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Disc of the week |
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 Mongrels Oshawa (WeirdBeard/Sonic Unyon) A motley mutt as a whole, perhaps, this Montreal sextet boasts a half-dozen finely pedigreed sons of bitches, exceptional talents at their tasks—last known whereabouts include Tricky Woo, Local Rabbits and Bliss. Their loud, long-haired, lysergic blues-rock bump ’n’ grind, leavened with soul and psych-pop sweetness, and anchored in place by double drummers and Amy Torok’s force-of-nature vocals, makes for some fabulous furry freak music, feathered roach-clip rock, full-bodied, fierce and funky in the original, olfactory sense. Lest they lose their way in the mists of time, guitarist Andrew Dickson in particular keeps the freshness sealed in with novel, nuanced noodling. 8/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)  Canned Hamm and Friends Sincerely Christmas (Pro-Am) Vancouver’s Big and Lil Hamm come correct with a seasonal CD showcasing their ingenuous invocation of family-friendly folk art of the fancy-man variety. A number of “issues” are addressed, including binge drinking, eating disorders and, on “Secret Santa,” unseemly intimacy. But hey—feel, deal… and heal! As for the music, one can only ask, what would Jesus do… if someone gave him a bitchin’ Yamaha home keyboard for his birthday?! Speaking of whom, Lil Baby Jesus drops in to bust an urgent rap, as do a squeaky puppet, a lascivious Croatian and that party pooper par excellence, Neil Hamburger. 7.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)  Brave Radar Distracting Strangers (WB) Who knew you could be twee and noisy, pop and sketchy, simultaneously? From Sydney, Australia, and Halifax, respectively, Montreal-based Conor Prendergast and Tessa Smith deliver a debut album that jingles and jangles and feeds back politely over a three-minute outro. If only because it heightens the Velvet Underground texture of their guitars, the old-school, dirt-cheap recording techniques serve the duo well. His soft vocals lead the way on most tracks, while her clipped, girlish stylings, not unlike Julie Doiron, top a few and otherwise harmonize. Whether this will lead to more fully formed work remains to be seen. 7/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) The Jimmyriggers Traveling Salesman, Killer on the Run… (independent) Springing from the groundswell of the Montreal roots scene that has spawned talent like United Steelworkers of Montreal, Li’l Andy etc., the Jimmyriggers are sure to add to the momentum. With a sound comparable to the Jayhawks or later Uncle Tupelo, the Jimmyriggers add a little bit of twang to their strum, and the healthy competition between chief songwriters David Pearce and Andre Kirchhoff finds them playing off each other perfectly. 7/10 (Johnson Cummins)  The Summerlad City of Noise (Saved by Radio) This Calgary quintet’s 40-minute soundtrack to a day in the life of a city evolved over a pair of live performances before being fleshed out for this recording. Its drones, warped guitar and haunting synths suggest something sinister is afoot at daybreak, but the atmosphere lightens with humdrum metronomic notes by mid-morning. High drama kicks in by day’s end, with drums, guitars and “Funkytown” quotes accelerating, then seguing into shoegazing noise, then meditative stillness around nightfall. The track’s pop portion (summarized in the preceding four-minute single version) fills out the wee hours in style. Suddenly, Calgary seems a little less unattractive. 8/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) Otep The Ascension (Koch) On their long-delayed third album (it was supposed to be out last March), L.A.’s Otep blast through their music so urgently, you’d think it burns to play, though their generic approach to nu-metal make for a been-there-done-that vibe. Slipknot and Slayer are the most obvious touchstones, though “Special Pets” rages with undertones of Marilyn Manson, a solid cover of Nirvana’s “Breed” turns up and antiwar sentiment rips through “Confrontation.” Out lesbian frontwoman Otep Shamaya’s vocal stylings range from rapping through singing to growling, keeping your attention, but all this could use an update to remain relevant. 