Twin of Twins
Stir It Up Volume Sicks: Resurrection of the Ghetto (Kingston 13)
A popular form of entertainment in JA is the call-in show: on stations from the BBC World Service to Irie FM, callers always get a say—though they often have to yell to get a word in edgewise. Twin of Twins (identical twins Patrick “Curly Lox” Gaynor and Paul “Tu-Lox” Gaynor) have taken this model and thrown in some satire, impressions ranging from Mutabaruka to Bounty Killer to R. Kelly, and often pretty on-point commentary. Between poking fun at just about anyone and everything, the Twins have also added in a couple of good combination tunes with Damian Marley and Turbulence. Keep in mind, however, the disclaimer provided: “If you are stiffnecked and stubborn, side effects of the CD will include hatred and complete contempt for the twins. If you experience these side effects, we still don’t give a fuck.” 9/10 (Erin MacLeod)

Yo La Tengo
I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass (Matador)
Like a greatest hits record composed of new songs, Yo La Tengo’s latest retraces their steps through two decades of indie rock history. The real achievement, though, is the freshness of the material, and the high standard maintained over the band’s 75-minute journey through bobbing and weaving chamber pop, cracked-out garage rock, sepia-toned ’60s ditties and densely layered alt-rock droners. Less impressive are the band’s ballads, a specialty developed on recent albums that doesn’t fare as well next to more invigorating material, not to mention the aggro album title. (They may not look tough, but they are from Jersey.) 8/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) With Why? at le National, Sat., Sept. 30, 8:30 p.m., $17

Harvey Danger
Little by Little… (Kill Rock Stars)
Consigned to one-hit-wonderland after their chunky ’98 charter “Flagpole Sitta” marked the high point of a brief career arc, these Seattlites remerge with a ready batch of punchy power-pop boosted by brainy lyrics, delivered with gusto by singer Sean Nelson. Introducing charming piano-centric passages and swells of sweet brass judiciously, the band builds its tunes sturdy and, truth be told, a bit workmanlike at times. But with the piano-pounder “Happiness Writes White” and the similarly mod-hued “Cool James,” in particular, Little by Little… delivers a lot. 7.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) With King of France and Crystal Cliffs at Main Hall, Wed., Oct. 4, 9 p.m.

Lily Frost
Ciné-Magique (Aporia)
Produced and co-written by her Chilean husband José Miguel Contreras, this Toronto singer-songwriter’s fourth album is a lovely, eclectic confection that subtly evokes bossa nova, French chanson, spaghetti Westerns and rockabilly balladry. The accessibility of her cabaret pop grab-bag lies not only in the strength of the songs (among them a cover of Cole Porter’s “So in Love”), but the versatility of Contreras’s minimalist arrangements—strings, guitars, piano and keys form a thin but wiry base for Frost’s trilingual vocals, a fine balance of sweetness, melancholy and mystery. 8/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) With Aide-de-Camp, Mother, Shotgun & Jaybird, Mardeen at O Patro Vys, Wed., Oct. 4, 8 p.m.

The Leather Uppers
Bright Lights (Goner)
A priceless slice of the Canadian garage punk scene in the early ’90s, swank, frank and generally tanked Toronto duo the Leather Uppers raised a ruckus with their stripped down yet hyperbolic “panic rock” before retiring their matching fuzzy vests and neckerchiefs in ’94. Back by popular demand, as they say, Classy Craig and Groovy Greg bring on a lucky 13 numbers that make it official—their swagger, snarl and punky panache are entirely intact. “Scream If You’re High,” the title track and the nuclear 90 seconds of “Halfway Houseboat” are the very definition of simple but effective. 7.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) With Royal Mountain Band and Starvin Hungry at Petit Campus, Fri., Oct. 6, 9 p.m.

Wolf Eyes
Human Animal (Sub Pop/Outside)
Following up on the strength of 2004’s Burned Mind, Wolf Eyes finally released the record that can compare with the intensity of their live show. It’s got some occasional minimalism, but when they let the needles ride the red, they remain one of the ultimate violent assaults on the senses. They hit new levels of terror with skronk sax hovering over a brutal, repetitious thud that tips its cap to vintage Throbbing Gristle and Whitehouse. It’s not until the fourth track that their trademark high-frequency hammering and death-metal vocals hiding under a wash of noise appear. After that, the ultra-violent noise attack is relentless. 8/10 (Johnson Cummins) With John Wiesse, Pengo and Thames at Club Lambi, Sat., Sept. 30, 9 p.m.

Pop Levi
Blue Honey (Counter Culture/Outside)
This first outing for Ninja offshoot Counter Culture is sure to bend the ears of the current crop of psych-heads. Ever wondered what would’ve happened if acid casualty Julian Cope actually got down and rocked? Pop Levi offers up only five songs here, but ends up covering more ground than most bands do over their entire discography. “Crying Chic” lets the bongos set the rhythm for a T Rex-coloured pop groover, and Levi further quotes Bolan on the sweet, thick-as-molasses “Baby Again.” Blue Honey does what any good EP should do, leaves you salivating for a full-length. 8/10 (Johnson Cummins) With the Hilotrons, Dishwasher, the Patients at Main Hall on Sat., Oct. 7, 10 p.m.

