Sweatmaster
Tom Tom Bullet(Bad Afro/Fusion III)
How come nobody's going ape over these Norwegians? Sweatmaster make no bones about using the Hives' choppy chord blueprint, but by injecting a bit of soul, garage know-how and Kinky craft, they deliver what could shape up to be the punk-rawk release of the year. Songs like "Big Deal" hit like a nail gun, while "Dirty Rabbit" saunters with a sexy strut. This is all well and good, but it's bubblegum punkers like "The Kid" and "Song With No Words" that have them reaching for the radio dial without bending over backwards. Sweatmaster's sole mission is to get you to shake it like a bowl of soup, but with songs this strong they prove to be far more than just another party band. Utterly brilliant! 9.5/10 (Johnson Cummins)
Of Montreal
The Sunlandic Twins (Polyvinyl)
Athens, GA's 514 appreciation society blends sunny pop melodies, light, bubbly guitars, tin 'n' tile percussion, old wheezy synths and bouncy e-beats on their seventh LP. Band leader Kevin Barnes describes it as "21st century A.D.D. electro cinematic avant-disco," but the record's warm, charming wackiness recalls something distinctly 20th century, namely Brian Eno's early solo albums, or even Talking Heads produced by Eno. The band's pop operatics refine and update the aesthetic of Georgia's Elephant Six, the'60s-obsessed collective from whence Of Montreal came. 8/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) With Poorfolk, Hidden in Buildings at la Sala Rossa on Sun., April 24, $12
Martha Wainwright
self-titled (Zoe/MapleMusic)
Once known primarily as a daughter, sister and back-up singer, Martha Wainwright has finally planted her own flag with this international debut. Searing songs such as "TV Show" and "Ball and Chain" show that she may have the most emotionally expressive voice, and painfully honest pen, in the family. As difficult as her lyrics can be, the natural flow of her songs, their subtle arrangements (acoustic guitar, piano, percussion, smooth keys and occasional crunchy rock riffs) and her stirring vocal peaks and valleys, strengths and vulnerabilities, produce a pleasantly difficult listen. 8/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)
Zeke/Peter Pan Speedrock
self-titled (Bitzcore/Fusion III)
Even though this split CD could be considered Zeke's cutting-room scraps, these six blazers rock like a motherfucker. The Antiseen and Ted Nugent covers both transcend the originals, but it's "10 to Riverside Blues" and 1998's reluctant anthem in waiting "Fuck All Night" that make this essential. Dutch rockers Peter Pan Speedrock, on the other hand, just sound tired and bloated when matched up with the Zeke assault. PPS only become slightly memorable with live versions of Danzig's "Twist of Fate" and Butthole Surfers' "Who Was in My Bed Last Night?" For serious Zeke fans only. 6/10 (Johnson Cummins)
The Wedding Present
Take Fountain (Manifesto)
It's 20 years since David Gedge and co. stepped forward with their brand of bold, bristling post-punk U.K. pop, and almost 10 since Saturnalia, the last "Weddoes" album. Gedge's detour with Cinerama, a cheery, strings-'n'-things exploration of film music and bright pop, might be a closed chapter with this return to (gloriously miserable) form, the Morricone moments and string section aside. Gedge is a master not only of soaring, bittersweet guitar grandeur but also of isolating the verbal symptoms of troubled romance. This 10-step breakdown of a breakup, with Seattle as a backdrop (and Steve Fisk in the producer's chair!) shows that, while an angry young man no more, Gedge hasn't lost his touch. 8.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) With Crystal Skulls at Cabaret, Wed., April 27, 9 p.m., $17.50
Solvent
Elevators & Oscillators (Ghostly International)
Those who've followed this Torontonian's career since his debut on his own Suction Records have seen him rise from obscure Canuck experimental producer to remixing Soft Cell, Adult and Kid 606, to finally breaking out with the amazing weepy synth-pop robo-ballad "My Radio." This 13-track disc, an excellent companion to his Apples & Synthesizers LP, is jam packed with new material and solid remixes. "My Radio" gets the treatment from notables like the Mitgang Audio, Legowelt and Schneider TM, while Isan, Alter Ego and fellow Ontarian Lowfish provide their own interpretations of Solvent material. Essential dark synth-pop! 8.5/10 (Raf Katigbak)
Various
Rebel Futurism (Crosstown Rebels)
Damian Lazarus (ex-A&R man for the City Rockers label) kicks off his second label mix with deep, driving tech-house and hints of dub. Steve Bugs' smash hit "Loverboy" makes the cut (albeit in stripped-down, "re-bugged" form) and sets the tone for the mix - cold, dark electro-tech with frosty vocals. Halfway through the mix, Lazarus takes a straight electro turn with Jennifer Cardini & Ho's distant "Stay" and from there on in, tracks like Anthony Rother's "Back Home" and Superpitcher's "Happiness" lift the tempo to a driving pulse. 8/10 (Raf Katigbak)
The Perceptionists
Black Dialogue (Definitive Jux/Outside)
Oh shit. Right out of the gate, Akrobatik and Mr. Lif blow up the place with the noisy stomp "Let's Move," laying down some serious lyrics on a stellar Fakts One beat. Is it me or does this opening track smell a little like someone has been wallowing in the grime? Dirty, dark and menacing beats engage listeners, while they get blown away by Ak and Lif's next-level lyrics. I haven't heard a tighter three-way combo in a minute, and although producer Fakts One is on point, I would have liked more from him here. Picking up where Fakts leaves off are El P, Cyrus the Great and Willie Evans Jr., who all realize the power of these fine MCs. Guests include Guru, Camutao, Humpty Hump and Phonte. 8/10 (Scott C)
