Best Musical Mad Scientist

An established and respected member of Kansas City's alt-rock scene for more than a decade, with stints in Cher U.K., Grither, and many, many other bands to his credit, Mark Reynolds remains one of the area's most prolific musicians. His latest trilogy, which consists of droning testaments to subtle variation, is certainly inaccessible by traditional standards, but Reynolds, a creative and committed artist, continues to follow his own distinct vision. Sharing top honors in this category is Scott Hobart, whose band Many Series produced a hypnotizing exercise in repetition titled Aerialist before breaking up in style with an "endtrospective" at the Dirt Gallery. As Rex Hobart, he released The Spectacular Sadness, another stunning collection of sad songs, with the Misery Boys.