Back in the day, there were rap bands. Like Stetsasonic. And Fishbone and other edgy funk bands had more than a few hip-hop flirtations. But the fusion of rap and jazz has been fraught. Yes, there is Branford Marsalis's outstanding Buckshot Lefonque project, but that band's last album came out more than 20 years ago. Since then, well, I can think of a handful of albums or artists that touched on such a union.

The Young Mothers Morose (Self-Sabotage/TROST/Super Secret)

This is the second album for the Young Mothers, an Austin collective that brings an anarchic punk feel to its free-jazz grooves and growled rhymes. The more this album rolled on, the more I thought back to Iceburn's finer moments.

Jazz improv construction, rock instrumentation (mostly; there are vibes and stand-up bass) and a willingness to go anywhere the vibe requires. I imagine the Young Mothers are even more impressive live, where the virtuosity of the members can be taken to new and more creative heights. Still, the range and texture of these songs is most impressive.

Definitely not for everyone. And that's about as high a complement as I can instill. This stuff is wonderfully dense and diffuse all at once. The songs fly apart and come together instantaneously. And therein lies the wonderment. Incendiary.

Jon Worley