Various
Run It Red: Mick Hucknall Selects from 10 Years of Blood and Fire Classics(Blood and Fire)
Mick Hucknall ain’t just Simply Red. Ten years ago, along with Steve Barrow, Bob Harding, Andy Dodd and Elliot Rashman, he helped found Blood and Fire. It’s tough to name a label with as strong a commitment to Jamaican artists and musicians. Responsible for the most lovingly compiled, beautifully designed reissue albums I’ve ever seen, B&F make legendary (and not so well known) albums not only sound incredible, but available for a whole new listening audience—always making sure that the artists are given the credit and cash they may or may not have received the first time around. From Big Youth to Yabby You, this collection is just a tiny taste of the greatness of B&F’s catalogue. 10/10 (Erin MacLeod)
The Raveonettes
Pretty in Black (Columbia/Sony BMG)
Free of their previous albums’ self-imposed constraints (all songs under three minutes, in B-flat minor) and backed by three new members and three heavyweight guests (Ronnie Spector, Martin Rev and Moe Tucker), Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo duet their way through their lurid rock ’n’ roll stomping ground while venturing cautiously into new territory. They’ve undercut the reverb and infused occasional disco beats and Martian keyboards, but they know not to fix what was never broken. Rock noir, leather-clad ballads and girl groupery is where the Raveonettes will always be at. 8/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)
Oneida
The Wedding (Jagjaguwar/Three Gut)
Brooklyn-based Kid Millions, Hanoi Jane and Bobby Matador have a knack for reinventing themselves with each release, and their seventh detours from their earlier psychedelic squall. Several years in the making, The Wedding balances, in about equal parts, elegant chamber pop with stirring strings, communitarian hymns with that earnest hand-on-heartfulness, and great cloudbursts of long-form trance rock. The transition from one to the other is remarkably comfortable, the vocals are sweet and the melodies have tremendous staying power. Craftiness and craftsmanship seem to be the lucky couple in this wedding. 8/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
The Mountain Goats
The Sunset Tree (4AD/Beggars)
With all the weakness, tension and twisted humour he’s imparted to his fictional characters, John Darnielle has adapted troubled episodes from his own childhood—the liner notes say this album was “made possible” by his late stepfather and offers encouragement to abuse victims. Stark, redemptive narratives are backed by pretty arrangements of acoustic guitars, strings and piano, the songs either upbeat and ornery or placid and morose. Though Darnielle will never be a singer, his ability to capture and adapt to each song’s emotional pitch, from impassioned cry to tender coo, has refined with age. 7.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) With Shearwater and Jeff Hanson at la Sala Rossa, Tues., May 10, 9 p.m., $12
Novillero
Aim Right for the Holes in Their Lives (Mint/Outside)
These power-poppin’ ’Peggers have a history, or at least one album years ago on Endearing that was skewed more to the orch-pop end of things. Distilled down to a base of bass, drums, guitar and—in an almost focal role—keys, they haven’t shaken the rich fullness of that first disc. They’re only bringing it on with greater propulsion. Primary songwriter Rod Slaughter, who earned his purple heart with minimalist mod pairing Duotang, carries over his knack for unshakable hooks and erudite, incisive lyrics. While recalling the finer moments in mod rock and Mersey beat, Novillero’s is very much of the now. 8.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
Ryan Adams & the Cardinals
Cold Roses (Lost Highway)
Love him or hate him, Mr. Adams proves to be one of the most prolific songwriters out there, with an annual output that could rival a band’s entire discography. This two-CD set has Adams musically revisiting his days in Whiskeytown, with more emphasis on his alt-country sound. Actually, scratch that alt-country thing—this is thankfully more in step with mid ’70s era Byrds, Little Feat and Flying Burrito Bros. than most of the insurgent country coming out right now. Adams’ true talent is constantly reinventing himself without ever sounding forced. His swooning vocals are the real ticket here, and the Cardinals’ spot-on performance propels Adams to loftier heights than on previous recordings. 8/10 (Johnson Cummins)
The Blackfire Revelation
Gold and Guns on 51 (Southern Deconstruction)
Only five songs here, two of which end up being covers, but this EP achieves what any EP worth its salt is supposed to do—whet the appetite for a full-length. These southern gents namecheck with Blue Cheer’s “Second Time Around” and the Troggs’ “I Want You Right Now,” with the latter sticking pretty close to the MC5 version, but lo-fi recording and squeals of feedback noise makes this much more than your typical sludge feast. Fans of noisecore grandpas Halo of Flies, take note. 8/10 (Johnson Cummins)
Nine Inch Nails
With Teeth (Nothing/Universal)
It’s just as I feared. NIN have gone adult-contemporary industrial, or “electronica,” according to my iTunes. With Teeth finds Trent Reznor and his new lineup, including ex-Marilyn Manson bassist Jeordie White, on the mellow tip. Subtle? Perhaps. Infectious? Eh. Look for no fangs here, maybe a couple of dull incisors and a few crushing molars like the anthemic “Every Day Is Exactly the Same,” “The Collector” and the beautifully violent “You Know Who You Are.” But even the loud, angry tracks we love NIN for are somewhat subdued. The sinister flavour of the dirtier Downward Spiral days sits under the gum to pluck your nerve endings instead of ripping them out. 7/10 (Lateef Martin)
