Prince
3121 (Universal)
If 2004’s Musicology was a firm declaration that Prince was still in the game, 3121 is proof that he owns it. Musicology took tentative steps back towards the Purple One’s signature blend of funk, rock and pop, almost as if he had something to prove to himself. But this time he lets loose, and his obvious enjoyment of the craft is a welcome reminder of the man at his peak. At just under an hour, this tight set is a quick burst of energy that vacillates from outstanding funk workouts (“Black Sweat,” “Love,” “Get On the Boat”), through infectious pop candy (“Lolita,” “Fury”) to sexy slow jams (“Incense and Candles,” “Satisfied”). In effect, Prince hits it like a thief in the night—he’s got the goods, then he’s out. 9.5/10 (Gerard Dee)

Rob Zombie
Educated Horses (Geffen/Universal)
It seems that Zombie’s career as a director has had a positive influence on his music. There’s more variety to his sound—lows and highs, lulls and shocks, from the sleaziness of “Devil’s Rejects” and “American Witch” to the slow melodrama of “100 Ways” and “Death of It All.” Zombie’s brand of homicide rock seems perfectly composed for the swing of naked hips, garters, lassos and cowboy hats. For cold basements full of jars swishing with unspeakables, undead strippers, unsuspecting teens approaching a rickety old house in the boonies ’cause their car broke down, axes and nipples and blood. This is circus sideshow party music, or rock to bury your latest corpse to. 7.5/10 (Lateef Martin) With Lacuna Coil and Bullet for my Valentine at Metropolis, Mon,. April 3, 8 p.m., $45, all ages

Clor
self-titled (Capitol/EMI)
Don’t be fooled by the introductory guitar overdrive. Clor’s dancefloor-packin’ rock is tight and tidy, a virtual mash-up of Gary Numan, Pete Shelley, Talking Heads, Devo and the Knack. The band holds the nerdcore torch high throughout the first three songs (all singles), and raises the white heat with the jarringly aggro “Stuck in a Tight Spot” and their Caucasian horndog funk number, “Magic Touch.” Though they falter on two attempts at ballads, this record is unusually consistent for a high-intensity debut, and just when they’re about to overstay their welcome, they’re gone. 8/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)

Mano Negra
Best of… (EMI)
One could see this seminal French act simply as the launch pad for founder Manu Chao’s milder solo career. One could also see them as scruffier, surlier siblings to Montreal’s Me Mom & Morgentaler. Same time frame (late ’80s to mid-’90s), same unhealthy fascination with circuses, same global punk-rock stew. If anything, Mano Negra took the fusion much further, to the point that no particular element—rockabilly, rap, raï, salsa, ska, skiffle, soccer chants—took precedence over others. The first disc gathers 25 tracks from their catalogue, while the second catches them live in all their zany, furious glory. 8/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

Anti Flag For Blood and Empire (RCA/Sony BMG)
Anti Flag’s Bush-bashing, attacks on media spin and alternative information is needed more than ever—and the major-label muscle to strengthen their podium is all for the better. Here’s where their call to arms goes horribly wrong. The lyric-sheet essays are excellent, but musically, their message gets muddled with clichés and punk-rock mediocrity throughout. All 13 songs here sit too comfortably in the same medium tempo, all 13 have the predictable singalong choruses, and the result is a record that just blurs together with no standouts. Do yourself a favour, just go to www.impeachbush.org instead. 6.5/10 (Johnson Cummins)

Kamikaze Baby
Identity Crisis (independent)
It’s satisfying to find a group that’s hard to compare to others. I might note Radiohead and the Mars Volta as influences, but I’d rather say Montreal’s Kamikaze Baby should open for them. I’d call their music urgent but it’s also contemplative. Lush without being overbearing, singer Robert Scalia’s voice is supported by a busy yet not confusing dynamic. Identity Crisis, an EP of seven songs, explores the kinetic groove and, dare I say, original approach that’ll take these boys far. Looking forward to catching them live, with or without Radiohead. 8.5/10 (Lateef Martin) With guests at Petit Campus, Fri., March 31, 9:30 p.m.

The Liars
Drum’s Not Dead (Mute/EMI)
If you thought Liars were overindulging in paganism on their last album, get yourself a slice of Black Forest cake and prepare for bad news. The trio has moved to Berlin, seen the gnarled sights of Eastern Europe and made a record about the yin/yang relationship between Drum (spontaneity, or id) and Mount Heart Attack (self-doubt/super-ego). Conceptually embarrassing but sonically adventurous, the record ranges from tribal blowouts (two drum kits, a didgeridoo and a microphone) to ethereal mantras. Accompanying the difficult disc are three sets of videos—skip singer Angus Andrew’s dozen, unless you’re really into snails. 7/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)

The Love Drunks
self-titled (Alive)
Alive started as a reissue label for MC5 and Stooges rarities, but with their rash of recent releases from artists who still have pulses, they’re cornering the underground rock ’n’ roll market. Their latest signing is a quartet of garage rockers from Hotlanta. The fuzzed-out guitars are pinned in the red, but it’s singer Patrick A’s lyrics that make the band stick out among the gas-guzzling Fonzie lookalikes. Taking the standard rockabilly set-up of stand-up bass and Gretsch guitar, the Love Drunks pack in the punk-rock punch and cook up a meeting of the Gun Club’s rootsy sound and Jesus Lizard dementia. 8/10 (Johnson Cummins)

