Destroyer
Destroyer’s Rubies (Merge/FAB)
Pretentiousness is an accusation easily foisted at Dan Bejar. Any bohemian artiste with an acoustic guitar and navel-gazing poetry always at the ready deserves to be kicked around a little. But the prolific, Vancouver-based singer-songwriter and his quintet are well past the awkward phase on Bejar’s seventh LP, fearlessly blending beauty and absurdity, cliché and oddity, earnest emotion and droll asides. The part-time New Pornographer weaves his influences together masterfully—I’m guessing Dylan, Bowie, Barrett, Coyne, Merritt and Weill, among many more—with each element abstracted under the surface of Bejar’s sizeable personality. More accessible than ever, but still arch in all the right places, Destroyer deserve all the accolades. 9/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)

The Robocop Kraus
They Think They Are… (Epitaph/FAB)
Fans of Bloc Party, Radio 4 and of course the originals, Gang of Four, had better make some shelf space for this German quintet. The resurgence of brainy, biting, complicated dance-punk may soon play itself out, but not before these guys are done with it. Their bag of tricks is loaded with snappy hooks and unexpected twists, making for a sound that’s equally awkward and artful—“You Don’t Have to Shout” illustrates this dichotomy—and that holds up solidly over the slower, moodier numbers. Prepare to break a sweat grappling with the obtuse and irksome lyrics (notable exception: the blunt and earnest “Concerned, Your Secular Friends.”). 8/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

Magneta Lane
Dancing With Daggers (Paper Bag/Universal)
I’ve got to disagree with the press release that claims this Toronto trio “smashed Canada over the head” with their 2003 EP, The Constant Lover. Mediocre rock doesn’t cause (physical) pain, and while this LP is incrementally more smashing, bruising will not be widespread. Produced by DFA ’79 offshoot MSTRKRFT, the band has more bite, and a handful of songs are commendably crafted. However, it’s still amateur hour for Magneta Lane, from their predictable progressions to their dishwater lyrics to their vocals, a flat, nasal warble reminiscent of half-heartedly brassy 1950s nightclub singers. Better luck next time. 4/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)

Swearing at Motorists
Last Night Becomes This Morning (Secretly Canadian/Sonic Unyon)
Another stripped-down two-piece, but SAM dress up the skeletons of their songs with great dynamics and clever arrangement twists. Dave Doughman’s Morrissey croon is what really propels this duo and lets their simple instrumentation soar. Brass, harmony vocals, organ and piano take up some of the space opened up by the simple drums-and-guitar set-up, but it’s Doughman’s lovelorn lyrics that make these 40 minutes worthwhile. Not all is dire here, though—songs like the poppy rocker “Slave to the Kettle” prove that Doughman has all bases covered. 7/10 (Johnson Cummins)

David P. Smith
Striving for a New Tomorrow (Northern Electric)
Smith exposes the twisted roots of Americana and proves himself a masterful, hilarious storyteller. His skewed view on the world is perfectly exemplified on “Calgary Acid Song,” which gets an unlikely Sun Records production treatment as he describes a fateful night of walking around Cow-town after taking two blotters. Smith’s voice may be a little lacking, but his monotone warble provides the perfect vessel for his songs about the worst jobs he has ever had (“Worst Job”), innocent drinking accidents (“Teen-Age Drinking Song”), not so innocent drinking accidents (“Fourth of July”) and notes taken while drinking (“Clarity of Whiskey”), while innocence looks on, shaking its head. 8/10 (Johnson Cummins)

Ananda Shankar
A Life in Music (Times Square/ Fusion III)
After his uncle, sitar maestro Ravi, established a presence for Indian classical music in the West in the ’60s, the late Ananda Shankar quickly took the next step. His delightful fusion of groovy funk, shaggy rock, psychedelic Moog weirdness and of course tablas and sitar certainly set the stage for the Asian Underground decades later. His auspicious 1970 debut, a Warner release (seek it out!), isn’t touched on here, whereas too much latter-day new-agery is, but this overview does gather hard to find material, like “The Alien” from the sci-fi-themed 2001, as well as undisputed classics like “Dancing Drums” and “Streets of Calcutta.” 8/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

Nuclear Ramjet
Mission to Sedna (Spaceport/Statik)
It’s been over five years since Felix Richer and Max Chapados donned their flight suits and explored the furthest reaches of sonic space. 2001’s Music for Spaceports garnered the local pair some much-deserved attention for its lush arrangements of psy-trance. With Mission to Sedna, Nuclear Ramjet further refine their sound. Clocking in at an impressive 13 minutes, the lush synth strings, deep pulsing bass arpeggios and Miss Kittin-influenced vocals of electro-trance opener “Foldingtime” prove that Nuclear Ramjet still have a few new tricks up their sleeves. But it’s the melodies, emotive without being schmaltzy, that make this album truly shine. 8.5/10 (Raf Katigbak)

