Divine Brown
self-titled (Universal)
It’s only a matter of time before this Toronto-based singer goes from local sensation to international star. Her stunning debut reveals an artist with incredible vocal range, gifted writing abilities and, most importantly, genuine musical passion. Canada’s urban singers include successful artists like Deborah Cox and Tamia, but Brown takes a decidedly less commercial road, more Erykah Badu than Mariah. And while Brown does display a certain hip hop flair on tracks like “Boss Playa” (penned by Canadian hip hop artist Saukrates), her strength lies in engaging mid-tempo jams like “Twist My Hair” and defiant ballads like “Warrior.” A refreshing interpretation of Joni Mitchell’s classic “Help Me” only confirms Brown’s divine talent. 9/10 (Gerard Dee)
Heavy Trash
self-titled (Yep Roc/Outside)
Jon Spencer pairs up with Speedball Baby’s Matt Verta-Ray to delve even further into rockabilly, ’70s country, swampy blues and trashy garage, bringing out the best in both of these miscreants on 13 lucky tracks. The vintage slap-back delay, Farfisa, theremin and slide guitar ride in the red, perfectly captured in glorious lo-fi. With Spencer forgoing his breakbeats and Ray not leaning on his punk-rock crutch, this comes across as a heartfelt rockabilly/rhythm & blues barnstormer without ever having to rely on tired clichés. If some of you think Spencer has run out of gas on the last couple of releases, do yourselves a favour and check this out. 8.5/10 (Johnson Cummins) With the Sadies at le Swimming, Mon., June 13, 9 p.m., $12
Coldplay
X & Y (EMI)
For anyone who was drawn to the first two Coldplay albums for their folk intricacy or Britpop tunefulness, prepare to be disappointed. This third disc drives straight down the middle of the road, doing its best to dodge songs and affecting a quasi-U2 largesse between dull ballads. Lyrically, the album matches its musical dead weight with a string of unpoetic clichés—maybe the lunkheads who fill arenas didn’t get Chris Martin’s ramblings about spies and scientists. I suppose it was inevitable that this band would have to dumb it down to maintain their mainstream status, because no one likes uppity music or smarty-pants words. 5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)
Enon
Lost Marbles and Exploded Evidence (Touch & Go)
Spanning their four incarnations over the last several years, Lost Marbles… is a collection of Enon’s Web-, promo- and vinyl-only releases. Fans of the herky-jerky indie synth-pop band will certainly want to pick this up to get a broader and deeper view of the outfit, but the uninitiated might balk at some of the comp’s weaker moments (watery trip hop and early-Beck-ish meanderings) and would be better off picking up their 2002 disc High Society or even 2003’s Hocus Pocus. The bonus DVD is a rather entertaining collection of Enon ephemera including six videos, four live shows, flyers, and a voyeuristic journey into the band’s home videos. 7/10 (Raf Katigbak) With Thunderbirds Are Now! and Junior Pantherz at El Salon, Fri., June 10, 9 p.m.
Code Pie
This Habit (Flagless)
It would be misleading to call this local sextet an orchestral pop band, despite their occasionally clean melodies and prominent trumpet and cello. They don’t fit the modern indie-rock mould either, though the youthful energy of their guitars, handclaps, Casio cooing and falsetto backup vocals would merit an honourary membership in the indie club, (not to mention “Gala,” which sounds like an outtake from the first Strokes album). Their pensive intros, escalating arrangements and the heady sheen of their peaking guitars bring a touch of post-rock to proceedings, completing the triangular seduction of this debut disc. 8/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) With Arctic, the Camaromance, Faster Miles Per Hour, the Last Show, Paint at Café Chaos, Sun., June 12, 8 p.m., $5, and with the Visit and Lunchmeat at le Swimming, Wed., June 15, 10 p.m., $5
Bruce Dickinson
Tyranny of Souls (Sanctuary/EMI)
Iron Maiden singer and “tattooed millionaire” Dickinson’s return to his solo career is sure to please the hardcore Maiden fans. Dickinson knows exactly who is going to buy this and simply delivers a reheated version of his main gig, complete with the same galloping tempos and harmony guitar leads, but thankfully with a slightly updated speed-metal sound, thanks to collaborator/producer Rob Z. The only clunker here is Dickinson’s stab at balladry on the Spinal Tap-esque “Navigate the Seas of the Sun.” Not bad overall, but if you’re not a rabid Maiden fan, no rush. 6.5/10 (Johnson Cummins)
GOA!
