|
 THE BESNARD LAKES
...Are the Dark Horse (Jagjaguwar/Outside)
Imagine a head-on collision of retro pop, widescreen psychedelia and
prog rock machinations, playing out in slow motion, leaving shards of
the Beach Boys, Spiritualized and Pink Floyd in its wake. Yes,
Montreal’s Besnard Lakes have come a long way since their 2003 debut,
Volume 1, both in sound and in songcraft. This album’s larger tracks
threaten to induce trances with their ethereal mantras, building on
multiple layers of guitars, strings, synths, horns, woodwinds and
rhythm that bleed into each other just enough to mix DNA. It’s no car
accident, but there is something to see here.9/10
(Lorraine Carpenter) CD launch with Starvin’ Hungry at Club Lambi,
Tuesday, March 6, 9 p.m., $12
 Les
Ekorchés
self-titled (Indica/Outside)
Three of Montreal metal’s forefathers—Away from Voivod, B.A.R.F.’s Mark
Vaillancourt and Pat Gordon of Ghoulunatics—join forces and add the
unlikely appearance of Phillippe Mius d’Entremont’s decidedly non-metal
instrument, the violoncello, to this blaster. Bowed string instrument
aside, this is pretty no-frills, old-school hardcore/metal pounding,
with producer Glenn Robinson’s claustrophobic mix going for the throat
at each turn. With their metal message never muddled up with clever
tricks, les Ekorchés just deliver the goods, with Vaillancourt’s
familiar scream sending it all home. 7/10 (Johnson
Cummins)
THE BLOODY HOLLIES
Who to Trust, Who to Kill, Who to Love
(Alive)
These San Diegan garage dwellers are sure to draw some comparisons,
namely to Jack White. Singer Wesley Doyle’s squeezed-testicle wail
bears more than a passing resemblance to Mr. White’s, with the
occasional nod to blues offering little to his defence, but the fuzz is
turned up, tempos are dashing to the finish line and Doyle’s sense of
rock ’n’ roll urgency and abandon prove the comparisons to be only skin
deep. If you are sick of garage bands simply sleepwalking through the
’60s songbooks, then the Bloody Hollies could be your new favourite
band. 7.5/10 (Johnson Cummins) With the Nymphets,
Devil Eyes at l’Escogriffe, Sun., Mar. 4, 9 p.m., $7
ANDREW RODRIGUEZ
Here Comes the Light (Baudelaire)
Former Montrealer and Bodega leader Rodriguez continues his foray into
occasionally Lennon-tinged pop, and fleshes it out with lush arrays of
strings, harmony vocals, keys and acoustic guitar. Montreal is well
represented on the record, with expert contributions from Jason Kent,
Angela Desveaux, John Britton and Stars’ Chris Seligman, but Rodriguez
hardly needs the helping hands. Just give a listen to his ballsy disco
shuffle on “Dreaming of It,” or the lackadaisical “Breakfast.”
Occasionally, his pen chokes under the weight of overzealous
production, but thankfully the songs all shine through in the end. 7/10 (Johnson Cummins) CD launch with guests at Main
Hall, Sun., Mar. 4, 9 p.m., $8
 PAUL CARGNELLO
Brûler le jour (Anubis/Outside)
Having earned a sizeable francophone fan base with his three solo
albums, the former Vendettas frontman has ventured where few anglo
artists go, making an album (almost) entirely in French. I’ll leave it
to francophones to judge whether or not Cargnello’s lyrics suffer from
any second-language awkwardness. Musically, he’s on top of his game,
having possibly perfected the rebel reggae/rock/folk/blues blend that
he’s honed with each solo release. The lean arrangements are dominated
by acoustic guitar, vocals, handclaps and soft keys, applying just the
right light touch to this stylistic high-wire act. 8/10
(Lorraine Carpenter) With Chinatown at Petit Campus on Wed., March 7,
8:30 p.m., $8
MV & EE WITH THE BUMMER ROAD
Green Blues (Ecstatic
Peace/Universal)
Thurston Moore’s label Ecstatic Peace has become a mover
and shaker in the underground, thanks to recent major-label
muscle, but it’s releases like this one that prove he hasn’t lost
his primary focus. Green Blues starts off nicely with the jam
“East Mountain Joint,” recalling Royal Trux and Black Mountain,
before delving into some serious psych on “Drive Is That
I Love You.” From there, it just doesn’t let up. Noise and feedback
nestle in with detached psych-folk strum as cavernous
vocals fight through the din of reverb. 7.5/10
(Johnson Cummins)
With Ohmu, Xiangalan at Casa del Popolo, Sun., Mar.
