Paul McCartney
Chaos and Creation in the Backyard (Capitol/EMI)
The rumours are true. Sir Paul has indeed delivered his best work in three decades. With producer Nigel Godrich (Radiohead, Beck) cracking the whip, McCartney has really pushed himself, playing almost all instruments and precision-tuning his melodies. While Chaos and Creation… does gaze back to Wings and even “the white album” (yup, “Jenny Wren” is of a feather with “Blackbird”), it’s through a glass, darkly. A sustained note of brooding rumination hovers over most of the disc. It’s that bitter twist on the man’s masterful popcraft that reminds one of the yin-yang balance he and Lennon struck so long ago, and to such success. 8.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
Kiss Me Deadly
Misty Medley (Alien8)
Emily Elizabeth, you’re scaring my neighbours. Kiss Me Deadly’s lead singer does screaming duty on a pair of songs on the band’s sophomore LP, though her vocal power is largely reserved for sweet, strained, breathy stylings. Guitarist/programmer Adam Poulin and bassist Mathieu du Montier are less impressive as singers, but they don’t diminish the album’s obese pop shimmer, often danceable (“Dance,” parts one to four), occasionally haunting (title track), almost always propelled by very Edge guitars. Some songs seem aimless, moving forward rather than upward, but hovering beats flying when the scenery’s this good. That hidden track, however, isn’t hidden enough. 7.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) With Fox the Boombox, DJ Lynne T at Casa del Popolo, Sat., Oct. 1
Kill the Lights
Winter Asthmatics (independent)
Based in Toronto, hailing from Ottawa, rural Quebec and New Brunswick, this quintet has produced a fine, refined debut, echoing British punk, post-punk, synthpop and early Britpop. Chiming riffs, carefully picked or hyperactively strummed, wafting synths, clanging drums, syrupy female backing vocals and shaggy crooning courtesy of the male lead form something akin to the Strokes, had they progressed from that late ’70s sound to an early ’80s one. Despite being weighed down by a fistful of filler, this disc promises great things. 7/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) With the World Provider and more at Saphir tonight, Thurs., Sept. 29, 9 p.m.
Bane
The Note (Equal Vision)
Bane’s hardcore stomp is steeped in the traditions of the late ’80s, and they date themselves with chanted choruses, half-time breakdowns and linear lyrics, but on the coda of songs like “Pot Committed,” they manage to surprise and forge their own sound. The urgency and commitment of the vocals makes up for the fact they can’t find the key (“My Therapy”), but it’s really the arrangements on songs like “End With an Ellipsis” that keep Bane’s head above water. 7/10 (Johnson Cummins) With Strung Out and more at Metropolis, Sat., Oct. 1, 7 p.m., $20, all ages
Nashville Pussy
Get Some! (Spitfire)
Nashville Pussy’s live show always outshone their records, but the production/mixing team of Daniel Rey and Glen Robinson really captured all the blood and sweat on this one. Blaine Cartwright’s junkyard-dog bark is still coming straight from the nether regions, but more importantly they now have songs that are guaranteed to bend some ears. The single “Come On Come On” is a blazer with Stones-y swagger, while the backing vocals of guitarist Ruyter Suys and bassist Karen Cuda really sends the rest of the songs home. After that, the covers of Ace Frehley (“Snowblind”) and Ike & Tina (“Nutbush City Limits”) are just gravy. 8/10 (Johsnon Cummins) With Money Money and Whitey Houston at Café Campus, Wed., Oct. 5, 7:30 p.m., $16.50
Big Star
In Space (Ryko/Outside)
Initial fears that Katrina had taken NOLA resident Alex Chilton have been assuaged. The man is alive—and so apparently is Big Star, the obscure ’70s band that earned him music-nerd sainthood. Actually, the reformed Big Star (or at least Chilton, drummer Jody Stephens and two Posies) have been playing live for a dozen years now, but In Space is the first album in 30. Without the late Chris Bell, the band’s cloud of tragic, magic mystery has lifted, the transcendent quality that fuelled Big Star’s after-the-fact hagiography dialed down. Still, for that rich, rewarding melange of glammy glitter and garage grit, soft-touch psych and shattered soul, Big Star remain the band to beat. 8/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
Various
The Suicide Girls Black Heart Retrospective (Epitaph/FAB)
With offerings reaching back to ’81, goth moms must have played these songs to their little girls while they were still in the womb—and not quite as suicidal. But that could explain things: Siouxsie & the Banshees, Joy Division, Bauhaus, Ministry, the Cult, the Cure, Love & Rockets, Skinny Puppy, Echo & the Bunnymen—not exactly lullabies. And tacked onto this collection of moldy oldies is a track from hip hop artist Atmosphere. How this makes sense is beyond me, but what would have really made this comp interesting would be to mix some of today’s dark anthems, be they trip hop or goth, with the old, just to see who sounds better. Still, this is a darkling’s wet dream of classics. 8/10 (Lateef Martin)
P-Love
All Up in Your Mind (Bully/Ninja Tune)