Crystal Damage (independent)
This local lunatic noise-pop supergroup, centred around the vocal chaos of mouth-man Monstre, has expanded its lineup since its self-titled debut from 2002. At the same time, they’ve gone in a somewhat more abrasive, industrial direction, lending accuracy to song titles like “Lazer Elephants,” “Pink Panic” and “Violent Panda Circle” (the last a nice metaphor for the band itself). Snappy stuff, but what’s missing to me is the melodic catchiness present in the first record’s “Biyah.” 7/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) CD launch with guests Dreamcatcher at Casa del Popolo, Sun., June 12, 9 p.m., $6
Meat Beat Manifesto
At the Center (Thirsty Ear/Outside)
Jack Dangers and co. are back with their trademark dubby basslines, spacey sounds lurking in the shadows and classic, melted-mozzarella snares. But this time around, MBM are taking it easy, leaving their rambunctious party antics for a more chilled out jazzy vibe. We’re talkin’ lotsa flute with the tender touch of Rhodes. This is the lounge album for the tireless dancer—groovy, fun, but not overbearing. 8/10 (Lateef Martin)
Common
Be (Geffen/Universal)
Call him conscious if you want, but Common has consistently ripped the vast majority of MCs on record for a very long time. After the lukewarm reception to 2002’s Electric Circus, his latest release allows him to maintain his need to separate himself from everything out there, without alienating everyone all over again. Employing the production flair of Kanye West doesn’t hurt his favour with new fans either. The result is a fluid, uplifting record that seems to open up more and more after every listen. He may have changed his flow, but if you listen close, you’ll find a message in the cadence, accompanying the layers of microphone poetry. Although a sight short on the J Dilla productions, this album is still a must. 9/10 (Scott C)
John Cena
You Can’t See Me (Sony BMG)
Wrestling just keeps coming up. John Cena, the current WWE World Champion, is known around the world as a tough nut, but with the release of his new LP, he may be getting some respect as an MC as well. Now, Cena is no Nas, but I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of both the production and his mic skills. This is no novelty record, with beats from Jake One, Eligh from the Living Legends, and collabos with Bumpy Knuckles (Freddy Foxx) and Boston’s Esoteric. Cena is clearly a fan, and tried to make a record that would resonate right off the top rope. Check out “The Time is Now” or “Bad, Bad Man” if you think I’m joking. 7.5/10 (Scott C)
Turbulence
Songs of Solomon (VP)
Always kitted up inna revolutionary style, Turbulence has proven himself to be more than Sizzla’s opening act. Many have said Turbulence has a little Kalonji in him—he’s most certainly as energetic and enthusiastic of a performer and I think, with this album, he’s able to legitimately claim his own well-deserved time in the spotlight. After some disappointing recent lo-fi experiments (a dude with a voice like this should never be paired with an acoustic guitar), it’s a relief to hear Turbulence alongside Phillip Burrell and the Xterminator crew’s production prowess. There’s still some sweet, soulful sugar here, but it’s more of a conscious one-drop scene than a folk fiesta. 8/10 (Erin MacLeod)
Colleen
The Golden Morning Breaks (Leaf/Fusion III)
The term “massage music” conjures up notions not only of whale sounds and pan flutes, but of the most disturbing album covers in my collection, Music to Massage Your Mate By—picture the late-’70s private Polaroids of a haggard-looking, Burt Reynolds/Loni Anderson wannabe couple, then shudder. But at the risk of sounding like an unkempt hippie, Colleen’s blissfully beatless follow-up to 2003’s Everyone Alive Wants Answers is an amazingly meditative and delicately comfortable album. Glockenspiel, filtered organs, guitars, harps, lute and synths combine in a deceptively simple way. 8/10 (Raf Katigbak)
Dizzy Gillespie
Sittin’ In (Verve/Universal)
The trumpeter is the nominal leader of this highly musical jam session. He’s joined by the tenor saxes of Coleman Hawkins, Paul Gonsalves and Stan Getz, and the rhythm team of Wynton Kelly at the piano, Wendell Marshall on bass and JC Heard on drums for four extended tracks. Jerome Kern’s “The Way You Look Tonight” and Gillespie’s own “Dizzy Atmosphere” are here, as well as two ballad medleys that include some rather obscure songs like “Without a Word of Warning,” “On the Alamo” and “I’m Through With Love,” plus Gershwin’s “Love Walked In” and Kurt Weill’s “September Song.” Superior playing from all involved makes this a reissue to own. 9.5/10 (Len Dobbin)
Mini CD Reviews
Ranee Lee & Oliver Jones Just You, Just Me (Justin Time/Fusion III) A winning combination assisted on most tracks by Eric Lagace and Dave Laing. Try “Sister Sadie” or “Guess Who I Saw Today?” 9 (LD)
Björk Army of Me Remixes and Covers (One Little Indian) An army of interesting versions of her hit from ’95—metal, clickno, folk and much more—to benefit Unicef. 8.5 (RB)
Orange Juice The Glasgow School (Domino/Outside) Hopefully this retrospective of Edwin Collins’ old band will save a whole new generation of Brits from the scurvy. 8 (LC)
The Dead 60s self-titled (Deltasonic/Sony BMG) At worst a passable Clash pastiche, at best a bitter, Bolshevik Bloc Party. 7.5 (RB)
Afu-Ra State of the Arts (Koch) Probably the most interesting LP that Afu has put out, but something’s still missing. 7 (SC)
Les Prostiputes Trop souvent mal baisés (Mega Fiable/PAF) Queers-styled pop-punk that starts things off with a tender ballad called “Up Your Ass Crackwhore.” 7 (JC)
Mia Verko self-titled (Mintaka Conspiracy) These Montreal post-rockers manage to coax melody out of the least likely places. 7 (JC)
Turin Brakes JackInABox (EMI) Sweet pastoral pop with funky tangents. Imagine cheery field workers in Jamiroquai hats. 7 (LC)
>> Music Listings