Planes Mistaken for Stars
Mercy (Abacus)
After one listen, it’s obvious that Planes are guaranteed to blow up in the underground after this record—whether they like it or not. Production by Matt Bayles (Mastodon, Isis, Pearl Jam) is through the roof, but always stops just short of taking over the songs. This is a punk rock ride all the way through, but it’s singer Gared O’Donnell’s urgent howl that really hits a nerve and makes this such an easy sell. Songs like “Keep Your Teeth” show that these guys are no slouches in the song-writing department, while the dynamics in “To Spit a Sparrow” are expertly devastating. 8.5/10 (Johnson Cummins)

Justin Timberlake
FutureSex/LoveSounds (Jive/Sony BMG)
Pop music is on the cusp of respectability, and the mouseketeer’s sophomore release is the oddest most realized attempt. Ridiculous and overt sexual themes aside (he still sounds like a prepubescent), FutureSex is a remarkably dense album, with nooks and crannies waiting to be discovered. The singles are great, even though they aren’t as immediately gratifying as in the past, but the weaker moments still feel like adventurous missteps worth taking. “My Love” is possibly the best electropop moment of 2006, and “Summer Love” buzzes with synths and a muted string section. Swallow your pride and give it a listen. 7.5/10 (Erik Leijon)

Chingy Hoodstar (Capitol/EMI)
At precisely 46 seconds into the first track, Chingy references his 2003 hit “Right Thurr.” It’s highly prophetic, as the St. Louis-based rapper spends the duration of Hoodstar trying to recreate that hit—notably with the oddly similar “Nike Aurr’s” and “Ass N Da Aurr.” Guests are brought in to provide resuscitation, but not even Jermaine Dupri can convince anyone Chingy is more than a poor man’s Ludacris. The album starts with promise, but once you hit “Bounce That,” it becomes apparent Chingy doesn’t have another “Holidae Inn” in him. If the intention was to play rhyme-time with “thurr,” then mission accomplished. 4/10 (Erik Leijon)

Rugged Intellect
The GWOP Era Mixtape (Expertism)
For the discerning MC, the art of the mixtape involves hours of painstaking creative thought aimed at keeping your name on the lips of many, prior to a major power-move. Rugged has been mad busy on his upcoming full length, The Renaissance, but that doesn’t mean that this mixtape is any less tenacious. I challenge any Montreal MC with a backbone to listen to this collection of 21 tracks and try to say that Rugged hasn’t stepped it up for the children. Hard to believe this is just a precursor to bigger things to come. Check “All Fair” featuring Kool G Rap, or “Next Dose” with Ras Kass if you think I’m joking. 8.5/10 (Scott C)

Janet Jackson
20 Y0 (EMI)
Jackson’s ’04 album Damita Jo was solid, but got buried under the fallout from the Super Bowl scandal. Maybe that’s why this time she takes fewer chances, relying almost exclusively on straight-up R&B throughout this shorter-than-usual set. That being said, long-time producers Jam & Lewis, along with Jackson’s producer/beau Jermaine Dupri, play to her strengths, providing crunchy funk workouts (“So Excited,” “Get It Out Me”) and sensual slow jams (“With You,” “Take Care”) for her to dig into. There’s nothing groundbreaking here, but there’s also no denying that after 20-plus years in the business, Jackson still delivers joyful grooves like “Do It To Me” and “Enjoy” like no one else. 8/10 (Gerard Dee)

Dexter Gordon
Bopland (Savoy/Koch)
Gerald Wilson
Big Band Modern (Jazz Factory)
These will have bebop fans rejoicing. The former brings together material, over three CDs, from an L.A. Elks Club in 1947 that features Dexter, Wardell Gray, Sonny Criss and Howard McGhee on things like “Disorder at the Border,” “Byas-a-Drink” and “Perdido”—close to three hours of jamming. The latter features two sessions from the ’50s by Wilson (who at 88 remains active), eight from a studio session done for the King label and seven from a concert in San Francisco, released for the first time. Guest spots feature the tenors of Zoot Sims, Stan Getz and Wardell Gray. New material featuring the latter is a most welcome addition to his recorded legacy and make this release a must. Both 10/10 (Len Dobbin)

Mini CD Reviews

Warren Vache and the Scottish Ensemble Don’t Look Back (Arbors Jazz) A truly wonderful merging of cornet and strings. Bill Finegan and John Carisi are among the arrangers. 10 (LD)

Trinity Three Piece Suit (Crazy Joe) French label reissue of a classic record from a classic deejay. An all-star band backs up a legend on some of the best foundation riddims. 9 (EM)

Quantic & Mr. Scruff “Tell It Like You Mean It”/“Giraffe Walk” 12” (Tru-Thoughts) Quantic does it again with the massive “Tell it...,” while these two seem to be having a little too much fun on the funky b-side. 8 (SC)

The London Apartments Logistics & Navigation EP (Beggars Banquet) Long live the Cocteau Twins! Pristine darkness is alive and well, and living in Windsor, ON. 7.5 (LC) With Brave Radar, Emily Carr at Missy Bar, Thurs., Oct. 5, 10 p.m.

Nikki Sudden The Truth Doesn’t Matter (Secretly Canadian/Sonic Unyon) Sudden’s last record before his death, sadly, but all sentimentality aside, this is easily one of the best in his 30-year career. 7.5 (JC)

The TunaHelpers I’ll Have What She’s Having (Mimicry/Revolver) Halloween is almost upon us, so gather the kids for some spooky chamber rock by woods-dwelling, satin- and velvet-wearing Texan lasses. 7 (LC) With the World Provider, DJ Vilaine at Zoobizarre, Wed., Oct. 4, 11:59 p.m.

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