While this record was originally supposed to be called On the Run From the Border Police, our boy DJ P-Love’s recent marriage has changed everything. Like a new baby, this LP constitutes the arrival of his first bundle of joy, complete with the soothing, spacey lullaby of “Rockland County Dramatics-Andente” and the accompanying sleepless night of “Rockland County Dramatics-Allegro.” Keeping turntablist bravado to a minimum, P shows a love for programming and processing, melody and melancholy, on songs like “Laches Pas les Études, Gertrude” and “4 Inches Per Minute on the DVP.” Whatever you’ve heard about this battle DJ’s soft musical underbelly, it’s all true! Guests include Matt Kelly, Bonobo and Simon Little from the Quantic Soul Orchestra. 8/10 (Scott C)
Little Brother
The Minstrel Show (ABB/Warner)
Leave all the recent hubbub surrounding this album at the door and you have two dope MCs and a seasoned producer who’ve decided to give their two cents from atop their soapbox in Raleigh, North Carolina. A lot of rappers catch shit for speaking out about the state of hip hop, but far fewer decide to explore the subject on record. LB succeeds in asking hard questions about black self-representation, stereotypes and who controls what is “hot,” without sacrificing their tight and humorous approach to hip hop. Songs like “Not Enough,” “Still Lives Through” and “Lovin’ It” speak to the notion that LB ponder things like self-criticism, self-hate and how the quest for the almighty dollar has blurred the lines in hip hop today. 7.5/10 (Scott C)
Flanger
Spirituals (Nonplace/Fusion III)
When Uwe Schmidt and Burnt Friedman introduced their Flanger project in 1998, most IDM fans got their fragile little minds blown. Here was jazz but not jazz, techno but not techno, some evil hybrid that twisted and processed the sound. It was, in short, genius. Then, over two more albums, Flanger seemed to lose the plot. With their fourth release, the duo seems to have shaken off the cobwebs and brought things back to the old school—the 1920s. Sounding like a Robert Crumb 78 collection playfully rinsed through Santiago de Chile, Köln and Kingston, Flanger offer up subtle studio trickery under the crooning. While the lyricism leaves a lot to be desired, the production is interesting enough. 8/10 (Raf Katigbak)
Jojo Flores
Globe: La Collection (Suite 102/Fusion III)
In the tradition of those ubiquitous resto/bar franchise CDs (Hotel Costes, Buddha Bar), one of Montreal’s hardest working house heads, Jojo Flores, drops a double disc of deep bombs for St-Laurent’s Globe restaurant. Known the world over for his steamy Afro-Latin and deep, jazzy house sets, Flores showcases two sides of his style here. The Dinner disc opens with a demo of Roy Ayers’ “Sunshine” and continues on the soul-jazz downtempo tip, while the Dance disc is strictly late-night groove, with tracks by Mateo and Matos, Octave One, Pal Joey, Glenn Underground and a Louie Vega remix of Thievery Corporation. 8/10 (Raf Katigbak)
Various
So Amazing: An All Star Tribute to Luther Vandross (Sony/BMG)
No one can out-Luther Luther, so the best selections here encompass each artist’s special energy. To wit: Mary’s bumped-up version of “Never Too Much,” Usher’s soulful take on “Superstar” and Fantasia’s energetic reading of “Til My Baby Comes Home.” Luther had the exquisite ability to highlight the subtle nuances of a song, so not surprisingly, Aretha’s orchestral version of “A House Is Not a Home” sounds way over the top, while Angie’s laid-back adaptation of “Since I Lost My Baby” is right on point. Vandross’s own vocals are fittingly blended with Elton John’s on “Anyone Who Had a Heart,” and as Luther fans know, he surely did, and we’ll never forget it. 8/10 (Gerard Dee)
John La Barbera
Fantazm (Jazz Compass)
Michael Pagan
Pag’s Groove (Capri)
Two swinging big-band CDs—La Barbera is the lesser known brother of Pat and Joe, a man who contributed much to the Buddy Rich big band. Eight tracks include the title track, an Ellington composition and Woody Shaw’s “Moontrane,” with solos from the brothers as well as Kim Richmond and Clay Jenkins. Pagan’s group is based in Colorado and the eight tracks include “Never Let Me Go” and “Essential Trivia,” a wonderful original. The leader is a pianist and horn men Greg Gisbert and Brad Goode are among the soloists. Both 9/10 (Len Dobbin)
Mini CD Reviews
Cuff the Duke self-titled (Hardwood/Universal) A little bit country, a lot pop, Cuff the Duke make a record steeped in classic Canadiana. 8 (LC) With Shaker, the Adam Brown at Cabaret on Sat., Oct. 1, 9:30 p.m., $16
Jeri Brown/Al Sutherland Sempre Nina (Jongleur/Fusion III) A voice and guitar salute to Nina Simone, including “Wild Is the Wind” and “Love Me or Leave Me” among its 16 tracks. 8 (LD)
Catlow Kiss the World (Boompa) Dirtmitts singer Natasha Thirsk flexes eclectic muscles on this solo debut, dabbling in cool ballads and chilly neo-disco and falling back on hot indie rocks. 7.5 (LC) With Leeroy Stagger, Ladies and Gentlemen and My Project: Blue at les Minots, Fri., Sept. 30
50 Cent The Massacre: Special Edition CD/DVD (Aftermath/Interscope) Who else but 50 would make a video for EVERY SONG on the album? Nobody. Movie and video-game trailers are here too. 7 (SC)
Infusion Six Feet Above Yesterday (Thrive/Sony) Australians aping American pop schlock in an electronic candy wrapper. Only in a land where they have sandwich spread made of yeast extract can this happen. 4 (RK)
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