Various
nuvo (Robosapien)
An articulate rejoinder to the fuss attending Montreal's maximal mope-rock movement, this comp is a fairly comprehensive overview of what the CD jacket calls our "radical pop underground." What that means is 18 instances of humble electronics, theatrical silliness, indie-rock nice-capades and handmade cool. Those elements, in varying quantities, will take you from les Georges Leningrad to Montag to the World Provider, the Unireverse, Lesbians on Ecstasy and the awesome "Moonwalk" by Monkey King, the new she-bang from motormouth Monstre. For a collection that wanders from bedroom oddities to cosmic odysseys, nuvo holds together, and holds your attention. 8.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) CD Launch with the Spins, GOA!, Royal Air Togo and DJ Lynne T at Main Hall tonight, Thurs., March 17, 9:30 p.m., $5
Billy Idol
Devil's Playground (Sanctuary/BMG)
I like Generation X as much as the next guy, but truth be told, I never paid much attention to Idol's takeover of MTV in the '80s. With his first record in over a decade, it seems Idol hasn't left his Beverly Hills tanning bed much. Things actually start off pretty good on the punk rock "Super Overdrive" and "World Comin' Down" but after that, it's a slippery slope to suckdom. Even Steve Stevens' ridiculous shredding sounds incredibly dated. Idol can speed up tempos all he wants, and heap on the stacked guitars, but at the end of the day there are no songs and Idol ain't no crooner. 5/10 (Johnson Cummins)
Great Lake Swimmers
Bodies and Minds (Misra/Weewerk)
Great Lake Swimmers, you've earned your wings. Recorded in a rural Ontario church, this Toronto-based quintet's sophomore LP opens with "Song for the Angels," a mournful hymn that exemplifies their ability to bridge the earthly and the ethereal. The band's tempos now surpass dirge-speed and their ever-reverberant arrangements have grown to include drums, banjo, pedal steel, Wurlitzer and, on one song, a choir. However, Tony Dekker's reliable, vaguely liturgical tenor still dominates the vast, barren landscapes of their sound, a fine, if sometimes frosty setting for his intimations about mundane tragedies and transcendental yearnings. 8.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)
Kasabian
self-titled (RCA/Sony BMG)
The very embarrassing, very public drug wipeout of ex-Libertines frontman Pete Doherty suggests that the British are no less fascinated by reckless hedonism than they were in Shaun Ryder's heyday. Lucky for Kasabian, a band (named after a Manson family member) who have provided a new soundtrack for high times, modelled after Madchester and moulded with phat production straight outta the late '90s. Although they cobble some cool tunes together with chugging beats, rolling riffs, wall-to-wall reverb, orchestral interludes and acid-washed lyrics, such transparent source material makes much of the record feel like a mash-up. 6/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)
Ghosts of Modern Man
City of No Light (Smallman/Warner)
Having had the pleasure of seeing these guys live a couple of times, I'd have thought that capturing the urgency of their show would be almost impossible, but these Regina boys come through with flying colours. Hot Snakes, At the Drive-In and Drive Like Jehu fans are going to get all wiggy over this, but on songs like "Sleeping at the Switch" and "Red Red Sea," they got their own thing going on, spinning out of control before hugging the guardrail at the last minute. GOMM's true talent is avoiding post-punk trappings while retaining the urgency. Probably the best thing Smallman have ever put out. 9/10 (Johnson Cummins)
Daft Punk
Human After All (Virgin/EMI)
Was the title chosen as a preemptive apology from the dons of filtered future funk? Because this doesn't begin to approach the end-to-end excellence of Daft Punk's millennial masterpiece Discovery. Colder, darker, rougher and boiled down to basics, it's not entirely a spent bullet after the admittedly kick-ass titular opener - the Word-doc disco of "Technologic" and pleasantly pompous robot rockers "Television Rules the Nation" and, um, "Robot Rock" are tolerable enough. But beyond that, the album's as absent and uninspired as its predecessor was bang on the money. 6/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
Sophie Rimheden
H2-Fi (Mitek)
Touted as Sweden's answer to Ellen Allien, Rimheden made a splash last year with her electro-pop debut Hi-Fi, resulting in several "best artist" and "best album" nominations in her home country. On H2-Fi her Siouxsie/Madonna/Cyndi Lauper-tinged pop gets the remix treatment by the likes of Swedish jack-of-all-trades Hakan Lidbo, Tigerbeat6's Dwayne Sodahberk and Shitkatapult's Fenin. Running the gamut from upbeat, glitchy Gameboy synth-pop to stuttering, glorious noise to dark electro, H2-Fi may cover a lot of ground, but it does it in style - just skip the utterly painful Euro dance-rap of the "In Your Mind" remix. 7.5/10 (Raf Katigbak)
FP Crew
Olympic Rap Vol. 2: Winter Games (Lapdance/FPI)
FP Crew just bagged "LP of the year" kudos for 2004's Expose at the Montreal Underground Hip Hop Gala earlier this week, but the cold, crisp lines on Winter Games appear to reflect a new, more solidified approach on the part of the four-man crew who've been at this for a minute. Thanks to tracks like "Cop It Like It's Hot," "Step pas ça mine" and "Where I Come From," FP haven't just gone the extra mile for a mixtape's sake, as it feels like they may be priming us for their next full-length release. The flow has to grow, and these guys got the roots, and the new growth buds - as demonstrated on "I'm So High." If this represents things to come, people should probably listen up. 8/10 (Scott C)
