The Mars Volta
Frances the Mute (Gold Standard Labs/Universal)
The Mars Volta's prog goes to level five on this second one with even more thrills, spills and chills packed in, pushing the King Crimson and Pink Floyd tendencies even further. On the 15-minute opener "Cygnus... Vismund Cygnus," guitarist Omar A. Rodriguez-Lopez leaves his previous band At The Drive In far behind as he out-Fripps Robert Fripp with razor-sharp arpeggios and off-kilter time signatures. Knowing full well that this could easily turn into a circle jerk, singer Cedric Bixler Zavala brings soul to the table while keeping the self-indulgent tendencies at bay. Well, somewhat - this is prog rock, after all. The Mars Volta could single-handedly make prog cool again. 9/10 (Johnson Cummins)
Judas Priest
Angel of Retribution (Sony/BMG)
Halford's back! Painkiller and other post-Halford records were okay, but showed these Birmingham bulldogs losing their teeth somewhat. By trying to update their sound, they ended up with a lack of direction. In the first 10 seconds of opener "Judas Rising," Rob Halford's trademark wail sounds just perfect, paired with guitarists Tipton and Downing's crunch. This reunion thankfully shows Priest returning to their British Steel roots and stays away from modern metal trappings. The band hasn't sounded this good in years, with every song ringing with rejuvenation, and it's a true pleasure to hear a band with such a rich legacy sound so hungry again. 8.5/10 (Johnson Cummins)
BBQ
Tie Your Noose (Bomp!)
Montreal's Mark Sultan, Bullwinkle to King Khan's Rocky in their duo arrangement recently seen traipsing across local rock stages, is on his lonesome ownsome here. While not the only one-man vintage rock 'n' roll band out there, Sultan (BBQ for solo purposes) takes a pass on the gimmickry and gets straight to the point. The shake and shuffle generated by his simultaneous drumming and strumming bring a foot-tapping, ham-slapping groove. While some numbers slide over into the punk column ("Hang It Up"), BBQ shines brightest when he lends his capable crooning to sweeter tunes like "Don't Hold Out on Me." 8/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) CD launch with Les Debyles at Café Chaos, Sun., March 6, 9 p.m., $4
Heavy Trash
self-titled (Yep Roc/Outside)
The musical meeting of Jon Spencer and Speedball Baby's Matt Verta-Ray is probably the best thing either has done in years. It's been argued that the Blues Explosion are running on fumes, but if you dug Spencer's Pussy Galore and the amazing Speedball Baby, you're going to dig this. While both Spencer and Ray have mined inspiration from their darkest corners and different musical styles, they keep things simple this time around and deliver a straight-up rockabilly stomper. Charlie Feathers, Roy Orbison and the Cramps are all touchstones here, but Spencer really leans into every word while Ray's Gretsch twang acts as a guide. 8.5/10 (Johnson Cummins)
Adam Green
Gemstones (Rough Trade/ Sanctuary)
Is it possible to make an album this bad by accident? Career suicide is an easier theory to swallow than the possibility that anyone thought this record was fit for release. Judging by the geeky pervert persona showcased on Moldy Peaches and past solo releases, I could imagine Green getting a kick out of using a significant budget to play crooner, the kind of unfunny fist-magnet I picture telling "blue" anecdotes between sub-AM pop songs for an unreceptive '70s lounge. Despite its fleeting moments of relief, this disc leaves me overwhelmed with anger and confusion. 3/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)
Coralie Clément
Bye Bye Beauté (Nettwerk/EMI)
There is of course a long tradition of French girls delivering breathless, kittenish vocals over smoky, elegant, now neo-retro pop. Clément is no exception, and while Bye Bye Beauté is a modern rock record next to the antique orch-pop of her '02 debut Salle des pas perdu, its best moments retain that classic vibe, technologically tweaked only as far as necessary. In fact, "L'impasse," the FM-ready tune concocted with help from Nada Surf's David Lorca, is far less interesting than the inventive material cobbled together by Benjamin Biolay, Clément's brother and a noted French pop figure in his own right. 7.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
Electrocute
Troublesome Bubblegum (Emperor Norton/Outside)
It would be easy to dismiss this German duo as a 21st century Shampoo or an electroclash act who really missed the bandwagon, and even though there's some truth to those claims, these songs will play hopscotch on your brain for days, and you'll love it. Surpassing the promise of their 2003 EP Tribute to Your Taste, the ladies serve up tight and trashy punk synths and garage guitars à la Stereo Total at their rockingest. Amid the melodic candy and nymphomaniac lyricism, Electrocute even manage a little tenderness on "Goodbye Johnny," proving they're not one-tone ponies. 8.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)
We Are Wolves
Non-stop je te plie en deux (Mintaka Conspiracy/ Fusion III)
