Malajube
Trompe L’Oeil (Dare to Care/Outside)
This is a very Montreal record, and not just because it’s in French and reminds me of the Dears, whose keyboardist and bassist make cameos, as do Pierre Lapointe and members of Loco Locass and les Trois Accords. It’s not a matter of being derivative—Malajube and other local (anglo) bands, including Arcade Fire, simply seem to share a penchant for the heavy-handed, large-scale possibilities of pop. The quartet hasn’t lost the punk-rock punch and wacky back-hand of their debut, Le Compte Complet, but refined and augmented production, arrangements and songcraft give this album a new grandeur. Malajube have already won over a fair number of anglo Quebecers, and hopefully this album will continue to break barriers and get the (international) attention it deserves. 8.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) At Cégep Bois-de-Boulogne, Thurs., Mar. 9

Hawksley Workman
Treeful of Starling (Isadora/Universal)
Stripped of the arena-sized production and arrangements of Lover/Fighter, the album that propelled him to the top of the charts (in France), Workman’s third LP is a back-to-basics, back-to-nature exercise. With piano, drums, strings and horns, Workman moulds simple country-folk ditties (banjo solo!) and elaborate cornball ballads, a few lighter-wielders among them. His “hymns for a dying planet and a culture in decay” (it’s printed prominently in the gatefold) are often more compelling lyrically than musically, ambling along in a passably pleasant but ultimately mediocre way. 6.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)

Volcano!
Beautiful Seizure (Leaf/Fusion III)
While the words “Chicago art-rock trio” may have some ducking under their musical-masturbation shields, Volcano! comfort all doubters with soft-spoken falsetto lullabies and gentle plunkings. Then they promptly blow faces off with sputtering, cacophonous blasts and a blatant disregard for order. Take the tortured vocals of Thom Yorke, the cringing psychedelia of Animal Collective, the alternately melodic and falling-apart noise pop of Deerhoof, the aggro thrust of Lightning Bolt and the brainiac virtuosity of Tortoise, add vinegar and baking soda, then stand back, watch the whole mess bubble over and collect first prize at the science fair. 8.5/10 (Raf Katigbak)

Hawthorne Heights
If Only You Were Lonely (Victory)
From the once-great label that brought us blistering hardcore like Snapcase comes what’s probably the worst thing they’ve put out in years, and they’ve been putting out some serious stinkers lately. Hawthorne Heights’s screamo is tailor-made for the myspace imps, tepid and predictable, with some of the poutiest vocals ever—so it’ll probably be huge. Sum 41 is like Botch compared to these sorry sacks. Comes with a bonus DVD that shamelessy plugs other shitty Victory bands, but get this, you have to buy two copies of the album to complete the DVD. How low can a punk get? 3/10 (Johnson Cummins)

S.C.U.M.
Born Too Soon… (Sonik’s Chicken Shrimp/Paf!)
Ah, the memories—all-ages pits at assorted Waste Island rec centres, poorly-Xeroxed posters packing-taped to lampposts, Chucks, Tony Hawk T-shirts and cutoff O.D. cargos. Of course, the ’80s also gave us Reagan, Thatcher and Mulroney, but without ’em, who would early hardcore bands like Montreal’s S.C.U.M. have had to direct their Black-Flag-with-a–hint-of-Dead-Kennedys barrage at? By today’s mall-punk standards, the production on this reissue from ’85 (with bonus comp extracts and live joints) is pretty dubious, and the formula rather standardized, but the fond recollection of nuclear paranoia, fines for skateboarding and general suburban discontent can’t be beat. 7/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

The Slackers
Peculiar (Hellcat/FAB)
Eleven albums in 10 years—no slacking on the part of NYC’s finest ska-and-then-some unit, and nothing peculiar about their delivering a lively, diverse effort graced with top-notch playing. Sticking to easy tempos, the sextet amble through classic ska (the title track, “In Walked Capo”), nods to vintage soul (“Set the Girl Free,” “What Went Wrong”) and sweet rock steady (the blues-inflected “Rider” and the closing Dylan cover). One off-note here: singer/organist Vic Ruggiero should have saved “I’d Rather Die Happy” for a solo CD. 8/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) With Flashlight Brown at Petit Campus, Sat., Mar. 4, 9 p.m., $15

Various
Check the Water (Leaf/Fusion III)
Hail to the Leaf! It’s hard to believe that it’s been 10 whole years that the British-based label has been knocking out some of the freshest music around. Since its 1995 inception, Murcof, Colleen, Susumu Yokota, Four Tet, Beige, Caribou and Sutekh have all generated the fruit on the Leaf family tree. On this double CD, 29 tracks from their decade of headphone head-fuckery are yanked out of time and placed side by side, giving listeners a clear picture of how, being unbound by the restrictions of a strictly “electronic” label, Leaf has managed to drop exciting, innovative sounds that blend jazz, classical, pop, folk, electronic rock and noise. 8.5/10 (Raf Katigbak)

The Considerate Builders Scheme
Exit to Riverside (Combination)
By now the electronic/pop-music feedback loop is well documented: An artist like Squarepusher inspires Outkast, who are dug on by Prefuse 73, who the Neptunes have no doubt heard of, leading to collabs with pop artists like Britney and damn strange and wonderful tracks. Of course, this also makes a straightforward genealogy of dance music damn near impossible to chart out. Now add to that confusion the Considerate Builders Scheme, a South African producer (Justin de Nobrega) who combines all of these influences into a tight album of futuristic instrumental digital hip hop à la Ghislain Poirier. Check it! 8/10 (Raf Katigbak)