Kill Memory Crash
American Automatic (Ghostly International)
Working under “self-imposed exile” from what they see as fleeting electronic music trends, Kill Memory Crash have been inspiring dance-party riots in Chicago and Detroit for the last 10 years. Part IDM studio fidgetry, part distorted, melancholic vocals, part booming electro robo-percussion—with their debut, full-length follow-up to 2003’s cutting When the Blood Turns Black EP, KMC usher in the new wave of industrial music. 8/10 (Raf Katigbak)
Aesop
Rock Fast Cars, Danger, Fire and Knives (Definitive Jux/Outside)
Def Jux ups the ante with this handsome release of seven new Aesop songs, backed by a thick little book of rhymes by one of the most cryptic MCs around. This five-chapter epic houses the lyrical contents of LPs Float, Labour Days, Daylight, Bazooka Tooth and his latest LP, delightfully laid out in clever script and design. Fast Cars... could easily stand alone without the addition of the book, but it definitely adds another dimension to a guy who sometimes speaks so eloquently in a tongue that we can only cram to understand. Aesop has always been miles ahead, and here, he’s done the next best thing to dumbing it down—writing it down, so we can all see what this genius is really talking about. 7.5/10 (Scott C)
Mariah Carey
The Emancipation of Mimi (Island/Universal)
I’ve never been a big Mariah fan. Sure I think “Vision of Love” is one of the best all-time slow jams, but her tendency towards vocal hysterics and progressively skanky image left me cold. So imagine my surprise when I listened to her latest and liked it. Kudos to L.A. Reid for overseeing a tight package with flawless track sequencing. The album succinctly combines retro vibes and contemporary sounds that work equally well for catchy, mid-tempo grooves like “Shake It Off” and irresistible jams like the Neptunes-produced “To the Floor.” Meanwhile, Mariah keeps the vocal acrobatics to a minimum, wisely concentrating on her mid-range. 8.5/10 (Gerard Dee)
Various
Afro Beats (Comet/Fusion III)
The contents make up for any lack of creativity lost in the name of this 11-track compilation, featuring several appearances by legendary Fela Kuti drummer Tony Allen, saving on any doubts of rhythmic shortcuts. Also included are tracks from IG Culture and Eska, Ghetto Blaster, Psycho on Da Bus and the Off World Ensemble, offering both traditional takes on the Afro-beat form and new interpretations of Afro-funk. Hot ones include Tony Allen and Africa 70’s “Afro-disco-beat,” as well as Son of Scientists’ “The Drum” featuring vocalist Eska. 8/10 (Scott C)
Mercan Dede
Su (Escondida)
While familiar to Montrealers in his geo-techno DJ guise Arkin Allen, Mercan Dede calls Turkey home—or rather, Turkey’s called him home. His albums recorded as Dede (producer, composer and ney flute player) strive to harmonize his multi-culti modernism, his strong Turkish roots and his immersion in Sufism, the progressive, mystical strain of Islam. Dede’s last album Nar (“fire”) explored anger and agitation. Su (“water”) instead suggests not exactly peace but placidity, a quietly haunted acceptance of time’s inexorable flow forward. Recorded on the banks of the river Bosphorus—tellingly, the meeting point of Europe and Asia—Dede’s downstream drift crosses the paths of violinist Hugh Marsh, Tamil chanteuse Susheela Raman and Turkish MC Ceza, among others. 8/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
Phil Woods
Groovin’ to Marty Paich (Jazzed Media)
Marty Nau
At the Bouquet Chorale (Summit)
The focus here is on altoman Phil Woods, who plays a little clarinet as well. On the first, he’s joined by the Los Angeles Jazz Orchestra, directed by Christian Jacob in a live session recreating material that Marty Paich originally scored for Art Pepper—“Donna Lee,” “Bernie’s Tune,” “Walkin’ Shoes” etc. The second features three alto players, the leader, Woods and Vince Lardear. This one is a sextet outing with 11 tracks, including Lardear’s “Door Number Three,” “Air Mail Special”, “Here’s That Rainy Day” and Ellington’s “The Mooche,” which has the front line switching to clarinets. Both contain lots of spirited and inspired playing. Both 9/10 (Len Dobbin)
Mini CD Reviews
Duke Ellington At the Hurricane (Storyville) The 1943 Ellington band as it sounded on radio from a prestigious Broadway emporium of the day. 9.5 (LD)
Nile Annihilation of the Wicked (Relapse/Koch) Death metal just doesn’t get more epic than this. Truly sick. 9 (JC)
Sizzla, Beres Hammond, Beenie Man, Sanchez Reggae Max Box Set (Jet Star) One-stop shopping. This stellar four-disc set is perhaps the best way to introduce yourself to modern Jamaican music. 9 (EM)
Exile feat. Slum Village “Soul Provider”/”Time Has Come” 12” (Sound in Color) Exile hooks up T3 and Elzhi with two well-swung joints, guaranteed to get you up off the wall. 8 (SC)
Aimee Mann The Forgotten Arm (Superego) Beautifully illustrated and packaged, this concept LP recounts a dreary relationship over a dozen almost identical MOR ditties. What, no wizards? 6 (LC)
Russian Futurists Our Thickness (Upper Class) Homespun electropop on brown acid. 6 (LC)
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