Camera Obscura
Let’s Get Out of This Country (Merge)
Not to slam their last two records, but it’s amazing how far Scotland’s Camera Obscura have stepped up. Echoes of the mid-20th century, literally—the album is drenched in reverb–trigger images of teenage ballroom parties, slow numbers at barn dances and swinging rock ’n’ roll sock hops. As lovely as their flirtations with country are, the haughty strings and Motown swing of album opener “Lloyd, I’m Ready to Be Heartbroken” outshine them all. There’s stiff competition from “If Looks Could Kill,” “Come Back Margaret” and the title track, their pristine melodies and rich arrangements wrapped up in Tracyanne Campbell’s cool, breezy vocals. Perfect for the summer heat. 9/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)
Milky Ways
self-titled (Alive)
Some snotty psych-punk from the fine folks who brought you the Spaceshits, the Del Gators and les Sexareenos. With all the raunch thrown in the forefront, the Milky Ways have managed to hit new levels of lo-fi that make the Mummies’ recordings sound like Dark Side of the Moon. The lo-fi treatment works perfectly as guitars fuzz out, vocals struggle to emerge from the cacophonous din and tempos swerve, but Pebbles-styled stompers like “You Set My Mind On Fire” and “Tangled Up” shine as garage nuggets. Coco Khan’s near-Nico vocals on “Guillotine” are perfect, but when Choyce screams “I Want Trouble,” you best believe the man needs T-R-O-U-B-L-E. 7/10 (Johnson Cummins)
The Raconteurs
Broken Boy Soldiers (V2/Warner)
This is a Jack White side project, but you’d be excused for thinking Jack Black was involved. Lead track “Steady as She Goes” set the Raconteurs’ wheels in motion, joining White, ace popsmith Brendan Benson and the Greenhornes’ rhythm section for nine more songs, none of them nearly as fresh and gripping as the first. Most are so derivative they sound like mash-ups (“Together” is “The Weight”/“Rocketman”), or classic rock cover-band fantasies realized (the title track goes down like an iron blimp). It’s cheese-covered bedroom-mirror material, with international distribution. 5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)
Korn
Live & Rare (Immortal/Sony BMG)
First things first—Korn’s cover of Metallica’s classic “One” is not only butchered by lack of skill, but abbreviated for the ADD generation. Spanning from their self-titled debut to Untouchables, this album explores the gamut of Korn’s live power. Or maybe it’s just an opportunity to cash in on Korn when they used to be good—that is, with founding guitarist Head, whose departure has left Korn just fuckin’ weird (check their latest, See You on the Other Side). Not exactly rare tracks include “Got the Life,” “Proud,” “Earache My Eye,” “Still Here” and Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick In the Wall.” If you’re a fan, you’ll be disappointed, as there’s nothing here you haven’t heard before. 6/10 (Lateef Martin)
The Eastern Stars
July 5th, 1961 (No Type/Mental Monkey)
Rob Corradetti and Kaia Wong of Brooklyn eclecticons Mixel Pixel spin off here with a side project that’s a bit more specific, a joint venture with Montreal’s No Type label. Somewhere between a handmade valentine to the Velvet Underground’s mellower moments and Syd Barrett shoplifting at Radio Shack, it’s gritty, grainy, warped and whispery quasi-folk, a capos ’n’ Casios affair that’s got a fair bit of bite lurking in its dreamy drift. The lyrics merit careful attention, with their sneaky wordplay and piercing perspectives. Suitable for midnight picnics in a potter’s field, or rowboat rides with rusty robots down the River Acheron (the mythologically impaired should google that last one). 7/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) With the Unireverse, the Perfect Dancers and Natacha’s Recording System at Casa del popolo, Fri., June 2, 9 p.m., $6
Alejandro Escovedo
The Boxing Mirror (Back Porch/EMI)
For my money, Escovedo ties with Steve Earle as the greatest living American songwriter. Escovedo is an expert at translating the language of the heart, and is once again sharp and hard as a diamond on this new one. The Boxing Mirror pairs Escovedo with producer John Cale, but don’t expect the Stooges here—Cale leaves too much of a mark on this one. With a writer with the talent and depth of Escovedo, Cale should’ve eased up with the unnecessary dressing up of songs and given the man more room. Songs as good as “Arizona” and “Died a Little Today” hardly need fleshing out with endless overdubs. 8/10 (Johnson Cummins)
Stephen Beaupré
Foe Destroyer (MUTEK_rec/Fusion III)
Half of Crackhaus, with deadbeat, and a known quantity in his own right, Beaupré’s a longstanding figure on the local techno scene. As such, this dub-a-licious debut album of his is overdue, but it’s worth the wait. Beaupré’s strength lies less in his rhythms, ranging from sharp, shattered minimal to bongos-on-the-beach house, than in the engaging samples he lays overtop. Distilling a wide range of sounds down to their essence, his aim is to reconcile and harmonize opposing sounds, and in doing so he confidently charts a course between the silly and the sublime. Snatches of twisted exotica and funny vocal snippets, for instance, rub up against the skin-prickling washes of tone and texture that bring this effort close to its purported Buddhist steez. Bonus points for the Sylvain Bouthillette jacket art! 7.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) With Lawrence, Alex Under, Guido Schneider and Dimbiman at Fonderie Darling, Fri., June 2, 9 p.m., $22.50