For the last few years, local trio We Are Wolves have been tearing up the stage with their electrifying guitar/drum/analog synth attack. With herky-jerky, shouted/sung vocals that sometimes bring to mind fellow electro-punks Les Georges Leningrad, Non-stop... is a crunchy, distorted, overdriven mess. And what a beautiful mess it is! With tracks that move from upbeat dancefloor-fillers like opener "Little Birds" to Suicide-style, doom 'n' gloom burners like "La Nature" and the bopping electro go-go of "Snare Me," We Are Wolves keep their rough-and-tough, buzzy attitude throughout the 11 tracks. A solid debut from a great live act. 7.5/10 (Raf Katigbak)
Laurent Garnier
The Cloud Making Machine (F Communications/Select)
French dance-music pioneer Laurent Garnier has often been called too smart for his own good. But while French house and techno contemporaries like Cassius and Daft Punk have garnered more attention in the past, Garnier has chosen to challenge the listener with influences that go beyond disco and funk. His latest effort is no exception. If you can overlook the pretentious concept-album-ness of it all (it's about the homeless situation in Paris), you'll be rewarded with an adventurous listen. While some tracks never quite reach the level of his obvious influences (Aphex Twin, Iggy Pop), Garnier still manages to keep his audience interested with beautiful classical passages and enveloping ambience. 7/10 (Raf Katigbak)
T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo
The Kings of Benin: Urban Groove 1972–80 (Soundway/ Fusion III)
How much do you know about the West African Republic of Benin? I thought so. Now, how much do you know about deep, poly-rhythmic Afro-funk, soul and Latin grooves from Benin? Not too much. Thanks to the tireless efforts of Brighton-based vinyl archeologist Miles Cleret, once again, the little-known big band T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo are taking the sound of their dancefloor treasures to new heights. Relatively unknown outside of Benin, this band wastes no time getting things moving with huge tunes like "Ne te faches pas," "Mi Si Ba" and "Angelina II." If these guys don't get you up, nothing will. 8/10 (Scott C) Miles Cleret DJs at Salon Daomé, Fri., March 4, 10 p.m., $10
Ethnic Heritage Ensemble
"Ancestral Song" 12" (Deeper Soul)
Finally! It was only a matter of time before Chicago's legendary EHE would be courted by deep house and broken beat types enthralled with their music. While fans of the group are happy to see the EHE on wax, contemporaries like Osunlade and Kemit Sources didn't blink twice at the chance to remix "Ancestral Song." Osunlade accents Kahil El Zabar's airy voice with some Chicago-style horns and a running bassline, while Sources keeps it deep with handclaps and keyboard washes. There's also the original, percussion-filled version of the song, a tip of the hat to its beauty and strength. 7.5/10 (Scott C)
Solomon Burke
Make Do With What You Got (Sony)
The latest from '60s soul/blues man Solomon Burke follows his '02 Grammy winner Don't Give Up on Me. Once again, Burke is surrounded by a stellar lineup including drummer James Godson, guitarist Reggie Young and missing-in-action soul singer and guitarist Ray Parker Jr. Not surprisingly, Burke's voice has aged, but it still carries the same passion that made him a soul pioneer alongside the likes of Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett. Here he skillfully interprets material from Bob Dylan ("What Good Am I?"), Van Morrison ("At the Crossroads") and Hank Williams ("Wealth Won't Save Your Soul"), among others. It's vintage soul from a true master of the genre. 7.5/10 (Gerard Dee)
Warne Marsh
Live at Dana Point, 1957 (V.S.O.P)
Subtitled "the Warne Marsh Quintet featuring Joe Albany," this two-CD set brings together two less-celebrated jazzmen. Tenorman Marsh, who died while soloing on stage in 1987 at the age of 60, was one of the great improvisers in jazz history. Most remember him as a member, along with Lee Konitz, of the Lennie Tristano school. While still in his teens, Marsh played with a Hoagy Carmichael youth band, in later life with Supersax, and was often reunited with Konitz. Pianist Albany, who died in early 1988, is remembered for his playing with both Charlie Parker and Lester Young. They are joined by Bob Whitlock and Red Martinson on 18 tracks, a number of standards plus Clifford Brown's "Daahoud" and Parker's "Little Suede Shoes," "Now‚ the Time" and "Billie's Bounce." Highly recommended despite the loudmouth sitting in microphone range. 10/10 (Len Dobbin)
Mini CD Reviews
Cex Starship Galactica (Temporary Residence) No goofy raps on this Baltimore MC's once-hard-to-find early instrumental album, a melodic and deeply creative disc. 8.5 (RK)
The Avila Brothers "Give the Horns Some" (CDR) Terry Lewis and Jimmy Jam's band of hired guns bow to Haj and the horns. 8 (SC)
Mogwai Government Commissions BBC Sessions 1996–2003 (Pias/Select) Love them, hate them or fall asleep to them only to be jolted awake, Mogwai have a story and they're sticking to it. 7.5 (LC)
Bobby Darrin The Swinging Side of... (Capitol/EMI) A baker's dozen including "This Nearly Was Mine" and "The Good Life" - big-band backing supplied by Gerald Wilson, Billy May and Bob Florence. Timely. 7 (LD)
The Skygreen Leopards Life & Love in Sparrow's Meadow (JagJaguwar) Drippy folk-pop fables told through a fungal haze. 6 (LC)
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