Disc of the week

The Herbaliser
Same As It Never Was (!K7/Outside)
The latest from London’s Ollie Teeba, Jake Wherry and their crew lives up to its title. Since ’95, the Herbaliser has reliably serviced solid slabs of heavy duty, hi-test funk, and the key components remain intact—titanic horns, snappy samples, nice lil’ guest raps (Jean Grae and Toronto’s More or Les, this time) and behemoth grooves as thick and dark as the resinous crud caking the bowl of your bong. The change this time is the induction of substantial soul singer Jessica Darling on half the tunes—that, and a sense that the jams have never been so pure and precise in purpose, from the jackhammer title track to the zesty “Amores Bongo” and the vintage funk of “You’re Not All That.” Yup, it is all that. 9/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

Ladytron
Velocifero (Nettwerk)
Shaking off the shoegazer static that their last album was so blissfully mired in, Ladytron come back blazing with more assertive synths, beats and guitars. Co-produced with Alessandro Cortini (Nine Inch Nails) and Ed Banger’s Vicarious Bliss, the M.O. ranges from stark beats and FX to electroshock glam to enveloping waves of dark, rich synth-rock, all unified by memorable tunes and bilingual she-bot vocals. If their debut, 604, was a throwback to the turn of the ’80s (Kraftwerk), this fourth record is a progression to 1988 (Depeche Mode), as well as the result of nine years of 21st century studio experience. This could be their best album yet. 8.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)

Filter
Anthems for the Damned (Pulse)
Following the demise of Army of Anyone, the musicians of which reunited with singer Scott Weiland to reform Stone Temple Pilots, Filter’s main man Richard Patrick dives back in as the only original member, with much to live up to. Although Patrick has mastered the skill of meshing pop hooks with heavy guitar, Anthems for the Damned comes off a bit colour-by-numbers. At this point, Filter fares far better with its mellower side. “Soldiers of Misfortune” shows that Patrick is all for the troops but not the war, while closer “Can Stop That” reveals a penchant for hypnotic instrumental soundscapes. 7/10 (Lateef Martin)

Various
Des jeunes gens modernes: Post punk, cold wave et culture novo en France 1978-1983 (Naïve/Fusion III)
France largely missed out on the initial burst of punk in the mid-’70s, but they caught up quick on what followed, as keyboards and club beats, fucked-up funk and faux-fascist formal wear came to replace safety pins, middle fingers and proud mediocrity as the style du jour. The French penchant for stark theatrics and striking lyrics didn’t hurt. The 40 tracks on this two-disc set, excluding a half-dozen covers by comparable current acts, offer an exhaustive overview of the era’s bands—Taxi Girl, Metal Boys, a young Etienne Daho—often ignored in favour of their funky-punky, Factory-made cousins across the Channel. 7.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

Burzum
Anthology (Candlelight USA)
Main Burzum dude Varg Vikernes is currently cooling his heels in a Norwegian hoosegow for murder and church burnings, so his release schedule can be a bit spotty at best. His cross of black metal and dark ambiance unfortunately doesn’t age too well—his early tracks, meshing Bathory and Celtic Frost riffs, betray amateurish production. Vikernes’s screeching vocals come across as horribly out of date at worst—and hugely comical at best. 6.5/10 (Johnson Cummins)

Kayo Dot
Blue Lambency Downward (Hydra Head/Sonic Unyon)
This new record finds the duo Kayo Dot backed by an eight-piece band and delving even further into chamber instrumentation, spacey prog and dark ambiance. The title track’s signature line is sure to please any worshippers of Slint’s classic Spiderland, while its complex harmonic content and sense of space could lull any Coltrane head to their side. If you want to tap something into your search engine before taking the ride, check out “Symmetrical Arizona” for some epic work without pretension. 9/10 (Johnson Cummins)

Fleet Foxes
Sun Giant (Sub Pop)
From Seattle, with superfluous hair and flannel shirts, Fleet Foxes make music that harkens back to a period much further in the past than their ages and appearances suggest. This recently released EP is a precursor to the band’s LP, out this month, and doesn’t fail to whet the appetite. The disc opens with an original a cappella hymn reminiscent of “Down in the River to Pray” (of O Brother Where Art Thou fame), then segues gracefully to soulful folk, with guitars, mandolin and rhythm forming a warm and vibrant foundation for beautiful melodies. A stellar debut by a band clearly beyond their years. 9/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)

Arthur H
L’homme du monde (Polydor/Universal)
The Hexagon’s herald of hip, commodore of cosmopolitan cool, Arthur H is indeed a man of the world. His latest effort again showcases his distinctive aural alchemy, a concoction of pop, rock, jazz, funk, chanson, dub, pomo disco and global flourishes. Aside from his knack for simple yet effective French wordplay and the able assists of his sidekicks, ingenious guitarist Nicolas Repac and masterful Montreal producer Jean Massicotte, monsieur H relies on his true strength here, a stage magician’s ability to make the damn near impossible seem easy. His studied, loose languor camouflages an exacting dedication to exquisite sounds and songcraft. 8.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