DJ Cam
Revisited By (Recall/Universal)
Whether you applaud or dismiss the catalogue of production that France’s DJ Cam has compiled over the years, his work has been remixed and reworked by some of the best. This comp sees 13 of the better-known remixes that have graced either Cam’s 12-inches or certain collections. I’m partial to the DJ Premier remix of Afu Ra’s “Voodoo Child,” much like I am to the Lord Finesse remix of “Broadcasting” featuring Channel Live. Cam has called on names like Kenny Dope, Bob Sinclair, 4Hero, DJ Vadim and Attica Blues to help him get by, but it’s the J Dilla remix of “Love Junkee,” featuring Cameo, that will most likely stand the test of time. 7.5/10 (Scott C)

Dilated Peoples
20/20 (Capitol/ABB)
While the days when Dilated were the first word in underground hip hop have been over for some time, these three dedicated heads have come up with a record that takes a little of the pressure of past expectations off. DJ Babu and MCs Raakaa and Evidence describe 20/20 as a collection of 12-inches, just put together as a bunch of good songs to bop to. Guests include the wasted talents Capleton on “Firepower,” which creatively could have been put to better use, and a vocal Talib Kweli on “Kindness for Weakness.” I think Dilated Peoples should do a full LP with the Alchemist, who only provides two tracks for this effort but is clearly the man who can bring out their best. Additional production is provided by Joey Chavez, Bravo, Evidence and Babu. 7/10 (Scott C)

Various
Soca 101: Volume 3 (VP)
The cold is starting to really get to me. If you’re also shivering, and weren’t lucky enough to be playing mas this week at Trinidad’s loud, colourful, world-famous carnival, take a break from the cold. Have your own road march in the comfort of your home with one of VP’s always-reliable soca comps. Get educated with two CDs of soca anthems by Krosfyah and Edwin Yearwood, Beenie Man, Spice & Company and Xtatik, not to mention classics by Byron Lee and Mighty Sparrow. 8/10 (Erin MacLeod)

Heather Headley
In My Mind (Sony BMG)
Headley’s ’02 debut This Is Who I Am introduced the Broadway star to a whole new audience. Her robust vocal style proved more than up to the task of propelling songs like “I Wish I Wasn’t” right into the hearts of mainstream R&B fans. On her sophomore effort, the Trinidad-born vocalist shows she’s lost none of her vocal prowess, but the material doesn’t live up to her abilities. With the exception of a couple of reggae-esque tracks, including “Rain” with Shaggy, too many slow jams bog this one down. Too bad, because solid slow tracks like “What’s Not Being Said” almost get lost in the shuffle. 7/10 (Gerard Dee)

Bill Evans
The Complete Gus Wildi Recordings (Lone Hill Jazz/Trend)
Bill Evans
The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings, 1961 (Riverside/Universal)
The former is a two-CD set, the latter three. The Wildi disc focuses on Evans the sideman, on sessions led by Charles Mingus, Jimmy Knepper and the little-known singer Frank Minion. Besides some valuable Evans, there are memorable solos from the leaders and the likes of Clarence Shaw, Gene Quill and Shafi Hadi. Minion (who reminds me of Giacomo Gates) does vocal versions of material from the then-recent Kind of Blue. The Village Vanguard CD contains all the material played June 25, 1961, in NYC—the last recorded meeting of the classic trio with Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian, wonderfully remastered. Part of a take of “Gloria’s Step,” previously unreleased in North America, is a decided bonus, as are Orrin Keepnews’s notes. Wildi 9/10, Vanguard 10/10 (Len Dobbin)

Mini CD Reviews

Andrew Hill Smoke Stack (Blue Note/EMI) This ’62 quartet date has Roy Haynes on drums and a pair of bassists, Richard Davis and Eddie Khan. Hill’s eight originals are all worth repeated hearing. 9 (LD)

Sa-Ra Dark Matter and Pornography Mixtape (Tube Records) The forward sounds of Sa-Ra know no bounds on this Japanese release, a jump off the deep end of soul, hip hop and future funk. 9 (SC)

Various King Jammy’s at Channel 1: 1977-1979 (Kingston Sounds) Another wicked selection from Kingston Sounds. Jammy shows why he’s the one with superpower. 9 (EM)

Border Crossing Ominous (Sound) U.K. trio picks up where Herbaliser and Roots Manuva left off—expertly tracked trip/hip hop cuts that are tight, soulful and symphonic. 8 (RK)

Truman Capote/Mychael Danna Capote: The Album (RCA/Sony BMG) Scraps of film-score dot readings from In Cold Blood by the real Capote, with that endearing Southern-gay-duck voice of his. 8 (LC)

Karl Blau Beneath Waves (K) Strings, horns and flutes slide seamlessly into this really caj, beach-bum indie rock. 7.5 (LC)

Bobby Osborne & Rocky Top X-press Try a Little Kindness (Rounder) One half of the Osborne Brothers proves he’s still one of the best mandolin pickers in bluegrass. 7 (JC)

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