Wolf Parade
Apologies to the Queen Mary (Sub Pop)
Everyone’s favourite pack of Victoria refugees have done good. True, this LP is their most refined release to date, featuring tightened versions of songs from their 2003 disc (now available on eBay, of course) and more subtly tweaked tracks from their recent Sub Pop EP. However, the band’s arch structures and arrangements remain and their vocals still wobble, surge and threaten to derail, yet the bed of synths has fewer rocks in it and the guitars have slimmed down to fighting weight. The sparring pop and quasi-prog influences create the right kind of tension, and appeal for those who like their music challenging and those who dig easy streaks. 8.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)
The (International) Noise Conspiracy
Armed Love (American/Epitaph/Warner)
The Bolsheviks in Beatle boots are back, more entrenched than ever in the corporate machine but not an ounce less mouthy on the Marxist tip. With Rick Rubin at the board, their sound—maximized mod rock with funk flair and punk punch—is thicker, richer and frankly more bogged down, to the degree that tunes like the title track recall Deep Purple (not a bad thing, per se…). Having that weight to throw around without the bristling guitars and needling organ evaporating is no easy feat, a battle that spans the disc and seems to have prevented any really daring musical tangents. 7/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) With the Bravery, People in Planes at le Spectrum, Wed., Oct. 12, 8 p.m., $20, all ages
Jello Biafra with the Melvins
Sieg Howdy! (Alternative Tentacles)
Kicking things off with Alice Cooper’s “Halo of Flies,” with the Melvins really stretching out, is pretty ballsy, but this album just keeps getting better from there, proving to be the best thing Biafra has done since he ruled the roost with the DKs. The Melvins remain insanely amazing, and Biafra’s piss and vinegar is more acidic then ever. Perhaps Bush’s Amerikkka has given him that much more fodder, but his attack on his former bandmates on “Those Dumb Punk Kids (Will Buy Anything)” is positively scathing. The updated version of “California Über Alles” is worth the ticket price alone. Fucking great! 9/10 (Johnson Cummins)
Franz Ferdinand
You Could Have It So Much Better (Domino/Sony BMG)
The pressure to produce a follow-up as strong, or stronger, than their internationally embraced debut must have been overwhelming, but the Glasgow four have emerged victorious. Like a good sequel, all the elements from its predecessor have been heightened here, with more post-punk fire, more clever mid-song shifts, more dancefloor friendliness and brighter glints of glam rock, Britpop and synthpop. A few tracks bleed into each other too easily, but repetition trumps filler. The disc’s only real fault is the occasional overly familiar snatch of melody, snatched from Pulp, Nirvana, the Stones—and Franz Ferdinand. 8/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)
Bongzilla
Amerijuanican (Relapse/Koch)
Bongzilla’s song titles, like “Weedy Woman,” “Stonesphere” and “Champagne and Reefer,” could relegate this to the novelty-record rack, but as far as stoner sludge goes, Bongzilla are the reigning champs of the brutally slow dirge. Definitely children of Sleep, Bongzilla lay down some Sabbath staples but with a Morbid Angel vocal approach that makes this more than just another band found worshipping at the altar of Ozzy and co. They can get a bit longwinded on the riffs, but fans of stoner and doom are going to love it. I mean, c’mon—they’re called Bongzilla. 7/10 (Johnson Cummins)
Zark Behida
Isis (Trotch)
After wooing the Montreal massive with heady, jazz-inspired grooves as Black Market, and pushing them to further shake their batty with the “breakbeat sexualism” of Blakkar Noir, Blake Markle has come up with his best and most challenging work to date. Drawing on influences as diverse as early drill & bass, Miles Davis’s jazz fusion, hardcore techno and even “Roundabout”-era Yes, Zark Behida is chill and crazy at the same time. Prog’s odd time signatures, D&B’s ill atmospherics, hardcore’s aggro spirit and a spacey sci-fi concept all come together to make a dark, moody and above all confident-sounding album that will have anyone interested in the future of drum & bass yelling, “Finally!” 8.5/10 (Raf Katigbak)
Various
Rythmo Tropicale: Noises Da Isla Montreal (Le Son 666)
While I’m not sure what they mean by “rythmo tropicale” (there is nary a conga or bossa beat in earshot), by “noises,” local fledgling experimental label Le Son 666 really does mean noises. With tracks by noted artists Magali Babin, les Georges Leningrad, Goa, Martin Tetrault and Women With Kitchen Appliances, as well as newcomers like Dreamcatcher, Minibloc and Intercom, this free-spirited compilation serves as an excellent overview of the amazing, diverse and really fucking exciting experimental scene in Montreal right now. 8.5/10 (Raf Katigbak)
Paul Wall
The People’s Champ (Atlantic/Warner)
