cyclically return to that feeling before we can finally overcome it.

Art pop band Elk City presents their new single “Your Time Doesn’t Exist”, from their forthcoming Above the Water LP, which opens a new chapter in the Montclair, New Jersey band’s evolutionary story. Vibrant, raw-edged and bold, it showcases a new guitar-rich lineup featuring members of Versus, Luna and the Psychedelic Furs side-project Feed.

With a run of new releases extending between now and the holiday season, now is the time to get acquainted with Teni Rane, an artist you will surely be hearing a lot more from.

There are a few reasons to be excited about Songs of Ascent, the latest project from jazz trumpeter and composer Dave Douglas.

Seattle-based psychedelic rock outfit Black Nite Crash present “Sugarwave”, a high energy single with a driving, melodic take on indie-rock influenced post-punk, the second single from their album Washed in the Sound with Black Nite Crash, mixed by longtime collaborator Matt Brown (Trespassers William) and mastered by Adam Straney.

As both a leader and a prolific session musician, alto saxophonist Bobby Watson has had a long and productive career since attending the University of Miami at the same time as Pat Metheny and Jaco Pastorious.

Iconic shoegaze / postpunk outfit A Shoreline Dream has released their Loveblind album via Latenight Weeknight Records. Their sixth full-length record, here they dives into recollections and past desires while looking forward in a wash of soundwaves pointing towards a blinding future.

Portuguese jazz singer Maria Mendes finds a distinctive blend that combines elements of her past and her present on Saudade, Colour of Love, recorded live in Amsterdam.

Post-punk new romantics Candy Coffins presents “Seaside Girls”, the second taster from the band’s new album Once Do It With Feeling’, a loaded 10-track collection that arrives two years after the band’s latest Somehow Misplaced EP.

Born in New Jersey and based in Montreal, pianist Taurey Butler plays in a style that bespeaks a couple of other locales: New York and New Orleans.

UK-based artist Black Market Karma presents their tenth full-length album Aped Flair & Hijacked Ideas, released via London boutique label Flower Power Records.

Amazingly for a jazz pianist, John Escreent has recorded eight previous albums, but Seismic Shift is his first with a trio.

An underrated Nashville genius takes the spotlight in a dozen reissues.

Brooklyn-based artist Ronan Conroy presents his new single “Dark Paradise”, a clever goth-rock rendition of the Lana Del Rey classic. This is the second taster of his album The Slow Death of the LoveMyth, complemented by a fascinating video created by NYC artist Hypnodoll and featuring a sword-swallowing performance by La Reine The Thrill.

Originally released at the turn of the Reagan years, Dead Kennedys’ incendiary debut Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables is a certifiable American punk rock classic – no question.

Manchester indie rock outfit The Speed Of Sound presents the double A-side single “Virtual Reality 123 / Charlotte 12” Version”, reimagining two of the tunes from their acclaimed 2021 album Museum Of Tomorrow, marking one year since its release via Big Stir Records. Just like a classic 12” single, each track clocks in at over 6 minutes – double the running time of the album originals.

For bassist and composer William Parker, the term “universal tonality” means, simply, “if we’re all breathing together, we’re singing together.”

UK-based indie pop duo Karamelien present their second single, called “Lionhearts”. A sumptuous, uplifting track about love and unity in difficult times, this was produced by Ride frontman Mark Gardener at OX4 Sound near Oxford.