The Bloody Hollies
If Footmen Tire You (Alive)
Straight-up, gas-guzzling punk rawk, armed to the teeth with a head full of diet pills and cheap PBR. These ne’er-do-wells get it right from the word go, with songs pegged in the red, tempos that threaten to burst their seams at each turn and a vocal snarl reminiscent of Norway’s Sweatmaster. Dirtbombs alumni and garage guru Jim Diamond captures the white-hot smackdown like only he can, but with sonic pearls like “Burning Heart” and “Right Between the Eyes,” this is easily the Bloody Hollies’ show all the way. This is everything the stagnant punk rock and skinny-tie-infested garage scenes are lacking. 9/10 (Johnson Cummins) With Fake Blood and the Nymphets at l’Hémsiphère Gauche tonight, Thurs., Sept. 22, 9 p.m

The Dandy Warhols
Odditorium or Warlords of Mars (EMI)
After a narrator tells us we’re listening to rock ’n’ roll history in the making, the Dandys’ fifth album unfolds like a loose, leisurely jam session peppered with fuzzy-headed riffs and slack pop melodies. As usual, the band manages a handful of would-be singles, but do they need to be six, seven, eight minutes long? On the flipside, they dot their groovy rock ’n’ roll with country, soul and new wave, minus the blatant plagiarism that has marked their albums in the past. They’ve clearly mastered their own sound—if only they knew how to edit it. 7.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)

Blood on the Wall
Awesomer (The Social Registry)
Open your mouth and say, “Ah-somer!” These Brooklynites harken back to the indie rock salad years of Sonic Youth (“Stoner Jam”), Wire (“Heat From the Day”), the Velvets, Pavement, Modern Lovers… Okay, their influences may be a bit obvious, but how can you complain? True, this trio probably all work at a college station or comic store or something, and listen to Daydream Nation nightly, but when they blatantly pillage Sabbath’s “Paranoid” riff and marry it to the Fall’s sense of repetition, they approach sheer genius. John Peel is smiling in his grave. 8/10 (Johnson Cummins)

Coco Rosie
Noah’s Ark (Touch and Go)
Following their intriguing 2004 debut La Maison de Mon Rêve, sisters Bianca and Sierra Casady return with more so-called “freak folk.” The duo’s quaint arrangements of genteel piano, gingerly picked guitar, makeshift percussion and vocals that sound like a communiqué from Billie Holiday in hell (guest singers Devendra Banhart and Antony fit right in) are as pretty as they are precious. Most listeners will either love them for their exceptional, enchanted aesthetic, or hate them for their pretentious pseudo-outsider art. I’m on the fence, but I’ll keep rolling around in dried flowers and burning myself with candle wax until I figure it out. 7.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) With Antony & the Johnsons and guests at la Tulipe on Thurs., Sept. 29, 9 p.m., $17.50

Various
Grlz: Women Ahead of their Time (Crippled Dick/Fusion III)
There have certainly been previous overviews of first-wave funky fem-punk from the turn of the ’80s, but despite the Eurocentric line-up here (no Bush Tetras—bummer!), this is one of the best. Some material is fairly familiar, like the Slits’ “I Heard it Through the Grapevine,” Bow Wow Wow’s “C-30 C-60 C-90 Go!” and Delta 5’s “Mind Your Own Business,” recently covered by Chicks on Speed. A pair from Rip, Rig & Panic show where Neneh Cherry got her start, and tunes by Ludus, Dorothy and Nicolle Meyer not only fill “hidden gem” duties but expand the comp’s sonic palette. 8/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

The Polyphonic Spree/ Elliott Smith
Thumbsucker Original Score (Hollywood/Universal)
The function of this latest load from Tim DeLaughter and his beatific battalion, the score to the forthcoming Mike Mills flick, necessitates a scattered quality, ho-hum patches and the reeling in of the bursts of euphoric grandeur the Spree are known for. A few slip through, though—“Call of the Wild” certainly earns its title—and the patchwork nature of the score eases in the three tunes by the late Elliott Smith (covers of Cat Stevens and Big Star, plus an original). Moreover, DeLaughter’s obliged to fine-tune his lower-key moments, culminating in the quiet mesmerism of the endless “Acceptance.” 7.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

Mr. Oizo
Moustache (Half a Scissor) (Mute/EMI)
It’s been five long years since Frenchman Quentin Dupieux sold over three million copies of his Euro-chart-topping, catchy-as-all-get-out wonk-house single “Flat Beat,” and five years since fans of the single were surprised by the not-so-catchy, sludgy, cut-up mind-fuck LP that was Analog Worms Attack. Apparently, the years have had no mellowing effect on Dupieux, throwing another curveball here, pushing his sound further to the fringe with an even more frantically edited mish-mash style. With 17 tracks clocking in at just under 40 minutes, Moustache (Half a Scissor) is a difficult, off-kilter washing machine filled with discarded beatboxes, television samples, rugged synth lines and quick and dirty interludes. A tough but rewarding listen. 6.5/10 (Raf Katigbak)

