Sleep, "From Beyond"
While doom metal in general traces back to Sabbath for inspiration, a lot of modern doom looks to Sleep's Sleep's Holy Mountain, along with a few other influences like the Melvins' sludgiest work. This album really set the template though, which its ethos of staying exactly as slow and pounding as it wants to be. Much of metal had been getting faster and faster over the years, and the proof that you could be heavy while not trying to set any speed records really sunk in to a lot of bands. But even ignoring the influence, this stuff still smokes. But slowly.
Descendents, "Good Good Things"
I think I've mentioned before that I Don't Want To Grow Up gets lost in the Descendents catalog. And, true to form, after making that comment, I believe I've played every Descendents album...uh, except this one. It's a good record! I just forget about it!
The Minus 5, "When God Made Time"
From the double, split album with one record from the Minus 5 and one from the Young Fresh Fellows. Or, in other words, Scott McCaughey with different folks playing with him. Anyway, the YFF half is a little bit better, and this tune in particular is more atmospheric than anything, so not the best representation of this record.
Conlon Nancarrow, "Study For Player Piano No. 9"
It's been a while since we've had anything from avant-garde composer Nancarrow, who worked in the medium of player pianos. They permitted him to create compositions that had odd mathematical properties, would be impossible for a human to play, or whatever crazed stuff he came up with. Mostly, it comes across as utterly alien. There's something essentially disquieting about hearing a familiar instrument play something so strange.
Kid Koala, "Drunk Trumpet"
From the Live From The Short Attention Span Audio Theater Tour, it doesn't really seem like Kid Koala's stuff should work well live. But then again, I've seen Negativland perform live and had a great time, so what do I know?