10. Kylesa - Live at Maida Vale Studios (Season of Mist)
In all reality, this one could have fallen under a few categories given that it is an archival release of a live BBC session from 2014, but at only four songs I felt like this made the most sense as an EP. I've been a fan of Kylesa for years now, even after they ditched the ferocious dual drummer lineup, so I'll take any between album crumbs I can get. It features two live cuts each from 2010's Spiral Shadow and 2013's Ultraviolet.
9. Nine Inch Nails - Add Violence (The Null Corp./Capitol)
It's been a weird trip for Trent Reznor after winning that Oscar and teaming up with Atticus Ross, but all that work has really paid dividends as the second of his NIN EPs reflects. The anger and aggression are there, in spades, but what impresses most is how Reznor pulls it off sincerely as an older musician. The ire of, say, Limp Bizkit, ain't going to age nearly as well.
8. Gruesome - Fragments of Psyche (Relapse)
My favorite Death homage band continues rolling right along, this time with an EP that is essentially two new songs (one of which is a cover of, you guessed it, Death) with the title track being one of the band's best yet and a handful of demos of earlier Gruesome songs. Hardly essential, but that title track makes it all worthwhile as it handily adapts the Human-era Death sound with abandon.
7. Varaha - Varaha (Self-Released)
This was one of those blind purchases to support a local Chicago band, the debut EP by this post-metal quartet. The EP is composed of two longer tracks, at 7 and 11 minutes each, that combine the widescreen scope of Pelican with the atmospherics of gothic doom and even hints of blackgaze. It sounds like a lot, but it works. Even better is the brief interlude that ties them together, featuring Bruce Lamont on saxophone.
6. Chavez - Cockfighters (Matador)
While I can't say I was on the original, cutting edge when Chavez was out, I discovered them a few years later, they have grown to be one of my favorite of those late 90s Matador guitar bands. Particularly as I fell in love with Matt Sweeney's later work in a variety of settings. Needless to say I was hyped for new material after 21 years - even if was only three songs in less than 10 minutes. They manage to pack a lot in those ten minutes though, packing hypnotic Eastern melodies into the tunes. Could I use more? Hell yes, but this'll do for now.
5. Poison Blood - Poison Blood (Relapse)
While the band name may sound like a long-lost punk band from the mid-80s, Poison Blood is actually the black metal pairing of two restless musical explorers - Krieg's Neill Jamison and Horseback's Jenks Miller. It's an intense listen, doubly so when they crank out something ferocious and jump back out rather than letting it linger - packing in 8 tracks in just over 18 minutes. I'm hoping this pairing leads to more material, but if not - this is still worth checking out for fans of either musician.
4. Forces at Work - Forces at Work (Self-Released)
This was a surprisingly replayable EP that came out early in the year, a breezy quartet of songs that features Tyler Wilcox (an excellent writer and guy with great taste) on guitar and vocals. There's a really loose and playful vibe in these Feelies inspired tunes, but I was constantly surprised by how often I reached for it. I hope these guys put out more in the near future.
3. Mastodon - Cold Dark Place (Reprise)
Six months after unleashing the terrific Emperor of Sand album, Mastodon struck back with this EP that represents a slight shift in sound for the band. Masterminded by Brent Hinds, this EP delves into a bit more of a Southern Gothic feel, with the opening and closing tracks colored by Hinds' surprisingly strong pedal steel work. It feels perfect for the EP format and adds a new shade to the band's already colorful palette. I wouldn't mind hearing them chase this particular thread further in the future.
2. Kamasi Washington - Harmony of Difference (Young Turks)
I was starving for anything new from Kamasi after his stellar breakthrough record, The Epic. Seeing as how Washington doesn't do anything by halfs, even this EP runs an hour and manages to be absorbing throughout. Originally conceived as part of a multimedia art installation, paired with his sister's paintings, the EP flows through various tones and moods before combining them all in the terrific closing track, "Truth".
1. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - The French Press (Sub Pop)
I instantly fell for the opening track here, "French Press", spending countless hours replaying it alone before the EP was released in full. The way this Melbourne trio was able to inject so much life into indie rock was so impressive, helped by having all three members contribute lyrically and vocally. There's the jangle of Go-Betweens and The Clean, the knotty guitar lines of Real Estate, all capped with witty and compelling lyrics - the latter a troubling rarity in much of the indie rock world. I was blindsided by the title track but the rest of the EP made this one of my favorite new guitar rock bands.
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