Supersystem
A Million Microphones (Touch and Go)
Given that Supersystem’s preceding album Always Never Again was my favourite of last year, a follow-up to match might be a lot to ask for, but I’ll be damned if they don’t deliver it. The quartet has further fine-tuned their exhilarating punk-funk, adding swatches of newfound pop charm to the wonk-tronic flourishes and Afro inflections. The ambitious rhythmic and melodic architecture of their tunes holds firmly, and their lyrics remain lean and consequential. Dizzy dance jams “The Only Way It’s Ever Been Done” and “Earth Body Air,” bristling rocker “White Light White Light” and the pensive closer “Revolution Summer” stand out on a great record by one of the best bands out there today. 9/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
Slayer
Christ Illusion (American /Warner)
While the current crop of metal bands is busy pushing envelopes and reinventing wheels, Slayer buck all trends and just deliver it fast and hard, like only they can. They have more than a couple of classics under their belts already, and Christ Illusion proves they can often be imitated, but never equaled. Dave Lombardo’s drumming has never been more breakneck, and this time around he gives the guitars a good run for their money in the mix, a welcome move. No detuned or harmony power-metal guitars, no weak blast beats, no keyboards, no death-metal grunts—no bullshit. If you don’t like songs like “Jihad,” “Flesh Storm” or “Eyes of the Insane,” you can’t like metal at all. 9/10 (Johnson Cummins)
Teenage Head
self-titled (Lobotronics/Sonic Unyon)
Some records come along and render a person’s entire record collection obsolete—this classic was the slab o’ wax that had me pitching my Kiss discography in the bin. In 1979, punk rock was sinking and new wave was paving the way for MTV, but these four rock ’n’ rollers from the Hammer mixed Stones swagger and Ramones humour while bringing the New York Dolls’ stripped-down rock to the party. Listening to this newly remastered version 30 years after its original release, songs like “Picture My Face” and “Lucy Potato” still stand strong today, while “You’re Tearin’ Me Apart” could be one of the greatest Canadian rock ’n’ roll songs ever. 9/10 (Johnson Cummins)
Jim Noir
Tower of Love (Barsuk/Outside)
Frolicking on the same astral plane as Brian Wilson, George Harrison and Syd Barrett, this debut album succeeds in capturing the mood of a beloved bygone era, and averting the pitfalls of plagiarism and hippie buffoonery. Manchester’s Jim Noir, who writes, sings and plays every note on the record, also sidesteps the modernity of like-minded acts like the Beta Band and Super Furry Animals, whose singer Gruff Rhys seems to be Noir’s vocal idol. Instead, it’s a smooth traipse through verdant melodic fields, with pretty harmonies backed by piano, picked guitar and percussion, as played by pixies and people in animal costumes. One imagines. 8/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)
Kaki King
Until We Felt Red (Velour)
After a pair of entirely instrumental albums, this renowned acoustic guitarist ventures boldly into the realms of electric and lap-steel, and opens her mouth to unleash the most girlish vocals this side of Múm. Produced by John McEntire, whose credits include Tortoise and Stereolab, the record strums, picks, brushes, chimes, echoes, coos, buzzes, blows, beats and hits that magic chord, the intersection of beauty and melancholy. It has its underwhelming tracks, from both the vocal and instrumental camps (there are a handful of instrumentals), but at its best, the record is worth revelling in. 7/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)
Various
Strange Country (Albion/Fusion III)
Close on the heels of Albion’s excellent Strange Folk, this compilation follows suit, collecting 18 genre oddities from the past and the present. The strangeness of these selections lies more often in the lyrics than in the music, though an uneasy ethereality settles over some of the twisted verse, as in Gram Rabbit’s downright gothy “Dirty Horse.” Otherwise, the sound lingers at the minimal, intimate end of the country-rock spectrum, a fine place to be with artists ranging from Calexico to Johnny Cash, Smog to Willie Nelson, Sparklehorse to Hank Williams. 8/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)
Various
The Rough Guide to Planet Rock (World Music Network/ Fusion III)
Rock, and a fair bit of rap, dub and R&B, return from abroad in some exciting new permutations here. There’s a lot to like—the Cambodian holiday of L.A.’s Dengue Fever, the bluesy Saharan trance jams of Tinariwen and Etran Finatawa, les Boukakes’ Morocc’n roll, Gogol Bordello, Konono No1 and more. Throat-singer Albert Kuvezin and his grit-folk band Yat-Kha lay some Tuvan maneuvers on Iron Butterfly’s “In a Gadda Da Vida” (Led Zep, Joy Division and Motörhead get the same workout on Kuvezin’s Re-Covers, also out this week), while the jumped-up jhalla of Mumbai’s Alms For Shanti’s “Superbol” scores a winning goal too. On the other hand, there’s Hip Hop Hoodios’ “Kike On the Mic,” which gets wrong everything Montreal’s Socalled gets right. 8/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