Murs & 9th Wonder
Murray’s Revenge (Record Collection)
On their second collaborative LP, Murs and 9th Wonder are showing signs of extreme compatibility, taking their relationship to the next level with a short stack of hot tracks. 9th might come under frequent criticism for his same-sound production, but here, he builds on Murs’s snappy punchlines and smartass rhymes to come up with a tight finished product. Murs delivers like a stand-up comedian on fire, with songs like “Dark Skinned White Girls,” “Barbershop” and “Silly Girl,” while he’s still able to rock earnest on joints like “Dreamchaser” and “L.A.” This is a combo that works, and they know it, so don’t be surprised if this 10-song LP isn’t followed by even more of that good stuff. 8/10 (Scott C)
People Under the Stairs
Stepfather (Basement)
Some people like their old-school more than others, turning a blind eye to trends, fads and hype in favour of a tried and true sound that they know and love. Thes One and Double K are two of those people, and have managed to stick to that approach for the duration of their underground hip hop career. Stepfather continues their dusty-fingered journey into nostalgia-filled visions of youth and the once-innocent days of hip hop culture. Combining classic tools like the SP12 and the MPC 2000, Thes and K manage to execute a genuine feel that smells like 1995, but is firmly rooted in 2006. This West Coast duo make the double duty of production and MCing look like another day in the sun. 7.5/10 (Scott C)
Karl Wolf
Face Behind the Face (Universal)
On his debut disc, Montreal-based singer/songwriter/producer Wolf leans heavily on dance rhythms to support his musings on all things love-related. His musical style is the type of middle-of-the-road dance-pop that radio will eat up, especially during the warmer months. There’s nothing too deep here: Wolf on girls (“Bootyful”), Wolf on love (“Cuz I Love You”) and Wolf on Wolf (the title track) are the sum total of topics explored, while different beats keep the mood light. Choclair lends his skills to the remix of “Desensitize,” while the rest of the set is Wolf being fairly entertaining and completely inoffensive. Putting this one on during a family BBQ is a pretty safe bet. 7.5/10 (Gerard Dee)
Diane Nalini
Songs of Sweet Fire (Earthglow)
Ian Shaw
Drawn To All Things (Linn)
Here we have two “concept” CDs that have a Canadian-British connection. Ms. Nalini, a Canadian and a Rhodes scholar, has written 15 pieces of music to the words of William Shakespeare, while Mr. Shaw, a Brit, does a wonderful job on 14 songs written by Canada’s Joni Mitchell. Dany Roy, Mike Rud, Vanessa Rodrigues, Mike Berard and Camil Belisle are among the musicians on the former, while the latter has guest appearances from vocalists Lea DeLaria and Claire Martin. Backing is by a number of England’s finest musicians, including trumpeter Guy Barker and guitarist Jim Mullen. Both 9/10 (Len Dobbin)
FM3
Buddha Machine (Staalplaat/Forced Exposure)
Well, here’s the damnedest thing I’ve seen/heard in a while. FM3 is China-based e-music experimentalists Christiaan Virant and Zhang Jian, and their Buddha Machine is apparently the first of a series of these things. Word is, Brian Eno owns eight of ’em. Boasting the highest standards in dollar-store technology, it’s a rickety, palm-sized plastic contraption resembling an old transistor radio, programmed with nine sound loops of various lengths, drones ’n’ tones for the third ear that crackle and hiss unto infinity (or the death of the two accompanying AA batteries, whichever comes first). One could see this as a retort to downloading (it’s about the physical artefact as much as anything) and to linear musical composition, but in my book it’s the post-millennial pet rock—with amazing powers of hypnosis! 8/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
Mini CD Reviews
Various Boogie Woogie (Original Masters) The deal of the year: 10 CDs, 200 tracks, at a bargain price—everything you’d want to know about boogie woogie and more. 10 (LD)
The Brought Low Right On Time (Small Stone) 100-proof rock ’n’ fuckin’ roll in the vein of Raging Slab, Allnight and Skynryd. 8 (JC)
Jason Bajada Up Go the Arms (independent) This local singer-songwriter’s smooth sophomore record is a grab-bag of pretty pop for the masses. 7 (LC) CD launch with JF Robitaille, Angela Desveaux, Lindy at O Patro Vys on June 4, 5, 6, 8:30 p.m.
Hank Ackrill/Venning ’91 (Weeping Truckers) A little lo-fi acid flashback to the early ’90s. 7 (LC)
Oriental Sunshine Dedicated to the Bird We Love (Sunbeam/Forced Exposure) Sweet, shiny and occasionally gag-inducing soft-touch Norwegian psych-folk from 1970, bettered by cool keys and gentle sitar buzz. 7 (RB)
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