Li’l Andy & Karaoke Cowboy
Home in Landfill Acres (independent)
You can count on musicians to claim that their new material is their best material, but Li’l Andy speaks the truth when he says that this album kicks his last album’s ass. Like Tombstones & Aracdes, Home in Landfill Acres has laughs, in the live favourite “Beggin’ and Achin’ for Eggs and Bacon” and “Just Like in the Movies.” But the encroachment of pre-fab housing, concrete and garbage on rural land is no joke, and that theme carries the record as much as its classic, sweet ’n’ sour country stylings, bolstered by guests Angela Desveaux, Katie Moore and Jordan Officer. 8.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) With Timber at la Sala Rossa on Fri., July 14, 9:30 p.m., $7
Fair Warning
You Are the Scene (Sonik’s Chicken Shrimp)
God love this local label for digging up worthy relics of hardcore and punk gone by (SCUM, the Boys, Genetic Control), but hardcore can have a hard time aging well, and unfortunately, Fair Warning’s first effort is a good illustration of this. You Are the Scene (subtitled The Vinyl Years) is a great document of Montreal’s early-’80s hardcore scene, but outside of nostalgia, this re-release doesn’t offer much for any punker under 30. Production barely transcends the demo stage, tiring the ear over these 32 thrashers. But if you were there back in the day, this will at least bring back memories of the salad days at Rising Sun and Cargo. 7/10 (Johnson Cummins) Reunion CD launch with guests Evil Boys From Hell at Playhouse, Fri., July 14, 9 p.m., $6
Matchbook Romance
Voices (Epitaph/FAB)
One of the most commercial Epitaph releases ever, and their blatant pursuit of that elusive AFI money will probably pad their wallets well. With John Goodmanson’s über-production, Matchbook Romance lets you know right from the get-go that their intentions are to take over the mall punk empire, with huge choruses and a dense mix including everything and the kitchen sink. But let’s face the facts—who the hell buys records for the production? Goodmanson may be the star of the show here, but the saccharine treatment just aches after awhile, while any hope of a song gets lost in the mix. 6/10 (Johnson Cummins) With Yellowcard and Crane at Metropolis, Sat., July 15, 8 p.m., $22.50, all ages
Fujiya & Miyagi
Transparent Things (Tirk/Fusion III)
Ignore the goofy moniker—this is a trio, not a two-piece, and they’re Brits, not Japanese. Musically, however, Transparent Things is the equivalent of a superior-standard German car, and I’m not just saying that because of the krautrock flavouring. Contoured, cushioned and precision-tooled, their elegant avant-rock comes off sleek and confident, whether it’s the steady, pulsating push of “Ankle Injuries” and “Conductor,” the artful, narcotic whisper-disco of “Sucker Punch,” or “Photocopier” fusing the two. 8/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
Say Hi to Your Mom
Impeccable Blahs (Euphobia/Rebel Group)
Beats, brooding basslines, boyish vocals and bloodlust? It’s the Postal Service’s black-clad, goatee-sporting twin, and despite Eric Elbogen’s assurance that his band is “Not As Goth As They Say We Are,” this is essentially a concept album about vampires. It’s their fourth disc, out on July 25, and the full-fledged integration of a drummer and a keyboardist means there’s more of Say Hi to Your Mom to love. Anyone with a penchant for unabashed pop draped in moody minor chords has a hell of a lot to sink their teeth into. 8.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) With Harvee at the Green Room on Fri., July 14, 9 p.m., $10
The Dead Science
Frost Giant (Absolutely Kosher)
With all the tragic loveliness of a greased and feathered castrati, this Seattle trio is a must for the Yukio Mishima-reading, Velvet Goldmine-watching, Klaus Nomi Halloween costume-wearing set. I’m not saying it’s “gay,” but you can feel its flamboyant pain. The band’s aesthetic exists in a dreamy grey area, side-stepping Xiu Xiu’s shrill desperation in favour of subtler frantic undercurrents and vaguely unsettling lyrics. Couched in plush vocals and melancholy guitars, Dead Science’s disturbing content could probably pass below your parents’ radar. Just don’t tell Granny that that’s a man singing. 8/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) With Carla Bozulich at la Sala Rossa, Tues., July 18, 9 p.m., $12
CSS
Cansei de Ser Sexy (Sub Pop)
With practised petulance, largely English lyrics delivered in an affected Brooklyn-brat accent, and a dash of e-clash rehash (“Meeting Paris Hilton”), this Sao Paulo sextet, Sub Pop’s first Brazilian signing, speak the musical language of shabby-chic art-school hipsters worldwide. There’s some gold in there, though—dig the kick-off anthem “CSS Suxxx,” the electro-snotcore attack “Artbitch” and sweet, reggae-fied pop of “Alcohol.” And then there’s “Let’s Make Love and Listen to Death From Above,” a dizzy mystery-disco joint that’s just too damn catchy (and sexy too, something the album title says these five ladies and one dude are tired of being). 7/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) With Diplo and Bonde Do Role at la Sala Rossa, Sat., July 15, 9 p.m., $20
MSTRKRFT
The Looks (Last Gang)