DMX
Year of the Dog... Again (Ruff Ryders/Sony)
Good ol’ Darkman X took a three-year holiday from rap, precious time that he used to impersonate an FBI officer and eventually get sent up to Rikers Island for a 30-day bid, but that hasn’t done a thing to dull his rugged edge. Songs like “Dog Love” and “I Run Shit” are delivered with X’s trademark bark, but lack any kind of real bite. There’s the rockin’ “Wrong or Right (I’m Tired)” which, at six albums in, is the real anthem here. Having debuted at number one with his last five LPs, DMX is showing all the signs of an MC who should probably start exploring other business options, preferably one that allows him to continue working with his canine pals. Thoroughly underwhelming and unable to stand up, this album is definitely for the dogs. 6/10 (Scott C)
New Flesh
Universally Dirty (Big Dada /Outside)
New Flesh may have been ahead of the curve, planting the first seeds of Bouncement a few years back, mixing squelchy basslines and dancehall-tinged yard tunes with their leftfield hip hop aesthetic, but it’s been others who have propelled this sound forward in the meantime. Here, Juice Aleem and Toastie Taylor get loose with the riddim, serving up treats like “Backyard” and “Trouble” featuring LSK, but somehow fail to leave a lasting impression over the course of 13 tracks. Sounding more like misguided dancehall producers than anything else, New Flesh might have hit on a few sleeper joints on this record, but for the most part their Universally Dirty sound could use a rinse. 7/10 (Scott C)
Gundei
Ghetto Gospel (Bethel)
You may remember GunDei from his days as Grandmaster Garner and his Montreal 12-inch classic “Propagundei” on Zoobone Records. Now, this Miami ex-pat living in Montreal has embraced his spiritual side, while still bringing his tight flow to the fore. Ghetto Gospel is a mix of positive vibes and lyrical prowess, where GunDei explores his purpose here on Earth through a series of bumpin’ tracks and collabs. He’s joined by old pal Mizery and X.C.A.L. on “Politikally Inkorek”, and chops it up with B-Nice on the tell-tale “Born Again.” Even if this material is a far cry from the old GunDei, he still manages to get his point across with conviction and style. 7.5/10 (Scott C)
Amel Larrieux
Morning (Blisslife)
The former member of funk/soul duo Groove Theory continues to grow as a solo artist with music that’s both engaging and unique. On her latest, the talented singer/songwriter/producer follows the same pattern as her first two releases, combining soul, jazz and folk influences with thoughtful lyricism. For example, the simmering “Earn My Affections” casts Larrieux in the role of sure-footed debutante, while the luxurious “Gills and Tails” is a plea for understanding that sails along a gentle guitar-driven groove. They’re just two examples of the intelligent songwriting and intricate melodies that characterize one of the most interesting artists you still may not have heard of. 8/10 (Gerard Dee)
Joe Lovano Ensemble
Streams of Expression (Blue Note/EMI)
Recorded in late 2005, this is a CD that I have been anxiously awaiting since hearing that Gunther Schuller had been commissioned to provide a suite for Joe based on the music on the Miles Davis Birth of the Cool sessions of 1949–50. Schuller had played French horn on the last of those sessions, and the wonderful “Moon Dreams” from that one is here, along with “Move” and “Boplicity.” There’s more—Joe’s five-part “Streams” suite and two more of his originals, plus one by Tim Hagans. The players range from large ensembles to a pair of trio outings with Dennis Irwin and Lewis Nash. As usual, Joe is at the top of his game. 10/10 (Len Dobbin)
Mini CD Reviews
The Bud Shank Big Band Taking the Long Way Home (Jazzed Media) Altoman Shank first played Montreal when he was 24, and 55 years later (2005), he’s caught here leading his own swinging big band, stocked with the cream of L.A.’s jazz players. 8.5 (LD)
Tommy Emmanuel The Mystery (Favored Nations/Fusion III) Emmanuel’s fingerpicking is technically insane, but his depth of emotion and incredible harmonic choices make this essential for any guitar-head. 8 (JC)
Word Burglar Burglaritis (Hand Solo) WB might sound half corny, but he’s got rhymes for days. He also backed shit up with a hot list of great beats and producers. 8 (SC)
Spoon Telephono/Soft Effects (Merge) A joint reissue of the band’s 1996 debut LP and subsequent EP, bite-sized post-punk placing Spoon ahead of the trends. 7.5 (LC)
Test Icicles Dig Your Own Grave EP (Domino/Outside) Five tunes by these U.K. tantrum rockers get remixed right, by Alan Braxe, Spank Rock, Digitalism and more. 7.5 (RB)
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