Disc of the week

Gilberto Gil
Banda Larga Cordel (Warner)
Embracing all aspects of digital dissemination of his work, including this new record (the title translates as “broadband pamphlet”), the 66-year-old Brazilian culture minister Gil celebrates peer-to-peer sharing. He also encourages anyone to record his concerts. Given the recent tabling of Canada’s copyright law, this technological early-bird (he first posted one of his songs in 1996) presents a refreshing attitude towards artistic property and the Internet. But is the record good? Of course. It’s a shimmery, summery selection of songs that showcase Gil’s trademark guitar and alluring vocals. There’s a range of styles—you wouldn’t expect Gil to shy away from production technology, would you? But you don’t have to take this reviewer’s word for it. All tracks are fully and freely available for preview on Gil’s Web site, www.gilbertogil.com.br. Maybe someone should give Jim Prentice Portuguese lessons. 9/10 (Erin MacLeod) At Place des Arts’s Théâtre Maisonneuve tonight, Thurs., June 26, 9:30 p.m., $41.50–$54.50

Judas Priest
Nostradamus (Epic/Sony BMG)
This epic two-CD set may have taken two years to complete but, unfortunately, the concept—built around the 16th-century French prophet—just falls flat over the exhaustive 23 songs here. After singer Rob Halford returned to the fold with the pummelling Angel of Retribution in 2005, it seemed that Priest were once again firing on all cylinders, but the obvious Spinal Tap-isms on this metal concept record follow them around like toilet paper stuck to their biker boots. Not all is lost, as there are some riffs here, but for the most part, wotta bummer. 5/10 (Johnson Cummins)

Fuad and the Feztones
Beeramid (Ricochet)
A new record from these frat soul brothers is always cause for celebration, despite a disturbing report from the Feztones camp: At press time, singer/guitarist Fuad Ramses remained behind bars at Guantanamo Bay, where he’d been detained for speaking loudly about “getting bombed” during a beer run in Cuba, according to Ricochet Records. The rest of the band returned from their vacation and are attempting to secure Ramses’ release in time for tomorrow night’s show. “Djiboubti Call,” “The Boogaloser,” “Allah Mode” and the various camel songs are solid, sleazy party tunes, albeit bittersweet under the circumstances. 7.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) CD launch at Divan Orange Fri., June 27, 9:30 p.m.

Ponytail
Ice Cream Spiritual (We Are Free)
Baltimore’s now a byword for unpretentious, hyperactive DIY fun, be it punky, funky or pushbutton pop. Quirk-racket quartet Ponytail fit right in, what with their accent on wound-up wonder jams that care little for crafted hooks and choruses. Rather, they’re all about capturing that brief feeling in the gut that goes with a rollercoaster’s first dip or a fine BMX jump—and then stretching it out as long as they can. The migraine-prone should avoid, as nerdy noodling abounds and “singer” (?) Molly Siegel’s jumbled gibberish yelps and yowls and gleeful squeals will never be mistaken for vocal wallpaper. 7/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

The Wombats
A Guide to Love, Loss and
Desperation (14th Floor)
Youthful exuberance will get you far, and these Liverpool kids use the adrenal, hormonal rush to their advantage on their debut album. Like Franz Ferdinand’s bratty younger brothers, these guys write tight pop tunes with punk velocity and dancefloor potential, such as their U.K. hit single, “Let’s Dance to Joy Division” (“and celebrate the irony”). But it’s on tracks such as this where problems arise, as singer Matthew Murphy’s vocals fall into repetitive patterns and his lyrics range from bad to worse. Still, when you’re not cringing, you’ll be dancing with a fist in the air. 7/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)

Walter Becker
Circus Money (5 Over 12/Fontana North)
As one half of Steely Dan, fans of Becker have learned to expect the unexpected from him, but more than that, they’ve learned to be very patient with this not-so-prolific artist. Fans should be satiated here, as Becker has of course recruited a top-shelf but pared-down combo to back him up, and they prove more than adept at catching any curveballs Becker throws at them. As unlikely as cool jazz and lazy reggae rhythms look on paper, Becker manages to successfully marry the two, with his pulp-fiction lyrics still very much in play. 7/10 (Johnson Cummins) Steely Dan, with Catherine Russell, play Place des Arts’s Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, Tues.–Wed., July 1–2, 7:30 p.m., $89.50–$139.50

Lil Wayne
Tha Carter III (Universal)
Like no other artist today, Lil Wayne gets me really excited about music. The pint-sized New Orleans rapper inhabits characters, from doctors to aliens, always flying off the deep end with stream-of-consciousness ranting and non-sequiturs. No matter how weird or unconventional, every song features numerous jaw-dropping instances of linguistic creativity. “Mrs. Officer” takes a goofy policewoman courtship angle, but transforms it into a truly funny satire of thug lyricism. “Dr. Carter” finds Weezy performing surgery on talentless rappers, unfortunately killing them in the process. The guy loves bending the English language and connecting seemingly unrelated themes. 9/10 (Erik Leijon)

Saturday Knights
Mingle (Light in the Attic/Outside)
Valiant paladins of weekend foolishness, Seattle’s Saturday Knights are hardly on the cutting edge of hip hop. If anything, their rascally rap-rock sound and silly spirit harkens back 15 years or so to the Pharcyde and Beastie Boys. Fuck, they throw a party, though—their debut album, stacked with bubblegum summer jams and punchy thumpers, finds them mingling with Soundgarden’s Kim Thayil, Sharon Jones’s back-up band the Dap-Kings on the ambling, sunny “Patches” and, on the standout “Count It Off,” no less than brass titans Jim Horn & the Muscle Shoals Horns, who’ve worked with Elvis and the Beatles. 7/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