4, 9 p.m., $7
THE LIQUID CRYSTAL PROJECT
J Rawls presents… (P-Vine)
J Rawls’s initial idea—to create a band that could address
the “headnodic” issues of live hip hop while still showcasing
the talents of the musicians involved—was a good one, but
easier said than done. The five members of the LCP are light
years from the otherworldly vibes of Madlib’s Yesterday’s
New Quintet, but hit gold on a couple of tracks. The Pete
Rock dedication “Tribute to TROY” is a great live arrangement
of the hip hop classic “They Reminisce Over You,” but
much of the record sounds like elevator music you could rap
to. Although a great change of pace, I still wish it was a
much tighter piece of work. 7.5/10 (Scott C)
 Various
Sid Turbo (Turbo)
This CDs serves a triple function—it’s a
calling card from new Montreal arts collective/
podcasters Sid Lee, a fundraiser
for arts enablers Quartier Éphémère, and
a capable overview of the elegant and
impish electro-disco which has defined local label Turbo’s
post-millennial catalog. In an assortment of configurations,
Turbo’s talents and friends (with the notable exception of
Tiga) make appearances—Chromeo, Zdar, Playgroup, Boys
Noize, Martini Bros., FPU and newcomers Sweetlight and
d.i.m. (plus a remix of Étienne Daho). 8/10
(Rupert Bottenberg)
CD launch at Laïka today, Thurs., Mar. 1, 5 p.m., free
DJ GREEN LANTERN FEAT. LUDACRIS
The Truth Shall Set You Free (Invasion/Fusion III)
Green Lantern’s mixtape was meant as a preamble to last
September’s Release Therapy, Ludacris’s latest disc, but only
now hits the shelves. Truth is not as unnervingly serious as
RT, nor as schizophrenically fun as the Luda’s previous
records. It’s clear both parties had fun making this record,
and occasionally it reaches the listener. What he lacks in
Clipse’s icy coolness, Luda adds in comical bravado to “Mr.
Me Too’s” beat on “Jump Off the G4.” Lantern also achieves
pop-culture nerd-hero status with “He Man,” which samples
the show’s theme song. Over-reliance on recycled beats and
lines will irk connoisseurs. 5.5/10 (Erik Leijon)
 MAXIME
ROBIN
Is a Town Tempo Kind of Guy (Erobote/Local)
The fact that the debut disc from Trois
Rivières’s Maxime Robin comes off like an
audio emulation of a groovy weekend walkabout
through the city—a decidedly odd and
entertaining city to boot—jives perfectly with the roots of this
cut ’n’ paste carnival. The material here is cobbled together,
with wit and wile, from countless dollar-bin discs and rummage-
sale records, be they kiddie stuff, cornball comedy, loopy
lounge jazz or classical kitsch. The density would be dizzying if
Robin, “town tempo guy” that he is, didn’t allow his excursions
to unfurl at a light and leisurely pace. 8/10
(Rupert Bottenberg)CD launch with Ghislain Poirier, Vyle at Zoobizarre
tonight,
Thurs., Mar. 1, 9 p.m., $4
 BURIAL
self-titled(Hyperdub)
Just about everyone in the U.K. had this
record, by an enigmatic producer, on their
top 10 list of 2006. This alone made me
somewhat resistant. I’m not so keen on
records that are seen as “important,” but
this darned thing made its way under my skin and won’t seem
to leave me alone. It’s dubstep, but it’s swingy, shuffly dubstep
that seems to have been created out of boredom. It sounds like