The mixing formula of Toronto’s MSTRKRFT, which has previously transformed indie-rock hits into club bangers, has a slightly repetitive, unoriginal quality when stood on its own. Take out the artistic direction that remixed artists brought to the earlier tracks, and what’s left is an album which is ultimately of, rather than ahead of, its time. The sound is fabulous, however, and to be fair, there are a few party-rocking gems on the disc, most notably “She’s Good for Easy Love,” which might just be the ultimate aerobics-workout anthem, and “Paris,” the track in which they most fully achieve their death-by-distortion-disco goals. 7/10 (Jack Oatmon) With Juan Maclean at les Saints, Thurs., July 20, 9 p.m., $10
Cut Chemist
The Audience’s Listening (Warner)
This is precisely the kind of record that I thought I’d never see Cut Chemist releasing on a major label. It’s ripe with samples from hither and yon, not surprising for the eclectic palette of Cut, aka Lucas McFadden, once a DJ with Jurassic Five. Not content to stay on one track for too long, this record incorporates turntablism, exotic sounds and musical influences from around the world, and a robust love of quirk. “Storm,” featuring Edan and Mr. Lif, is the only MC-assisted tune on here, but sits well beside memorable tracks like the title track and the lush sounds of “The Garden.” 7/10 (Scott C)
Ammon Contact
With Voices (Ninja Tune/ Outside)
Firmly rooted in the Los Angeles jazz and hip hop communities, Carlos Nino and Fabian Ammon have been creating deep, arresting sounds for years, but this album has allowed them to collaborate with many of the talented voices that surround them. This is a family affair, with a slew of collaborators all working to bring out the rich sounds of the group and forge something different. The result is 12 tracks that include the jazzy romp “Drum Riders” with Brother J, the quiet observance of “Earth’s Children” featuring vocalist Mia Doi Todd, and the space-soul sounds of “Life Force Contact.” This is a perfect example of musicians who effortlessly bridge the gap between hip hop, jazz and soul, without playing favourites. 8/10 (Scott C)
Kenny Dope
Choice: A Collection of Classics (Azuli/Fusion III)
Half of the greatest knockout punch of dance music’s house era, Kenny “Dope” Gonzalez leaves his indelible mark on Azuli Records’ splendid Choice series, which has already featured his Masters at Work partner Louie Vega, as well as François Kevorkian and Danny Krivit. Dope refuses to be chained to what house music is purported to entail, and instead goes through his 30,000-plus record library to gather, mix and edit selections that span many periods and styles. Time-honoured anthems such as Sylvester’s “I Need You” and Atmosphere’s “Dancing in Outer Space” walk hand in hand with rare and obscure gems like Dayton’s “Sound of Music” and Dunn Pearson’s “Groove on Down.” Pure Dopeness! 9.5/10 (Peter Lightburn)
Teena Marie
Sapphire (Universal)
On her 2004 comeback album La Dona, Lady T proved that she was back in the game in a big way. On her latest, she continues to deliver the quality soul that she’s always been known for. On the album’s first two tracks, “God Has Created” and “Cruise Control,” Marie pairs with another R&B veteran, Smokey Robinson, for a smooth-as-silk love-jam double shot. Elsewhere, she ups the tempo for lead single “Ooo Wee” and the groovy “Make It Hot.” On the moving ballad “You Blow Me Away,” she pays tribute to her mentor and friend, the late Rick James, who collaborated with Marie as recently as on her last album. 7.5/10 (Gerard Dee)
Jimmy Giuffre
Four Brothers (Original Long Play Albums)
Jimmy Giuffre
Tangents in Jazz (Original Long Play Albums)
Two CDs of both musical and historical value, with material from Capitol releases by reedman composer Jimmy Giuffre from ’54 and ’55. He turned 85 in April, and Parkinson’s disease pretty well ended his career in the early ’90s. Best remembered as the composer of “Four Brothers” and “The Train and the River,” Giuffre also composed music that’s included on The Birth of the Third Stream, and his early ’60s trio with Steve Swallow and Montreal-born Paul Bley was indeed forward-looking. Early seeds of that direction are included here, especially on the 1955 sessions with Jack Sheldon, Ralph Pena and Artie Anton. Pieces like “Finger Snapper,” “Rhetoric” and an arrangement of “This Is My Beloved” were avant-garde for the time. Among the musicians on the earlier sessions (on Four Bothers) are Russ Freeman, Shorty Rogers, Bud Shank and Shelly Manne. Brothers 9/10, Tangents 10/10 (Len Dobbin)
Mini CD Reviews
Gabriele Mirabassi/Guinga Graffiando Vento (Egea) A sublime outing by a clarinet-guitar duo, heard on 12 of guitarist Guinga’s compositions. 9 (LD)
Choklate self-titled (Kajmere) Yes, this is one hot stack of flapjacks, complete with butta vocals and some hard-hitting production. 8 (SC)
Grant-Lee Phillips Nineteeneighties (Zoe/Rounder) A respectable selection of ’80s classics, largely British, capably covered by the former Mr. Buffalo. 7 (LC)
Sandoz Live in the Earth (Soul Jazz/Fusion III) Exospheric digital dub reggae from Cabaret Voltaire’s Richard H. Kirk, ideal for blowing fatties in the airlock of the Discovery. 7 (RB)
Strapping Young Lad The New Black (Century Media) Pure heaviosity mixed with power-metal melody. Questions? 7 (JC)
Danny Michel Valhalla (Burnt Bun/Universal) The problem with such well-rounded singer-songwriter pop is that it may roll in one ear and out the other. 6 (LC) At Café Campus, Sun., July 16, 8:30 p.m., $8.50
>> Music Listings
