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 C’Mon
Bottled Lightning of an All Time High (independent)
Along with Priestess and Pride Tiger, Toronto’s C’mon—ft. Ian Blurton and ex-Nashville Pussy bassist Katie Lynn Campbell—are undeniably the kings (and queen) of the Canadian rock underground. Like their aforementioned brethren, kneel at the altar of the almighty riff. However, this time around, there seems to be more ballast to their blast, as the licks never seem to outweigh the songwriting here, which is not as easy as it sounds. Their frenetic live show finally receives a proper translation in the studio thanks to the punk rock blast of “Unh” and the infectious “Waste My Time,” but the biggest feather in C’Mon’s cap is that they sidestep the clichés and mindless idolatry that mar so much of their competition. 8.5/10 (Johnson Cummins)
 Sonic Avenues
self-titled (Ricochet)
Just when you thought you’d heard it all before, you hear it all again. All your favourite garage rock, mod and British invasion riffs, chords and melodies, that is, packed into four tunes by a local band. But as generally derivative (and not specifically plagiaristic) as it is, Sonic Avenues deliver snappy tunes that crackle and pop underneath a thin layer of grit, like the dirt that accumulates after spending too much time in the garage. If you like your ’60s sounds, and more recent revivals thereof, this is a band to watch. 7.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) With the Gerry Alvarez Odyssey at le Divan Orange on Fri., Aug. 17, 9:30 p.m., $7
 Meat Puppets
Rise to Your Knees (Anodyne)
Now that longtime bassist Cris Kirkwood has won his decade-long battle with drugs, he returns with his brother Curt as if no time had passed. Actually, scratch that—it doesn’t match the brilliance of II and Up on the Sun, but Rise to Your Knees easily beats out Curt’s recent musical ventures without his brother in tow. The brothers’ trademark harmonies are as intertwined as ever and although there are moments of greatness, like on “Tiny Kingdom” and “The Ship,” this still comes off as a patchy affair. A good record for sure, but it doesn’t stand out in their impressive discography. 7/10 (Johnson Cummins)
 Turbonegro
Retox (Cooking Vinyl)
When Turbonegro shed their hardcore baggage in 1999 with their highly influential record Apocalypse Dudes, they set the underground rock world on fire. Since then, though, they’ve only been playing catch-up. Even with the monster A.D. record looming over their heads, these Scandinavians can still out-play most so-called rock bands on their best days. Songs like “Do You Do You Dig Destruction” and “Boys From Nowhere” figure nicely into their lexicon of the Turbolegend, but if you’re a newcomer, just pick up Apocalypse Dudes and thank me later. 8/10 (Johnson Cummins)
 Art in Manila
Set the Woods on Fire (Saddle Creek)
From Omaha, this band is led by ex-Azure Ray singer Orenda Fink, her airborne vocals bolstered by five musicians culled from tours in support of her 2005 solo album, Invisible Ones. There are echoes of the ethereal pop and country noir of her previous projects, but the backup band brings more dynamic movement to proceedings, on both the beautifully sad tracks, such as the opener “Time Gets Us All,” and lush rockers like “Spirit, Run.” But the band merely coasts through a third of the album, the dead weight including a cover of les Savy Fav’s “The Sweat Descends.” Too bad, but not all bad. 6.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)
 Simple Kid
2 (Yep Roc)
Straight off the top, Ireland’s Ciaran McFeely offers up a slacker mash-up of Led Zeppelin’s “Travelling Riverside Blues” and Serge Gainsbourg’s “Bonnie & Clyde,” with a cameo by the Go Team’s kiddie chorus. The bent riffs recur, as do the hippie tendencies (he’s been in bellbottoms since the age of 11, apparently) though a variety of tones dot this sophomore record, from blunted balladry to electronic beats. But it’s hardly a loosey-goosey grab-bag, as Simple Kid casts all his stylings in charmed fuzz, forging his own sound like a musical auteur, not unlike Beck back in the Odelay day. 8/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)
 The Consumer Goods
Happy Bidet (Grumpy Cloud)
Calling in from Canada’s cauldron of communism, Winnipeg, Tyler Shipley and his quintet create an interesting contrast with their new album. Musically, it’s that gentle strain of country, folk and chamber pop that our great nation bangs out by the boatload, mostly rolling along at the tempo of maple syrup on a 15-degree incline. But listen close, because the lyrics are bare-knuckled black comedy bordering on surrealism, diabolically sharp and intricate left-wing zingers at the expense of, well, guess who (sample song title: “Eat a Dick, Cheney”). 7/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) With Nathan at Petit Campus tonight, Thurs., Aug. 16, 9 p.m., $10
 Recoil
Subhuman (Mute)