ennui, but instead of being angsty and annoying, it’s really
quite amazing. I sound like I’m preaching the gospel here, but
it seems that anyone who listens to Burial long enough tends
to proselytize. 9/10 (Erin MacLeod)
THE SOULJAZZ ORCHESTRA
Freedom No Go Die
(Do Right)
Ottawa’s Souljazz Orchestra has entered the realm of truly
unforgettable music with this new LP of Afro-beat on Toronto’s
Do Right Music. This nine-track monster focuses on
mostly original tracks, but looks to Pharoah Sanders’ “The
Creator Has a Master Plan” to drive home the musical connection
to past masters. Opener “Mr. President” is a heavyduty
tune, relevant and applicable to today’s changing world,
and getting them a lot of attention worldwide. While I still
prefer the instrumental Afro-beat stomp, this is the real
thing, through and through. 8/10 (Scott C)
 OMARION
21(Sony
BMG)
Former B2K frontman Omarion tries to
prove he’s all grown up on his sophomore
effort. But, if anything, 21 proves he still
has a lot of room to grow. To be sure, tracks
like the Timbaland-produced “Ice Box” and
lead single “Entourage” represent a move forward. But then the
set gets bogged down with the same type of generic R&B that
doesn’t make a lasting impression. Songs like “Do It” and
“Been With a Star” could easily have come from Omarion’s B2K
days, but if he wants to hang with the big boys, he’s going to
have to leave the juvenile grooves behind.
6.5/10 (Gerard Dee)
PETE CHRISTLIEB
Live at the Jazz Cave(Cognito)
DAVID “FATHEAD” NEWMAN
Life (HighNote)
Apair of new CDs directed by first-class tenormen. Christlieb,
best remembered for his work on the Johnny Carson TV shows,
is captured live in a Nashville jazz spot, backed by a local quartet
led by pianist Lori Mechem. Material includes Bill Evans’s
“Turn Out the Stars,” “The Song Is You” and a pair by Benny
Carter, “Only Trust Your Heart” and “When Lights Are Low.”
Newman’s CD is dedicated to Montreal favourite John Hicks,
and songs like “Come Sunday,” “Girl Talk” and Hicks’s title
piece are superbly played by a sextet of Steve Nelson, pianist
David Leonhardt, Peter Bernstein, Yoron Israel and a former
Montrealer, bassist John Menegon. Both 9.5/10
(Len Dobbin)
Mini CD Reviews
MINSK The
Ritual Fires of Abandonment (Relapse/Koch)
So many bands are expanding the boundaries
of metal right now, but Minsk’s psychedelic stamp is
sure to place them among the most adventurous. Simply
awesome. 8.5 (JC)
MB3 Jazz
Hits-Volume One (Mel Bay) A guitar
fancier’s
dream—a quintet fronted by three guitarists (Jimmy
Bruno, Vic Juris and Corey Christiansen) and 10 jazz
standards including “Killer Joe,” “Cantaloupe Island” and
“Green Dolphin Street.” 8 (LD)
VARIOUS Women
of the World Acoustic (Putumayo)
Whether it’s “guaranteed to make you feel good,” as promised
on the packaging, is debatable, but there’s no arguing
with a nice sampler of low-key world music by women. 7 (LC)
GYM CLASS HEROES As Cruel As School Children (Fueled
By Ramen/Warner) Who’s crueler than school children?
Cynical music reviewers. 4 (EL)
ASONO self-titled
(Fishface) Promising a second
British
invasion, this band and their “powerhouse vocals,” “edgy
rock vibe” and producer known for his work with Bush
(aka Bush X) couldn’t invade a bargain bin. 3 (LC)
|