If your only exposure to hip hop from Texas is Bushwick Bill and the Geto Boys, then meet Paul Wall, the people’s champ. Having earned his stripes over a series of mixtapes featuring his undeniable southern drawl, he continues the southern tradition of regional, independent buzz translated into national spotlight success. He had a big song this summer with “Sittin’ Sidewayz” featuring Big Pokey, a tune that would make anybody driving in their car feel like they’re pushing a chopped Impala. Wall shares “Drive Slow” with Kanye West, which also appears on Kanye’s latest, as well holding his own with Freeway on “State to State,” proving southern charm goes a long way. Other guests include Bun B, T.I. and Mike Jones. 7.5/10 (Scott C)
Sean Paul
The Trinity (VP)
It took a little convincing for me to get into Sean Paul’s third outing—as a friend told me, I’ve just got to get off my ass to get into these new soca-tinged dancehall riddims. The first single “We Be Burnin’” on the Bubble Up is a perfect example. If there’s anyone who can ride these bouncy riddims, it’s the one-time member of the Dutty Cup crew. High-energy party tunes dominate this record, which will certainly reassert Sean Paul’s dominance of the dancefloor. Check “Give It Up to Me” for proof. No wonder the whole darned record is killing it in Miami right now. 7.5/10 (Erin Macleod)
Earth, Wind & Fire
Illumination (Sony BMG)
It’s absolutely remarkable that the band that created landmark albums like Gratitude some 30 years ago can still sound as vital and fresh as EW&F do here. With their signature horn section firmly in place, they turn out a tight set by tapping into their inner groove while successfully exploiting the energy of contemporary artists who effectively compliment their style. There’s not one bad cut here, though the sophisticated “Elevated” featuring British duo Floetry, the sizzling instrumental funk track “Liberation,” the entrancing “To You” with Brian McKnight and the band’s effortless interpretation of OutKast’s “The Way You Move” bear mentioning. These three elements are as mighty as ever. 9.5/10 (Gerard Dee)
The Mizell Brothers
At Blue Note (Blue Note/EMI)
Responsible for signature arrangements and a funky sound that came out of the mid-’70s, the Mizell Brothers’ musical legacy is legendary to say the least. Larry and Fonce Mizell worked with artists like the Blackbyrds, Jackson 5 and Marvin Gaye as well as the artists featured here—Donald Byrd, Bobbi Humphrey, Rance Allen and Gary Bartz. With Byrd’s “Wind Parade” and “Dominoes” as probably the most recognizable tracks, this short but sweet comp includes a drums-up-front alternate mix of Byrd’s classic “Think Twice.” New attention to guitar, drums, muted vocals and percussion breathe new life into a song that you thought couldn’t possibly get any better. 8/10 (Scott C)
Thelonious Monk Quartet
With John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall (Blue Note/EMI)
The year 2005 will be remembered as the year of discovery. First there was the Gillespie-Parker 1945 Town Hall Concert on Uptown, and now there’s another rarity, this 1957 recording of a superb evening at Carnegie by Monk’s quartet featuring Coltrane, Ahmed Abdul-Malik and Shadow Wilson—a band (with Wilbur Ware on bass) that I was fortunate to have heard live at the Five Spot. Larry Appelbaum, who turned up this material in the Library of Congress, deserves our eternal thanks. The foursome is in top form and “Blue Monk” alone is worth the price of admission. 10/10 (Len Dobbin)
Various
Radio Pyongyang: Commie Funk and Agit Pop from the Hermit Kingdom (Sublime Frequencies)
Various
Choubi Choubi! Folk & Pop Sounds From Iraq (Sublime Frequencies)
Two very different comps from the Axis of Evil here. The North Korean disc—assorted sounds captured off shortwave radio in Beijing—is an overblown oddity, a dizzying dose of Soviet-style operatics, ersatz new wave, propaganda chatter and kiddie pop kissing Kim Jong-Il’s ass. Hilarious, if vaguely nauseating. The Iraqi stuff’s a whole other bag. Some Marxist folk-rock from the early ’70s is an awkward inclusion, but the more current material, despite miserable sound quality, is really intriguing. I’m freaking on one aspect in particular, the furious, robotic rat-tat-tat rhythms laid over the main beats with the khishba drum. A Baghdadi specialty, apparently, and one that deserves worldwide usage. Both 7.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
Mini CD Reviews
Brad Mehldau Day Is Done (Nonesuch/Warner) Another in an unbroken string of wonderful trio recordings. Larry Grenadier remains on bass and Jeff Ballard is the new drummer. Ten tracks including works by Nick Drake and Radiohead. 9 (LD)
Steve Reich You Are (Variations) (Nonesuch/Warner) Recent works from Mister Mesmerism—four with chorale and a bonus bit with cello—that show the composer still in fine form. 9 (RB)
Damian Marley Welcome to Jamrock (Tuff Gong/Universal) If you haven’t heard the title track, your life is incomplete. 8 (EM)
Dave Ghetto Day In Day Out (Counterflow) It’s probably enough that Dave sounds like Mos Def on a bad day, but he’s got skills to boot. 8 (SC)
Immaculate Machine (Mint) This Vancouver trio cranks out sweet, smart, sophisticated pop, though not without human error. 7.5 (LC) With the New Pornographers at la Tulipe on Mon., Oct. 10 , 8 p.m., $22
Rumplestiltskin Grinder Buried In the Front Yard (Relapse/Koch) If you fondly remember the good ol’ days of Kreator and Megadeth, your new favourite band is here. 7.5 (JC)
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