7/10 (Lateef Martin) Envy Abyssal (Temporary Residence) This Japanese band started off 10 years ago, immersed in the post-hardcore sounds of Botch and Cave In, but on this fifth release, they steer into the deep, tranquil waters of Mogwai, Explosions in the Sky, Isis and fellow Japanese band Mono. Although this officially classifies as a mini-album, there is more than enough to sink your teeth into, with the 10-minute opus “A Road of Winds the Water Builds” being the real stunner of the bunch. While the remaining three tracks recall their earlier, more brutal material, they definitely hit a new watermark here. 8.5/10 (Johnson Cummins)  Bonde Do Role Marina Gasolina EP (Domino/Outside) Diplo’s Brazilian discoveries follow their solid LP With Lasers with three new tracks and a batch of remixes by obvious invitees. The new songs are notably free of the cheese-metal guitars the trio have long delighted in, stripping things down to the punchy beats, stupid noises and tone-deaf raps o’ raunch the riffage previously blanketed. “Miami Beach,” moreover, is an Anglophonic absurdity saluting the kingdom of Crockett, Tubbs and 2 Live Crew. The remixes of the title track, “Office Boy” and “Solta O Frango” are fun enough if hardly shocking—Ladytron, CSS, and Peaches do precisely what might be expected of them, so the flowers and tiara go to Bitchee Bitchee Ya Ya Ya here. 7/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) Stratège Back En Solo (Exkis/Outside) After a rejuvenating step back from the scene that he was instrumental in pushing forward, Stratège makes his return to beats and rhymes on his new solo LP. After 15-plus years in the Quebec rap game, he still produces much of his own material, as shown on tracks like “La première fois” and “C’est pour mes potes,” while calling on friends Thomas Lapointe, Ray Ray and others for backup. Shades of a new perspective become clear on tunes like the personal chronology of “Mont aventure,” where he looks back at how he got here in the first place. Even after all these years, Stratège still has no problem expressing himself with style. 7.5/10 (Scott C) Wu-Tang Clan 8 Diagrams (Motown/Universal) This album should be called Where’s Ghostface? Apart from the obvious absence of Ol’ Dirty Bastard, the Wu’s first LP in six years is decidedly light on contributions from GFK. That said, I was surprised to find 8 Diagrams had grown beyond past reunions, offering some true Wu moments and nuggets for the needy. “Rushing Elephants” takes you back to that swagger you loved so much, while “Life Changes” is a melancholy letter to ODB that resonates with honesty. Although the RZA doesn’t get as grimy as you’d like him to on many of the beats, it’s nice to hear him pontificate on “Sunlight.” Guests George Clinton, Erykah Badu and John Frusciante do not fill the void left by Ghost and ODB. 7/10 (Scott C)  Luther Vandross Love, Luther (Epic/Sony BMG) Finally, a four-disc box set that spans Vandross’s exceptional career from behind-the-scenes jingle singer to premier soul vocalist. These 56 tracks offer something for everyone: unreleased demos (“The Night I Fell in Love” from the Montserrat sessions is a standout), nostalgic tidbits (“Meet Luther Vandross” features commercial jingle snippets), live performances (the spectacular “A House Is Not a Home” at Radio City Music Hall), and, naturally, the hits. There are some questionable song choices—do we really need Aretha’s “Jump to It” just because Vandross produced it, at the expense of Vandross essentials like “My Sensitivity (Gets in the Way)” or “I’ll Let You Slide”?—but primarily, this is pure love, Luther style. 9/10 (Gerard Dee) Dizzy Gillespie Mini CD ReviewsClare Teal Don’t Talk (Sony Jazz) A new voice from England, on her third outing since 2002. A very enjoyable session that includes Duke’s “Mellotone” and “Mood Indigo” as well as things like Laura Nyro’s “Stoned Soul Picnic” and Cy Coleman’s “When in Rome.” 9 (LD) |
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| MIRROR ARCHIVES » Dec 13 Dec 19 2007 : INSIDE - COVER | ARCHIVES INDEX | CURRENT ISSUE |
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