Blackalicious
The Craft (Anti/FAB)
By now, we know that the duo of Gift of Gab and Chief Xcel don’t really like to venture into predictable territory, save the few songs on every album where GOG flexes his ability to rhyme without coming up for air. “My Pen and Pad” illustrates that Gab still has the pipes to go that extra mile, while “Powers” stinks of Outkast’s “Hey Ya” syndrome, where Gab makes a sad attempt to get all sing-songy over poppy guitars and a hook. Ambitious beats abound, with Chief Xcel showing his inventive side on joints like “The Fall and Rise of Elliot Brown” and the staccato chops of “Rhythm Sticks” and “Egosonic War Drums.” The production quality is here, but for some reason this LP doesn’t flow as easy as Gift of Gab on the mic. 7/10 (Scott C)

Hardsteppers
Revolution (Hardstepper/ Fusion III)
Since the early ’90s, the Hardsteppers crew has been straight up runnin’ tings for the Montreal breakbeat massive. The debut full-length from this conglomerate, guided by local D&B veteran Sase One, is jam-packed with edgy, club-driven rhythms. New school electro breaks, dancehall, drum & bass, techno and downtempo—the Hardsteppers conquer every style with tight, top-notch production flair. Each track builds intuitively and breaks perfectly, a quality that only comes from years of rocking crowds. Vocally, the four-man crew (rounded out by Adam L, Regimental and reggae vocalist Kali) present a variety of faces, from rugged MC (“Fistfight”) to even blues and roots reggae (“Sweet Redemption”). 8/10 (Raf Katigbak)

I Wayne
Lava Ground (VP)
After the huge “Can’t Satisfy Her,” “Living in Love” and “Lava Ground,” a full-length by the 25-year-old artist from Portmore became one of the most eagerly awaited events of this year. I Wayne may be soft spoken, but his message certainly doesn’t tiptoe. Decrying prostitution, skin bleaching, urban violence and economic injustice, all with a voice that sounds like it floats lightly over each track—it’s no wonder that the former Cliffroy Taylor has been compared to the late, great Garnett Silk. A remarkable conscious record—I’ve no doubt that I Wayne will be chanting down Babylon for some time to come. 9/10 (Erin MacLeod)

Dr. Charles G. Hayes & the Warriors
The Remix (Fusion III)
Four decades and 30 albums deep into their stellar career, this enduring Chicago-based choir is still going strong, a testament to their passionate beliefs and superior musical delivery. Currently, the Warriors are riding high thanks to lead single “Work It Out,” an energetic spiritual romp driven by the powerhouse vocals of Dianne Williams, guaranteed to have churchgoers happy-dancing in the aisles. In fact, the choir is most potent when they reach a fever pitch on roof-raising selections like “He Laid His Hands On Me” and “You’re Worthy.” The full-bodied sound delivered by their crack back-up band ensures that these warriors always sound like they’re in top shape. 8/10 (Gerard Dee)

Bettye LaVette
I’ve Got My Own Hell to Raise (Anti/FAB)
For every Tina or Aretha, there are scores of soul howlers whose often excellent efforts are consigned to the dusty bins of vinyl purgatory. At 60, Bettye LaVette might have been one of them, but thanks go to Epitaph offshoot Anti for resurrecting her career—the woman’s pipes can still peel shellac one moment, stop a charging rhino in its tracks the next. With a bare-bones blues backing (Doyle Bramhall II handles guitar), LaVette tackles a catalogue of songs by women writers (Dolly Parton, Fiona Apple, Aimee Mann), none of which, oddly enough, were soul numbers. They sure as hell are now. 8.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

Sheila Jordan
Celebration (High Note/Koch)
If you missed Ms. Jordan’s memorable SRO performances at Upstairs last week, this new CD, recorded in NYC on her 76th birthday last November, will give you an idea of why she got two standing ovations here. Working for the most part with only bassist Cameron Brown, a setting she’s favoured since the early ’60s, this is a wonderful evening of love, fun and great vocal jazz by my favourite living jazz singer. Try Dizzy Gillespie’s “Birks’ Works,” where she’s joined by her old friend, vocalist Jay Clayton. Destined to be on my top-10 list at year’s end. 10/10 (Len Dobbin)

Mini CD Reviews

Enrico Pieranunzi Fellini Jazz (C.A.M. Jazz) More film music, this time by this pianist’s A-class combo—Kenny Wheeler, Chris Potter, Charlie Haden and Paul Motian. Superb, low-key playing! 10 (LD)

Sizzla Soul Deep (Greensleeves) Now that Sizzla’s been signed to Roc-a-fella, I’m worried that we won’t get any more albums like this. 8 (EM)

Willi Williams Messenger Man (Blood & Fire) The 1980 debut LP—with Jackie Mittoo guesting!—from the guy from whom the Clash borrowed “Armagideon Time.” Messages worth saving! 7.5 (RB)

Windsor for the Derby Giving Up the Ghost (Secretly Canadian) Dance and brood your heart out to WFD’s sixth LP, wherein the band’s background in costumed Kraftwerk and Joy Division cover bands rears its gothy head. 7.5 (LC)

Miri Ben-Ari feat. Styles P “We Gonna Win” 12” (Universal) The hip hop violinist! She can obviously play, but the production doesn’t reflect her talents. Styles P brings the drama. 7 (SC)

Matthew Herbert Plat du jour (Accidental/Fusion III) High in concept, low in consistency, Herbert’s musical manifesto against evil food corporations doesn’t stand on its own two industrialized chicken feet. 6 (RK)

Simple Minds Black & White 050505 (Sanctuary) I can’t tell if they’re sadists or masochists, but somebody’s getting hurt here. 3 (LC)

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