Jane Birkin
Fictions (Capitol/EMI)
Dovetailing with the recent bounty of Serge Gainsbourg reissues and revisions, the latest from the G-man’s British muse of the turn of the ’70s is split between English and French (she’s a so-so singer in either), covers (Tom Waits, Neil Young, an eerily mimicked Kate Bush) and commissions. The latter come care of Rufus Wainwright, the Divine Comedy, Arthur H, Dominique A. (who provided the standout “Où est la ville?”) and Gonzales, who arranged, co-produced and played most of the music here. Johnny Marr’s guitar guests on several tracks to boot. The parade of high-profile names is no guarantee of excellence, but the fact is, Fictions is a fairly good listen. 7.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

Visioneers
Dirty Old Hip Hop (BBE)
If you’re one of the many who desperately tried to get their hands on the limited-edition seven-inches from Omniverse over the last three years, you can breathe a sigh of relief. Finally, the ingenious studio interpretations of live instrumentation playing hip hop classics like Nas’s “The World is Yours” and the Pharcyde’s “Runnin’” have been freed on a full-length LP. U.K. producer Marc Mac, one half of 4Hero, put together the studio entity Visioneers in order to pay homage to hip hop producers like Pete Rock and Jay Dee, who introduced him to jazz through their beats. Dirty Old Hip Hop contains enough boom-bap to run any club system, and enough musicality to be the soundtrack for your spring/summer melodrama. This is essential connect-the-dots music. 8.5/10 (Scott C)

Matisyahu
Youth (Epic/Sony BMG)
I’m not, like many (dare I say annoying) critics, going to complain about some sorta musical appropriation going on where Hassidic Jew Matisyahu is concerned. With reggae and dancehall, patois is part of the package and if you can do it well (Exhibit A: Gentleman), heck, go ahead. My problem with Matisyahu is that he ain’t doin’ it well. I suppose I’d be better able to judge if he had been paired with a producer other than dub-obsessed Bill Laswell, but this outing sounds like the stuff I’d expect to hear as the opening act for a Phish concert. Drop the strings, ditch the soaring melodic piano, and push the Supercat-ishness of Matisyahu’s tone. Then I’d be in. 6/10 (Erin MacLeod)

Darondo
Let My People Go (Ubiquity/Koch)
After releasing three 45s in the early ’70s, the Bay Area funk and soul of Darondo essentially disappeared from the musical horizon. Hard to believe, listening to this collection of the original singles and several unreleased demos of sultry, soulful songwriting, that this man never became a household name. He confessed that music was just a hobby and nothing more, but you wouldn’t know it from smoldering tunes like “Didn’t I,” “My Momma and My Poppa” and the title track. Fans of raw, classic soul and the meticulous craft involved in writing a great song should definitely pick this up. Check out clips from Darondo’s ’80s TV shows Darondo’s Penthouse and Doze Comedy Videos at www.ubiquityrecords.com. 9/10 (Scott C)

Sheila Jordan
Confirmation (Test of Time)
Mark Murphy
Once to Every Heart (Verve/Universal)
A pair from my favourite living jazz singers. Jordan’s is a CD reissue of a 1975 session with tenorman Norman Marnell and a rhythm team of Alan Pasqua, Cameron Brown and Beaver Harris, which includes “Inch Worm,” “Just Because We’re Kids” (by Dr. Seuss) and Steve Kuhn’s “Pearlie’s Swine.” The new Murphy is one of his very best. Simplicity works well here, just trumpet and piano, with wonderful string writing on six tracks from Nan Schwartz. Sheila and Mark rank among the most influential of jazz singers and both CDs should be in the collection of any serious lover of the genre. Both 10/10 (Len Dobbin)

Mini CD Reviews

Various 50 Sublimes Chanteuses de Jazz (Body & Soul) Ella and Billie are here, but so are lesser-known ladies like Betty Mays, Rae Pearl, Valaida Snow and Tony Harper. 9 (LD)

Rammer Cancer (Blue Fog) Do you miss the thrash-metal days of Kreator, early Slayer and Celtic Frost? RRRAAAAMMMMMEEEEERRRRRR! 8.5 (JC)

Vanessa Rodrigues Soul Project (independent) Montreal’s queen of the Hammond B-3 organ shows her skills on this funky, 10-song offering. One of the few who’ve gone that extra mile to do it right with style. 8.5 (SC)

Mclusky Mcluskyism (Too Pure/Select) They’ve split up, but these manic Welsh mofos made music that just won’t quit. This one-disc comp is also available in triple-CD form. 8 (LC)

The Rogers Sisters The Invisible Deck (Too Pure/Select) More shabby-chic party rock, and some dark droning asides, from this evolving Brooklynese trio. 7.5 (LC)

The Pale Saints The Comforts of Madness (4AD/Select) Equally delicate, delirious and devastating, the debut EPs from these prototypical shoegazers hold up well years later. 7 (RB)

The Television Personalities My Dark Places (Domino/Outside) This brain-scrambled comeback for ’70s British pop oddball Dan Treacy is awkward outsider art. Highlight: “All the Young Children on Crack.” 4 (LC)

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