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Disc of the week |
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 Destroyer Trouble in Dreams (Merge/FAB) Eighth albums are rare, and rarely brilliant, finding most pop musicians either winding down or lying in a lull waiting for their second wind. But Dan Bejar, prolific leader of Destroyer (and a member of the New Pornographers and Swan Lake), only keeps on keepin’ on, perfecting his conspiracy of early British glam rock, ambitious Canadian indie pop and poetry that bridges the spirit of ’60s cafés and 19th century absinthe bars. Destroyer has (or could have) a broader appeal than the stuff of wannabe bisexuals and green-fairy drunks, rendering anthems on a large canvas that resembles a mosaic of splashes from Hunky Dory, Funeral, Blonde on Blonde, The Songs of Leonard Cohen and Vincent Van Gogh’s ear. 8.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) Ladyhawk Shots (Jagjaguwar) These Vancouver drunkards surely captured lightning in a jar with the glorious mess of their debut, but gone are the Laurel Canyon jams and somewhat aimless, albeit excellent stumblings on this far more focused follow-up. Recorded in the cozy confines of their hometown Kelowna, the band do take chances (and probably a lot of hallucinogens) but show some newfound fuzzy direction with highlights like “Corpse Paint” and “Faces of Death.” Not exactly life-changing stuff here, but these B.C. buds are clearly in a place where they don’t give a fuck what we think of them—which is a very good place to be. 7/10 (Johnson Cummins) With Immaculate Machines, the Wink at Divan Orange tonight, Thurs., March 20, 9 p.m., $10  The D’Urbervilles We Are the Hunters (Out of This Spark) With the visceral drive of post-punk (Gang of Four?), the sharp hooks of new wave (the Fixx?) and a touch of arena synthpop’s bold rhythm and bright ornamentation (Depeche Mode?), these Ontario boys (from Oshawa, based in Guelph) make good on their debut album, though perhaps not as good as their reputedly frantic/ecstatic live show. At their most danceable, and their most punk, the d’Urbervilles drink Franz Ferdinand’s milkshake—in a couple albums’ time, they may just suck the British Isles dry. 7.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) With the Magic and Crystal Moustache at Friendship Cove on Sat., March 22  Chocolat Piano élégant (Grosse Boîte) After getting a few mouths watering with festival and showcase sets around town, the Montreal quintet crack open their first box of confections, a varied spread of surefooted franco-fun with finesse. The titular opener earns its stripes with a rollicking ride on the ebonies and ivories, and captivating keys sweeten the deal throughout, on the languorous “Jean Ferrat” and agitated “Sois Belle” alike. Frontman Jimmy Hunt’s nasal warbling spruces things up further—when it doesn’t derail on the graceless Dylan pastiches “Petite fille” and “Comme un chien.” 7/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) CD launch at Lion d’Or tonight, Thurs., March 20, 9pm, $12 Devotchka A Mad and Faithful Telling (Anti/FAB) Eastern bloc accordion and violin, country noir guitar, mariachi trumpet, a Theremin, a quivering croon plucked from heartstrings. These are the tools of this Denver band’s trade, used to supreme effect on these 10 songs. It’s their third record, and their first since scoring the feel-good indie flick Little Miss Sunshine. Devotchka aren’t all about feeling good, but they’re certainly all feeling, from the dizzy heights of “Basso Profundo” and “Head Honcho,” with their irrepressible melting-pot grooves, to swooning pop ballads like “The Clockwise Witness.” Though the record is a little bottom-heavy with waltzes submerged in strings, the bullish strength of its tunes and production may finally put DeVotchKa over the top. 8/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)  The Teenagers Reality Check (XL/Select) Check one reveals this Parisian trio to be well into their twenties and hardly the adolescent innocents their band name might suggest. Their sound is kid stuff enough, a simplistic yet insistent strain of electro-fuzz rock, thick and sweet as honey but propelled by some serious torque at times. The contrapuntal irritant that keeps things lively is singer/talker Quentin Delafon’s sardonic, even sociopathic snaps and lazy libertinism, offhanded English-language gaucheries gift-wrapped in a torpid Parisian mumble, calibrated to irk and/or amuse. 