Jojoflores & Halo
MIami Sunset Sessions (Gotsoul/City Deep)
Our man Jojoflores teams up with Las Vegas-based Halo for this two-disc mix recapping some of the bigger tunes from this year’s Miami Winter Music Conference. While both discs certainly showcase a definite mastery of technical skills, Jojo seems to take the low-key disc, opting for the Afro-Latin smooth-out, while Halo goes straight for the dancefloor with the get-up set. It’s a fitting combination even if you end up favouring one disc over the other, featuring music from Baby Funk, Abicah Soul, Martino, Soulscience, Swaylo and many more. 7/10 (Scott C)

Al Green
Lay It Down (Blue Note/EMI)
This third installment in a triumvirate of albums that began with 2003’s I Can’t Stop continues Green’s triumphant return. His signature Memphis soul sound rolls unfettered here thanks to the astute production skills of Roots drummer ?uestlove, who knows when to leave well enough alone. Though not as energetic as 2005’s brilliant It’s OK, this set still boasts standout tracks including the smooth-as-silk “Just for Me” and the transcendent “All I Need.” During duets with a trio of worthy disciples—Corinne Bailey Rae, Anthony Hamilton and John Legend—Green doesn’t cater to them, rather they get on board with his easygoing demeanour, proving that he still knows how to lay it down with style. 8.5/10 (Gerard Dee) With Lizz Wright at Place des Arts’ Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, Sat., June 28, 7:30 p.m., $59.50–$89.50

Small World Project
Small Is Beautiful (Fidelio/SRI)
Jayme Stone & Mansa Sissoko
Africa to Appalachia (Jayme Stone/Outside)
Where in the world do the cats in Small World Project not find sounds to draw on? With a preference for pocket-sized instruments, the Quebec trio—Sébastien Dufour of Intakto and Montréal Guitare Trio on ukuleles, charangos and such, his colleague in Vent du Nord Frédéric Samson on acoustic basses and percussionist Patrick Graham (Autorickshaw etc.) thumping and banging things—cook up a mirthful, melodious mélange, drawing on such stuff as Indian dhrupad singing, tango, medieval music and bluegrass. The latter is ever-present in Stone and Sissoko’s effort. Less colourful cacophony than conversation, it’s a honey-sweet meeting between capable players—Juno-winner Stone, from Ontario, brings a jazzman’s emotive scope to his banjo notions, while Malian singer/kora player Sissoko soaks it all in sunshine. Both 7/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) Small World Project play Carrefour General Motors (Jeanne-Mance/de Maisonneuve), Sun., June 29, 6:30 p.m., free; Stone & Sissoko play Carrefour General Motors, Mon., June 30, 9 p.m., free

Steve Kuhn Dedication (Reservoir)
Steve Kuhn Countdown (Reservoir)
Steve Kuhn The Best Things (Reservoir)
I just caught this superb pianist in a duo in Toronto with my favourite singer, Sheila Jordan, and the trio on these three sessions, David Finck and Billy Drummond, has also been with her for over five years and together since at least 1997. Among the outstanding tracks here are Kuhn’s “The Zoo,” Steve Swallow’s “Eiderdown,” K.D.’s “Blue Bossa,” Trane’s “Countdown,” “Cleanhead” Vinson’s “Four” and two more from Kuhn’s pen, “Two by Two” and “Poem for #15,” aka “The Saga of Harrison Crabfeathers,” dedicated to the late Yankee catcher Thurman Munson. Top-notch trio playing. All 10/10 (Len Dobbin)

Enrico Pieranunzi
As Never Before (Cam Jazz)
Kenny Wheeler
Other People (Cam Jazz)
Both releases feature the important, Canadian-born Wheeler, a player (trumpet and flugelhorn) and composer of the first rank. On the former, he guests with the pianist’s trio, Marc Johnson and Joey Baron, in a nine-track set of material for the most part from the pen of Enrico. The other disc is a first, some wonderful writing for strings by Kenny played by the Hugo Wolf String Quartet and another superb pianist in England’s John Taylor—try “String Quartet no. 1.” Both sessions are beauties. Both 10/10 (Len Dobbin)

Mini CD Reviews

Count Basie Lester Young With Count Basie (1936-1940) (Mosaic) This four-CD box set has the great material Lester did (mostly with Basie) between ’36 and ’40, and there’s a wonderful bonus of a Benny Goodman rehearsal with Basie and Young joined by Charlie Christian. 10 (LD)

Mr. Scruff & Quantic “Donkey Ride”/“Giant Pickle” (Ninja Tune/Outside) This is a funky Latin ride off the beaten path for the dynamic duo, but it’s Scruff’s “Giant Pickle” taking the dark-horse award here. 8.5 (SC)

Various Naturally Handel (Atma) Overtures from a bright light of the baroque era, part of Atma’s green series of classical gems in recycled, plastic-free packaging (Bach, Beethoven and Schubert also help save the planet). 8 (RB)

Watermelon Slim No Paid Holidays (Northern Blues/Outside) If you thought real blues music died with RL Burnside, you have to bend an ear here. Watermelon Slim is the real deal. 8 (JC)

Alcvin Takegawa Ramos Zen Shakuhachi 2 (Oliver Sudden) Further internal journeys by this West Coast wunderkind of the Japanese bamboo flute. Calming, but never boring. 7.5 (RB)

The Violet Archers Sunshine at Night (Zunior) Former Rheostatics singer Tim Vesely expands his sound, incorporating indie folk and more lush instrumentation. 7 (EL)

The Music Strength in Numbers (Universal) The worst of Duran Duran seems to be the model for the new corporate rock. That taste in your mouth is vomit. 3 (LC)

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MIRROR ARCHIVES » June 26 July 02 2007 : INSIDE - COVER | ARCHIVES INDEX | CURRENT ISSUE