Mike Shannon
Possible Conclusions to Stories That Never End (Scape/Fusion III)
I’ve always had a soft spot for Mike Shannon. Ever since I first saw him spin at a loft party what feels like eons ago, Shannon has proved that he not only has a discerning taste for music but the skills to work the crowd and transmit something new and exciting to every audience lucky enough to hear him. He’s done that with his pioneering Canadian techno labels Cynosure and Revolver, as well as his own productions. Here, Shannon once again proves that he can flip the script with a warm, laid-back, melodic and, in his words, “balls deep” sound, with vocals and production that is at once accessible and experimental. Excellent! 8.5/10 (Raf Katigbak)

Prefuse 73
Security Screenings (Warp/Outside)
Like a productive citizen plagued by mental illness, many masterminds of electronic music have the ability to assume several personalities when producing projects. Whether a result of boredom, or a self-imposed golden ticket to reinvent without conscience, guys like Prefuse 73 know how to exercise different parts of the brain. Security Screenings, unlike some past Prefuse material, seems less attached to hip hop loyalties, with bits of his alter-egos Piano Overlord and Delarosa & Asora bleeding into this work. Still jagged, manic and free at times, while eerily melodic and beat driven at others, Scott Herren has proved once again that sometimes the insanity that comes with creating a piece of music is what makes it exciting in the first place. 7/10 (Scott C)

Talib Kweli
Right About Now (Blacksmith/Koch)
The great thing about Kweli is that as an MC, he’s so confident with his flow and ability to come across, that when it comes time to drop a few bars on a beat that most people wouldn’t associate with him, he brings it. Thanks in part to his unfaltering cadence and titanium raps, and the great liner notes for each and every song found here, Kweli succeeds in communicating to the listener exactly where his mind is in 2006. Looking for Kweli and MF Doom on the team-up? Check out “Fly That Knot” to see what all the hype is about, but don’t sleep on the double-trouble duo on “Supreme Supreme,” featuring Mos Def. “Roll Off Me,” produced by J Dilla, is a beat-tape grab, but the lyrics stand up, much like “Where You Gonna Run” with Jean Grae. 7.5/10 (Scott C)

Various
Our New Orleans (Nonesuch/Warner)
As New Orleans gets ready for its first Mardi Gras since last year’s devastating hurricane season, you can bet all the artists on this benefit disc will be rooting for a big comeback for the Big Easy. True to the Crescent City’s spirit, these songs are a gumbo of styles—R&B, jazz, gospel, blues and zydeco all find their place. Stellar performances by Allen Toussaint (“Yes We Can Can”) and Dr. John (“World I Never Made”) are just two highlights. And I dare anyone to sit still during the Wild Magnolias’ blistering “Brother John is Gone/Herc-Jolly-John.” The disc may represent a moment in time, but the music, like the city, is absolutely timeless. 8/10 (Gerard Dee)

Mingus Big Band/ Orchestra/Dynasty
I Am Three (Sue Mingus Music/ Universal)
Paul Motian
Garden of Eden (ECM/Universal)
The former features Mingus compositions, played by three groups of varying sizes, which include “MDM” (for Monk, Duke and Mingus) and “Paris in Blue,” originally done with Jackie Paris but sung here by Ku-umba Frank Lacy. There are a number of memorable solos from people like Seamus Blake, Kenny Rampton and Craig Handy, with Boris Kozlov handling the bass chores. The Motian band, a septet of drums, electric bass, three guitars and a pair of reedmen, opens with a pair of Mingus compositions, “Pithecanthropus Erectus” and “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat,” and continues with material by Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Jerome Kern and a number of originals by the drummer leader. Both releases are worth many a repeat hearing. Both 9.5/10 (Len Dobbin)

Mini CD Reviews

Pheek vs. Jesse Somfay Galapagos Excursion Joint 1 (Archipel) The local minimal-techno fanatic teams up with a 19-year-old wunderkind for four tracks that envelope the listener like a warm hug—while putting some boogie in their butt. 8.5 (RK)

DJ Format If You Can’t Join ’Em Beat ’Em Remix EP (Genuine/PIAS/Select) Format gets laced by some good friends, with remixes by Nostalgia 77, Little Barrie, Connie Price and the Keystones. 8 (SC)

The Diableros You Can’t Break the Strings in Our Olympic Hearts (Baudelaire) With post-punk’s disdain for proper vocals, chamber rock’s reliance on sonic excess and Britpop’s addiction to big melodies, Diableros could be Canada’s new flame. 7.5 (LC) With Ladies and Gentlement, Uncut at the Green Room on Thurs., March 2

Craig Morrison & the Momentz Live at the Oscar (Gala) Rock’s roots continue to butter the bread of historian Craig Morrison, whose three original songs slide seamlessly into a set of old-time rock ’n’ roll and folk classics. 7 (LC)

Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash Duets (Columbia/Sony BMG) With the rash of Cash recordings now seeing the light of day, this one is a nice surprise. Johnny and June’s voices were meant for each other. 7 (JC)

Anita O’Day Indestructible! (Kayo Stereophonic) Not much to recommend this one except longevity—O’Day was in her 80s when this was recorded, and pretty well talks her way through 10 songs. Better to go back to the Verve reissues. 4 (LD)

Bullet for my Valentine The Poison (Sony BMG) Note to angry, tattooed, white suburban kids with dyed black hair and nail polish: please stop, thank you. 4 (JC)

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