Embassy
True Soldiers (Maccabee)
If you'd asked me to describe the burgeoning sound of Kitchener, Ontario, a few months ago, I probably would have chuckled at your faith in outlying municipalities. After hearing what Embassy has to offer, it's clear that quality boom-bap exists even in the most unlikely places. MCs Astral, Galactus, Glorius, Elijah Khan and Arkane bob and weave through this six-song EP, with notable contributions from Kemo on "Nuffa Dem" and our own Simahlak on "Lemme Tell You." It's not easy to roll a five-man crew and balance things out, but it helps when everyone can hold their own. This is a strategic, organized push towards making some classic material. 7/10 (Scott C)
Various
Blu Tribunl (Inflatabl/Statik)
In this follow-up to Dub Tribunl, Matt Haines (aka Rip Off Artist) joins Freeform and Akufen in treading unfamiliar musical ground, in this case the blues. While it could have been another exercise in wankery, the three emerge from the challenge not only unscathed but with a fresh and strange musical hybrid. While some of the roughness and raw soul of American blues is lost in the pristine sequenced production on most of the tracks, the unique sound sources, twisted arrangements and playful liberties taken with the genre create a refreshing and strangely intoxicating mix. Though it's a romp for techno heads, blues purists might want to keep their distance. 7.5/10 (Raf Katigbak)
Jennifer Lopez
Rebirth (Sony/BMG)
Lopez's first three albums were surprisingly enjoyable, largely due to savvy producers who surrounded her lightweight voice with killer beats and memorable hooks. Once again, she finds the best in the biz, including Rodney Jerkins and Rich Harrison, to provide the requisite thumpin' rhythms. Sometimes it works, like the lead single "Get Right," which takes elements of James Brown's "Soul Power" and fuses the horn-driven sample into a smokin' club track. But for the most part, the album falls flat and hits an all-time low with the over-the-top ballad "(Can't Believe) This Is Me," produced by hubby Marc Anthony. Guess she didn't marry him for his writing skills. 7/10 (Gerard Dee)
Urban Knights
VI (Narada)
Pianist Ramsey Lewis has been the guiding force behind this loose jazz ensemble, which has included jazz stalwarts like Grover Washington Jr. and Earl Klugh, since its inception in 1995. Some of the musicians joining Lewis on this sixth album are keyboardist Kevin Randolph, guitarist Bobby Broom and drummer Quinjuan Anderson. Performing a blend of originals and covers, the best way to describe this set is safe. No experimental jazz turns here, just some smooth versions of covers like the recent Alicia Keys/Usher duet "My Boo" and Lewis's own "Close Your Eyes and Remember," and funky originals like "Come Back Jack." Background music with style. 7/10 (Gerard Dee)
Mark Murphy
Bop For Miles (HighNote/ Fusion III)
Murphy is one of a handful of great living jazz singers. He made his recording debut in 1956 and this one is the newest of the 35 CDs listed under his name on the All Music Guide site. The 11 tracks herein were recorded in Austria and Murphy is abetted by some excellent Europe-based musicians, in particular pianist Peter Mihelich and reedman Allan Praskin. As the title suggests, most of the material here has a Miles Davis connection. Hit random on your CD player and I'm sure you'll be impressed with whatever comes up. 9.5/10 (Len Dobbin) At Upstairs, Mon., March 21
Mini CD Reviews
Mary Lou Williams self-titled (Smithsonian Folkways/Koch) Another important reissue from the recorded legacy of a true jazz icon, a composer and pianist of the first rank. 10 (LD)
The Creeping Nobodies Stop Movement Stop Loss (Blocks) Hyperactive punk grit and cerebral post-punk get hot and heavy on this Toronto band's debut LP. 8 (LC) With les Angles Morts and Athletic Automaton at Electric Tractor, Sat., March 19, 7:30 p.m., $7
Various An Anthology of Noise & Electronic Music (Sub Rosa) An essential two discs of past masters like Parmegiani and Hugh Le Cain to current audionauts like Francisco Lopez and Carsten Nicolai. Genius! 8 (RK)
Domi Lucide Demolucide (independent) This Tremolo offshoot's good-time electronica sounds like a Nintendo system haunted by fairies and satyrs. 7.5 (LC)
Various LateNightTales: The Flaming Lips (Azuli/Fusion III) Wayne Coyne and his tokin' Okies select a surprising mix - bunches of Britpop, Björk, Eno, Miles and their own cover of "Seven Nation Army." 7.5 (RB)
Barry Gray Space: 1999-Year 1 (Silva/Fusion III) This '70s sci-fi show was a dull, constipated drag to watch, except for the wicked, whiz-bang opening credits and of course these tunes. 7 (RB)
Comeback Kid Wake the Dead (Smallman/Warner) Hardcore's greatest fear is realized as the Comeback's songs simply fade into the background. 6 (JC)
E-Dot "The Way I Live" 12" (Uncle Howie) E sounds like Thrust when he's calmed down, and Rampage when he's amped! 6 (SC)
By the End of Tonight A Tribute to Tigers (Temporary Residence) Snoozy, but not in that cool, Galaxie 500 kind of way, and the prog bits are just laughable. 5 (JC)
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