Silver Spring’s Cuneiform Records, bastion of avant-rock, obscure jazz and the occasional bit of proggy prog, has released sound samples and minimal details of its five new releases for January 2009.

Most exciting? A new one from Belgian chamber-rockers Univers Zero; well, not really new, but a collection of live archival material from 1984-86. Those familiar with the band know that bandleader Daniel Denis is excessively anal about live recordings, so this should be a doozy. For anyone who doesn’t believe a meshing of classical music and rock can be done with intelligence and good taste.

Or how about a new one from Cheer-Accident, a band that might glibly be called “progressive punk” just to confound those who subscribe to the overly simplistic view that punk rock killed prog.

And, Cuneiform continues in its quest to remain relevant by signing young touring experimental rock bands, this time by releasing a new one from Brooklyn punky-jazzy-rocky quartet Gutbucket. Lots to look forward to, in other words.