Unlike Depeche Mode, Alan Wilder, the man who gave the Mode the lion’s share of its sound for its best albums, has aged like fine wine. Subhuman covers a range of saloon-flavoured grooves with vocalist/guitarist/harmonicist Joe Richardson’s desert-throat drawl. Picture a lush Depeche Mode scoring a post-apocalyptic Western in a backwater town. With songs that mosey around and rustle you up a bit of ambiance, seven songs is all you need to feel subhuman. Perfect for goths who’ve retired from the dancefloor, and would rather curl up with season one of Deadwood. 8/10 (Lateef Martin)
 Kat DeLuna
9 Lives (Epic/Sony BMG)
I’m sure Rhianna was none too amused to find out her shtick was being co-opted by a much better, bilingual singer. Kat DeLuna owes her record’s fun-spirited rhythms to Rhianna circa 2005, when she was still a naïve party-going Caribbean girl. DeLuna’s Hispanic roots are well displayed on the punchy reggaeton single “Whine Up,” and the whimsical “Am I Dreaming?” is a perfectly innocent pop song for the summer, but as with most hastily assembled young divas, the carefully produced singles are dragged down by mucho filler. There’s nothing beyond the two aforementioned songs, and the second half is a dull collection of ballads. 4.5/10 (Erik Leijon)
 Yesterday’s New Quintet
Yesterday’s Universe (Stones Throw)
Madlib has officially attained insane super-genius status with this new exploration of MMPD (musical multiple personality disorder), deep jazz and funky shit. Under the guise of YNQ, Madlib has mined his creativity and influences to produce many projects and aliases over the years, and here we see some familiar names alongside new incarnations. His Otis Jackson Jr. Trio stays close with a cover of Miles Davis’s “Bitches Brew,” but it’s original tunes like the Last Electro-Acoustic Space Jazz Ensemble’s “Cold Nights and Rainy Days” and the Young Jazz Rebels’ abrasive “Slave Riot” that solidify Madlib as a major player, linking the past to the future. 10/10 (Scott C)
 Ultimate Force
I’m Not Playin’ (Strong City)
It kind of makes me mad to know that while I was listening to Public Enemy, Stetsasonic, Run DMC and Ice-T back in 1989, some clueless record exec was busy shelving the first and last LP from Ultimate Force. Featuring the early productions of DITC founder Diamond D, and the boastful rhymes of the capable Master Rob, it’s safe to say that if I’d heard this record in ’89, it would have had a profound effect on me. Diamond is miles ahead of the game beat-wise, sidestepping microphone duties that would come later, and priming a young Fat Joe for superstardom. Check “Supreme Diamond D,” “I Gotta Go” or “I’m Not Playin’” if you don’t believe me. 8.9/10 (Scott C)
 Deborah Cox
Destination Moon (Decca/Universal)
Cox knows her way around a power ballad or a swirling dance groove, but on her fourth release, the Canadian soul singer takes a sharp turn down memory lane. For the most part, this collection of standards lets her earnest vocals take centre stage. But the songs that really stand out are those with arrangements that stray from the same old same old. For instance, “What a Difference a Day Makes” floats along a smoother jazz groove than usual, while the title track blares with exceptional power. These classics are a pleasant departure for Cox, but here’s hoping she finds her way back to the dancefloor with her next set. 7.5/10 (Gerard Dee)
Dean Martin
Forever Cool (Capitol/EMI)
Posthumous duets have been on the radar since the late ’80s, when both Natalie Cole and Hank Williams Jr. sang with their dead dads. The technique’s inherent creepiness limits its appeal, yet Dean Martin gets resurrected here, with classy new arrangements and largely less than stellar contemporary singers. Martin’s casual croon remains very much at centre stage, with most of the singers keeping their distance from the corpse. Joss Stone’s jittery R&B is laughably out of place, and Kevin Spacey’s mimicry (on two songs!) really defeats the purpose. In the end, all we’re really left with is Dino, who closes the record alone with Brahms’s Lullaby, a cappella. 5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)
Mini CD Reviews
Mono Gone (Temporary Residence) For us über fans, this collection of rare, out-of-print EP tracks comes as a godsend. 9 (JC)
Robert Strauss “Party in My Body” ft. Wayne Tennant and the EC Dancers (BBE) Strauss strikes again with another dancefloor filler, while MTL’s Wayne Tennant holds down the infectious vocal with ease. 9 (SC)
Air Traffic Control To Be Free (independent) Muscular Can-rock with rich melodies by small-town Nova Scotia dudes with their sights set on arenas. A new Hip? 7 (LC) At Petit Campus on Mon., Aug. 20, 10 p.m., $5
The Lonely H Hair (The Control Group) No nudity or accidental Vietnam deployments here, just five shaggy manes and 11 watered-down, classic-rock knock-offs, courtesy of the American West Coast. 5 (LC)
Boys Night Out Boys Night Out (Ferret) Upon listening, I organized my own “take back the night” rally. 3.5 (EL)
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