7.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)  Red Ants Omega Point (Seize the Capital) Toronto’s Red Ants are a duo reminding you that hope is fleeting, especially with that chip in your head, the new ball and chain. Leaving the happiness of bling and bitches under rubble and ash, the leftfield raps of Modulok trudge through Vincent Price’s post-apocalyptic beatscapes. A haze glazes the sky care of demolished-building dust and burning-tire smoke heavy with omens that it’s just the beginning. Best to tune into Red Ant radio, which’ll quell your rage, chanting, “Empires like these were born to fall.” 8/10 (Lateef Martin) Nicolay & Kay Time:Line (Nicolay) After Nicolay and Phonte’s Foreign Exchange LP, Connected, championed the limitless possibilities of Internet collaboration in 2004, much attention was given to the Dutch producers’ gift for crafting serious tunes. Like a warm La-Z-Boy recliner, Time:Line eases into soul-dipped soundscapes that provide ample inspiration for the pensive rhymes of Kay. With grown-man themes and a thugless lean, Kay brings a mature feel to the lush, sometimes over-polished beats chosen for this project, but overall, Nicolay continues to grow and build on past works. If you don’t mind a rap record that’s neo-souled out, this one is for you. 7.5/10 (Scott C) Flo Rida Mail on Sunday (Atlantic/Warner) Luckily T.I. has his lawyers on speed dial, because the debut by Flo Rida (pronounced “flow rider”) is one unrepentant forgery. Rida tries very hard to emulate T.I.’s diction and intonation, suggesting he likely sat in his room for hours trying to get the impression down pat. It also doesn’t help that Flo Rida is consistently upstaged by his cameos, including a sleepwalking, Rihanna-copying Timbaland. His highly repetitive and interchangeable verses are mere dancefloor catchphrases. If the ubiquitous “Low” is your current ringtone, this flavourless album might set the mood before a night of clubbing. 4/10 (Erik Leijon) Outlines Our Lives Are Too Short (Sonar Kollektiv) When you consider that Outlines first came into the spotlight back in 2002, after their single “Just a Lil’ Lovin” enjoyed plays from Gilles Peterson, Jazzanova and Mr. Scruff, it’s almost comical that their debut LP has only just arrived. Our Lives Are Too Short delivers a soulful hip hop, broken beat and jazz project that isn’t ashamed of the occasional up-tempo club stepper and some name-dropping. With a cameo from the RZA on “Now That I’m Free” and a strange remix of DJ Mehdi’s hit “Lucky Boy” included in this 15-track run, the album is a great listen whether you’re relaxing at the spot or trying to prove something on the dancefloor. 7/10 (Scott C)  Jennifer Meade self-titled (Samjam/Select) Meade’s debut is a crisp blend of gospel and R&B that bends towards the former lyrically and the latter musically. The native Montrealer’s urgent delivery makes each song sound necessary, and frankly, tracks like the empowering “I Am” and the equally uplifting “In This Life” are truly worthy of Meade’s convincing vocal style. Though her sound is steeped in contemporary R&B, every once in a while she switches it up, throwing in a reggeton interlude, for example, during “I Love the Way U Do.” Meade clearly wants to walk the path blazed by contemporary gospel singers like Kirk Franklin and Yolanda Adams. This is a step in the right direction. 7.5/10 (Gerard Dee) Art Blakey The Jazz Messengers (Columbia/Sony BMG) Grant Stewart Young at Heart (Sharp Nine) The first is a reissue of a wonderful session by Blakey’s 1956 Messengers, with Silver, Mobley and Byrd, one that includes “Infra-Rae,” “Nica’s Dream” and five bonus tracks—hard bop at its very best! Stewart, meanwhile, is a superb young tenorman originally from Scarborough, one of the very best young saxophonists currently on the scene. He’s joined on these eight tracks by a very together rhythm team of Tardo Hammer, Peter Washington and Joe Farnsworth on pieces like Duke’s “Serenade to Sweden,” Elmo Hope’s “Roll On,” Neal Hefti’s “Repetition,” Grant’s own “Sweet Georgia Brown” contra fact, “Shades of Jackie Mac,” and a pair of standards. Both 10/10 (Len Dobbin) Mini CD ReviewsGiacomo Gates Luminosity (Double Dave) A true jazz singer, this is only Giacomo’s fourth CD (and there’s a bonus DVD). Included are “Let’s Cool One” and “Melodious Funk” plus great playing from John DiMartino and Bob Kindred. 9.5 (LD) |
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