Optimo
How to Kill the DJ (Part Two) (Tigersushi)
It isn't just the ridiculous diversity of the music this Glasgow-based DJ duo have pasted together that makes this such an astounding, outstanding two-disc mix (Blondie and Basic Channel, Carl Craig and the Cramps, Akufen and Laibach, Cameo and Chromeo). It's the queasy perfection and treacherous twists of their rogue mixology that are freaking me out as I'm herded through this rapid-fire overview of all manner of dancefloor damage. The only way this mix could more effectively relay the accumulated essence of decades, decades of pointless piss-ups in sleazy discos worldwide would be to include scratch 'n' sniff stickers of stale beer, coke sweat, dry ice and Marlboros. 9/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
Bettie Serveert
Attagirl (Minty Fresh/Fusion III)
With this inconsistent collection of dreamy pop anthems, string-laden rock epics and broken-hearted ballads, Holland's most successful "alternative" export has made their first real step into the 21st century. In other words, samples, synths and beats infiltrate rock arrangements, occasionally achieving a white-hot contrast between light and lovely soundscapes and raunchy blues-rock riffage. However, despite a handful of solid, memorable songs, this overture to a larger audience may only spark nostalgia in fans from the band's Matador days. 7/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) At Main Hall on Wednesday, Feb. 9, 8:30 p.m., $15.50
Relient K
MMHMM (Goatee/EMI)
Overly reliant on harmony, sugar-coated melodies, dead-end dynamics and syrupy lyrics that could have been stolen from John Hughes films, Relient K continue with the pop punk hooks you've heard a million times on this fourth effort. Tom Lord Alge's (U2, Rolling Stones) overcooked mix certainly doesn't help matters. Whenever they get anywhere near a half decent song ("The Only Thing Worse Than Beating a Dead Horse Is Betting on One"), they quickly dash all hopes by over reaching for the radio dial. Does the world really need another sped-up, distorted version of Rick Springfield? ZZZZZZZ/10 (Johnson Cummins)
Black Mountain
self-titled (Jagjaguwar/Scratch)
This collective is centred around main mountain man Stephen McBean, touching on the most unlikely musical influences and expertly weaving psych rock, soul, stoner riffs and folk into mini-masterpieces. The pentatonic rock of "Don't Run Our Hearts Around" is great, as McBean and his merry team of "druganauts" let the riff land just long enough before dragging you by the ear in the amazing rave-up at the end. To merely dismiss Black Mountain as another '70s throwback band hardly does them justice - just listen to the great Velvets-meet-Royal Trux groove on "No Satisfaction," the Curtis Mayfield treatment on "Set Us Free," the leftfield ditty "No Hits" and closer "Faulty Times." 9/10 (Johnson Cummins)
The Ditty Bops
self-titled (Warner)
At the crossroads of folk, pop, country and jazz, L.A.'s Amanda Barrett and Abby Dewald shimmy across the spectrum from jazz-age party girls to a female Simon & Garfunkel, with calmer yet murkier troubled waters. At their most lighthearted, the duo's bouncy ditties are anchored by sumptuous harmonies and effervescent acoustic guitar, mandolin and dulcimer. Their supporting players (on e-guitar, bass, piano and keys) lend a more contemporary ring to the melancholy tunes, where the shimmy turns to sway and the macabre lyrical turns, which weave their way throughout this striking debut, get their musical due. 8.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)
Françoise Hardy
Tant de belles choses (Virgin/EMI)
The leading lady of '60s French chanson, the "sweetheart of the Sorbonne," returns in grand style. The title suits the dozen songs here perfectly, as Hardy lends her wonderful voice - firm but gentle, as the expression goes - to a lovely lyrical spread, including a couple of numbers in English. A variety of producers, among them Hardy's own son Thomas Dutronc (that's right, dad's the "Cactus" guy), build rich, warm mansions of sound to harbour the tunes. The results are very up-to-date without relying on corny "now" sounds, while Hardy's voice seems to echo so many decades gone by. This one genuinely earns the "timeless" descriptive. 8.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
The Chemical Brothers
Push the Button (EMI)
Given the dubious recent albums by mid-'90s big beat stars Fatboy Slim and Prodigy, I was prepared to really hate on this one. But from the first strains of Middle Eastern strings, booming kick and slick vocals courtesy of Q-tip, the opening track "Galvanize" hooked me. First thought: the Chemical Brothers have adapted their tough beats and psychedelic feel to the times. The rest of the album confirms this as the Chems move from the classic big beat of "Come Inside" to punked-up no-wave disco ("The Big Jump") to hip hop ("Left Right") and flirtations with dancehall ("Shake, Break, Bounce"). Their Madchester roots finally shine through with the instrumental closer "Surface to Air." Impressive. 8.5/10 (Raf Katigbak)
Amon Tobin
Chaos Theory (Ninja Tune/Outside)