Platinum Pied Pipers
Triple P (Ubiquity)
PPP's long-awaited debut LP once again reminds me of the truly serious soul music coming out of Detroit. Wajeed, of Bling 47 fame, a longtime collaborator with Jay Dee and Slum Village, links up with keyboard and guitar master Saadiq to craft a hip hop/soul hybrid that stands apart. Teaming up with a variety of featured artists, this production team weaves its way through the 16 tracks, representing head-nod grit and sultry future soul. Standout tunes include "No Worries" with Steve Spacek, "Deep Inside" with labelmates Sa-Ra Creative Partners and the upstart "Act Like You Know" with J Dilla. A tip of the hat also goes to Paul Simon's "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover," which the duo characteristically rework on the closing track. Classic material. 8.5/10 (Scott C)
Yami Bolo
Ministry (Ilights)
When Yami Bolo was but a wee pickney in the 1980s, he was part of Sugar Minott's Youth Promotion sound. From the age of 13, he's been perfecting his trademark "Aye! Aye! Aye!" Bolo demonstrates this depth of experience and ability on Ministry, a nice collection of duets with folks ranging from Jack Radics, Lee Perry and Dennis Brown to Sizzla, Bounty Killer and Capleton. With a record chock-a-block with strong singles, it's hard to choose highlights. "Put Down Your Weapons" with Capleton deserves a rewind, as does Bolo and Ken Boothe's reworking of Simon & Garfunkel's "Richard Cory." Strong tunes for spring! 9/10 (Erin MacLeod)
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
Naturally (Daptone)
The wellspring of vintage soul and funk platters may be almost endless, but contemporary acts working that sound with suitable crunch, sweat and stone-cold boldness are few and far between. And few of those hold a candle to magnificent Ms. Jones and her mighty Dap-Kings, a collective powerhouse on stage and no slouches in the studio either. This second album sees Jones and co. laying out a spread of solid, distinctive numbers, touching on the exquisite heartache of Motown, the too-cool groove of Stax and the raw stomp 'n' howl of countless forgotten funk imprints. The real thing, done the right way. 8.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) With DJ Kobal at El Salon, Thurs., April 28, 9 p.m., $15
Tweet
It's Me Again (Atlantic/Warner)
On Tweet's '02 debut Southern Hummingbird, the grown-up soul of that set was overshadowed by the cheeky R&B ode to self-gratification "Oops (Oh My)," which immediately established an undeniable sex-kitten image for the otherwise refined singer. On her new set, she does her best to shake that impression. Sure, there are playful club tracks like "Sports, Sex & Food" and lead single "Turn da Lights Off," with mentor Missy Elliot. But for the most part this engaging sophomore effort is populated with moody soul cuts like "When I Need a Man" and "Cab Ride" (which samples the theme to '70s sitcom Taxi). It's sophisticated soul on the sexy tip. 7.5/10 (Gerard Dee)
Scott Hamilton
Back In New York (Concord/ Universal)
Nothing complicated here, just plain swinging sounds from an inventive, melodic tenor player, greatly aided by Bill Charlap leading one of the great trios currently part of the jazz scene, one made up of the unrelated Washingtons, bassist Peter and drummer Kenny. Hamilton's swing is of the Zoot Sims variety, and Mr. Charlap can seemingly do no wrong. The 10 tracks here include some bebop, "I've Just Seen Her" (a superb ballad, in the past favoured by both Pepper Adams and Ellington) and some (not overplayed) standards like "Wonder Why," "Love Letters" and "This Is Always." By the way, the Charlap trio makes two appearances at the Discover Jazz Festival in Burlington, Vermont, on June 6. 9.5/10 (Len Dobbin)
Mini CD Reviews
Eric Comstock No One Knows (Harbinger) Wonderful singer, songs, arrangements and backing - a class act! 9 (LD)
Beanie Sigel "Don't Stop" 12" (Roc-A-Fella) Pharrell laces Beans with some smooth shit, and he still comes hard. "Eat a dick with AIDS on the tip/Keep my name off ya lips..." 8 (SC)
John Prine Fair and Square (Oboy/Koch) Although Prine is as clever as they come, it's that voice, straight from the gut, that's going to grab ya. 8 (JC)
Various Ragga Ragga Ragga 2005 (Greensleeves) Billed as uncut, X-rated dancehall, you'll be hearing this selection of the hottest riddims and the slackest lyrics blasting out of a car stereo sometime soon. 8 (EM)
The Chicago & New Haven Women's Liberation Rock Band Papa, Don't Lay That Shit on Me (Rounder) From the feminist archives (1972), with a track by Le Tigre, this comp tackles the serious issues with rock, ragtime, blues, soul and stand-up, and some of it seriously rocks. 7.5 (LC)
The Meteors These Evil Things (People Like You/Cargo) These psychobilly legends may be getting a bit of grey in their greased-up pompadours, but are just as psycho as ever. 7 (JC)
Crystal Method Community Service II (Ultra) Since when does being nominated for a Grammy give anyone the licence to put out a painful acid-break remix of the Doors?! 5 (RK)
Garbage Bleed Like Me (Geffen/Universal) Once somewhat seductively trashy, now an odious waste of plastic for Evanescence fans. Or some similar shit. 4 (LC) With the Dead '60s at Metropolis on Sun., April 24, 8 p.m., $35.50
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