Jewel
Perfectly Clear (Open Road/Universal)
Jewel isn’t the first musician to pander to the Christian conservative crowd—even Neil Young was caught up in post-9/11 fervour when he released “Let’s Roll”—but one must question the timing of her chaste country-pop transformation in the final days of the Bush administration. With the forgettable singer in goody housewife mode, this submissive disc is a 40-minute advert for her family-friendly, Nashville-based television show and a blow for equal rights. Jewel was never going to be confused with Joni Mitchell, but her mid-’90s yodel folk motif was at least more than just cleavage and country. 2/10 (Erik Leijon)

Headman
Catch Me (Gomma)
Smirk-jerking bits of quirk on Robi Insinna’s latest no-wave/post-punk revival gem include, but are not limited to: a heroin-soaked cameo by Jeremy Kerr of A Certain Ratio on “Dreampieces”; a Beck-esque reverbed falsetto by Toronto-based, Blizzarts-frequenting indie hip hop trash-talker Don Cash; the dreamy, nostalgic “Come On,” one of the catchiest bangers of the spring. That Headman, formerly Manhead, has continued to evade the magnifying lenses of the various dance crazes he’s been party to since the turn of the millennium becomes more suspect by the album. 8.5/10 (Jack Oatmon)

Payz Play
self titled (Anubis/Atmusique)
Rising from the ashes of Atach Tatuq comes this dirty, synth-laden new direction for the four members of Payz Play. While you might expect a TTC clone or some sort of quick dip into the popular sounds of electro-rap, MCs Egypto and R.U., along with DJ Ephiks and producer DJ Naej, have made sure to build on their long history in hip hop. Naej sends nods to Detroit on “Hip Hop Is (Really) Dead,” but check “McFly” ft. Omnikrom, where digi-bounce provides the proper Qrunk backdrop for Egypto and R.U. to play with cadence and delivery. “Plateau Beach” embodies the sense of humour and fun that can be felt throughout this comfortable exploration of a brand new sound. Check the hidden track for some 4/4 gold from Naej. 7.5/10 (Scott C)

Sy Smith
Conflict (Psyko!)
While Sy Smith’s claim to fame may be that she sings back-up on American Idol, she’s been lacing the place with next-level soul for quite some time, having written for Macy Gray and Me’Shell. Conflict is actually her third release, focusing the talents of this versatile vocalist over 11 tracks. Big tunes like the jungle-dipped “B-Side Love Affair” and the proper groove of “The Things I Do” may be flying under the radar, but the fact remains clear that these are classic soul tunes in the making. My picks include the aptly titled “Reach Down in Your Soul” with Wes Felton and “Overthought” with Bilal Salaam, two tunes that will probably get the most attention from this record. 7/10 (Scott C)

Usher
Here I Stand (Laface/Sony BMG)
Following up a monster album like 2004’s Confessions isn’t easy, but during his 14-year career, Usher has shown a remarkable capacity for evolution. Having recently become both husband and father, his latest reflects his transition from full-time party boy to family man. Mind you, he hasn’t lost his edge. True, as a lead single, party jam “Love in This Club” pales in comparison to Confessions’ “Yeah!” but the groove-infused “This Ain’t Sex” makes up for it. However, the best moments here, like the easygoing “Something Special” and the compelling title track, now have more to do with home life than clubs, indicative of the latest chapter in Usher’s musical maturation. 7.5/10 (Gerard Dee)

Joel Haynes
Transitions (Cellar Jazz)
Cory Weeds
Big Weeds (Cellar Jazz)
Two more from this important West Coast jazz label, both recorded at the renowned Vancouver jazz club the Cellar. The first has a superb trio of Haynes, Tilden Webb and Jodi Proznick backing a very special guest in one of the world’s great reedmen, Seamus Blake—nine tracks topped by the closer “Impress Me.” The second has Cellar owner Weeds on alto and tenor, joined by a New York rhythm team of Mike LeDonne, Peter Bernstein and Joe Farnsworth in an eight-tune set including James Moody’s “Darben, The Red Foxx,” Harold Arlen’s “Paper Moon” and six of the leader’s pieces. Both worth a berth in your collection. Haynes 10, Weeds 9/10 (Len Dobbin)

Mini CD Reviews

Gene Bertoncini Concierto (Ambient) A must for guitar fanciers—Bertoncini is joined by bassist David Finck and a string quartet in music by Aranjuez, Porter and Lennon-McCartney. 9.5 (LD)

The Explorers Club Freedom Wind (Dead Oceans/SC) Even with 100 per cent original material and dashes of doo-wop and British Invasion, this band could almost pass for the Beach Boys circa 1964. Next stop, mental illness. 8 (LC)

Joan of Arc Boo Human (Polyvinyl) The king of math-pop, Tim Kinsella, returns with his most accessible album yet. 7 (JC)

Styrofoam A Thousand Words (Nettwerk) Belgian electro-pop act pairs sing-along choruses with boyish vocals, the perfect fix for those suffering Postal Service withdrawal. 7 (LC) With Broken Spindles at Casa del Popolo, Sat., June 7, 9 p.m., $12

10 Years Division (Universal Republic/Universal) More atmospheric and textural than most emo-metal (i.e. Tool without the long instrumentals). 4 (EL)

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MIRROR ARCHIVES » Jun 05 Jun 11 2008: INSIDE - COVER | ARCHIVES INDEX | CURRENT ISSUE