Tobin's first effort at scoring, for the video game Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, kicks things off with the stealthalicious "Lighthouse." With a relentless volley of drums and filthy guitar licks, Tobin keeps it dark and mysterious, a quality he's been perfecting throughout his career. With a full-on complement of musicians to aid in his pursuit of spy/recon mood music, Tobin nods to old-school espionage lounginess while pushing forward to nu-skool infiltration ambience. This densely textured score is a story in itself and perhaps a little more accessible than the intricate Out From Out Where. 8.5/10 (Lateef Martin)
David Kristian
Sweet Bits (Monochrome)
Picking up a David Kristian release is always a roll of the 20-sided die. You might get sheer, droning ambiance, blistering and intricate drum & bass, robotic electro or Italo disco - but you can be sure it'll be great. Delicate, rhythmically challenging moods permeate his latest disc Sweet Bits. Certainly one of Kristian's best releases to date, more digital and complex in structure than the recent Wikkid unreleased retrospectives and underlined by a darkly filmic ambience, Sweet Bits comprises some of his latest and perhaps best material, showing once again why Kristian is one of Montreal's top electronic artists and performers. 8.5/10 (Raf Katigbak)
The Game
The Documentary (Aftermath/G-Unit/Universal)
"I'm gangsta/more like Debo when he was Zeus/play Bishop/I paint that picture/now who got the juice?" So says the Game on the opening track "Westside Story" of the hugely anticipated West Coast resurrection LP The Documentary. Despite all the hype and everything you heard, and despite the fact that a lot of the talk surrounding this young protégé of Dr. Dre is the kind of buzz spawned to move units, the Game is not joking. This Compton native may rep his hometown hard, but dude can rap, and he's executed a fairly tight debut for someone straight out the gate. Thank Dre, Timbaland, Kanye, Hi-Tek, Just Blaze, Buckwild and Havoc for getting in on something good, and building a strong and diverse sound for this roughneck who's only just begun. 8.5/10 (Scott C)
DL Incognito
Life's a Collection of Experiences (Nine Planets/ Urbnet)
DL is not the guy from CBC's The X. He is, however, one of the hardest-working MCs in Canada. With his first LP A Sample and a Drum Machine, people caught on to how this MC/producer worked, rapping about reality from his own unique point of view while lacing himself with beats for days. Life's a Collection... continues in the development of this growing force, alongside his boy Techtwelve and a little bit of help from Tara Chase and D-Shade on "Wild Style" and French MC Mic Check on "Fall Back." Choice tracks include "Me and My DJ" and the drama laden "Hard to Do." A nice piece of work from a cat you know is just getting started. 7/10 (Scott C)
Regina Belle
Lazy Afternoon (Peak)
Back in the '80s, Belle was at the top of her game, scoring with memorable R&B ballads like "Baby, Come to Me" and her award-winning duet with Peabo Bryson, "A Whole New World." Her commanding but intimate vocals seem perfectly suited to this selection of jazz and R&B standards, most of which have been done to death before. Belle, however, manages to put her own unique spin on these songs, thanks in large part to the skilled approach of seasoned producer George Duke, who gives her the musical foundation to breathe new life into classics like "Fly Me to the Moon" and "For the Love of You." 7.5/10 (Gerard Dee)
Andrew Scott
This One's for Barney (Sackville/Trend)
Jake Wilkinson
This Time (J.W.)
Guitarist Scott and trumpeter Wilkinson are two lesser known but important Toronto-based musicians and these are their debut CDs as leaders. Scott's is a quartet outing with Bernie Senensky, Louis Simao and Joel Haynes, with Wilkinson and Harry Allen guesting. In Jake's case, his cohorts are John Brown, Mark Eisenman, Graig Earle and Sean Abedin. Andy's mixes standards with originals - the title piece is for Barney Kessel, and "Blues for Sonny" for Mr. Greenwich. Other than a Cole Porter piece, Jake's consists of originals including his "The Kids Suite." Two impressive debuts. Both 9/10 (Len Dobbin) Andrew Scott Quintet featuring Jake Wilkinson is at Upstairs, Feb. 4-5
Mini CD Reviews
Rhian Benson "Say How I Feel" remix feat. Slum Village (DKG) Whooooooo! This one is for the jeeps, the club, the tub, the kitchen and the iPod. 10 (SC)
Nat King Cole The World of Nat King Cole (Capitol/EMI) Just ahead of the 40th anniversary of this velvet-voiced crooner's death, this fine, no-frills comp is out to jog memories and touch hearts. 8.5 (LC)
TOMO The Music of Reed Kotler (Torii) A dozen wonderful compositions played by a quintet of Bob Sheppard, Larry Koonse, Bill Cunliffe, Darek Oles and Mark Ferber. 8.5 (LD)
Surasshu Strength in Numbers (Apegenine) The 20-year-old Dutch artist makes an impressive debut of melodic, rhythmically driven IDM on this fledgling, Kirkland-based label. 7 (RK)
Kreator Enemy of God (Steamhammer/Fusion III) Thrash metal from the legends who helped define the genre. 6.5 (JC)
Danko Jones The Magical World of Rock With... (Bad Taste) This spoken-word CD has Danko waxing about Dio, Ozzy and how much he likes buying limited edition Iron Maiden EPs. Uh, yeah. 6 (JC)
Erasure Nightbird (Mute) If this British duo's white-bread synthpop was too exotic and intoxicating for your taste, try this tepid rehash of that '80s sound. 5 (LC)
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