Disc of the week

Cassandra Wilson
Loverly (Blue Note/EMI)
Wilson has accomplished the extraordinary here—fresh interpretations of songs that have been covered to death. She succeeds by employing some interesting musical and vocal departures, adding a twist of samba to “’Till There Was You,” putting a funky spin on “St. James Infirmary,” letting her top-notch band take centre stage on “Arere” while she scats her approval in support. Wilson has long since transcended the title of simple jazz singer by consistently incorporating elements of blues, rock and folk into her repertoire. Yet when she falls back on her jazz roots, it’s a reminder of how much of a benefit she’s been to the genre. Just loverly. 9/10 (Gerard Dee) At Place des Arts’s Théâtre Maisonneuve, Fri., July 4, 6 p.m., $39.50–$52.50

Ratatat
LP3 (XL/Select)
Brooklyn’s Mike Stroud and Evan Mast return with their third and strongest effort. The duo’s brilliant fusion of incisive, heavily processed cyborg guitar riffs and chunky, lefthanded hip hop production, with a lil’ neo-disco glitz massaged in, carries their core compositions, sweeping and majestic motifs which fall squarely in the realm of baroque classical music (check the harpsichord on “Dura”). It’s already greater than the sum of its parts, and then they bring in the touches of Moog-pop silliness, and Latin, Gypsy and Jamaican heat—the gaunt dub jam “Flynn” would fly for a 21st-century spaghetti Western score. “Mirando” is a nifty number nodding to the Eagles’ “Hotel California” while yanking noises from an ’80s video arcade and giving things a cha-cha rub, and “Shempi,” the album’s tentpole jiggy jam, is just plain yummy. 9/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

Melvins
Nude With Boots (Ipecac)
Approaching the band’s 25th anniversary, Melvins fans have learned that they can be as excruciating as they are incredible, but with this second release featuring original Melvins Crover and Osbourne joining forces with Big Business’s Warren and Willis, the band is simply unstoppable. Less bombastic drums than 2006’s A Senile Animal but the hooks of heaviness are there in spades on “The Smiling Cobra” and “Suicide in Progress.” Just in case things get too familiar, Melvins add in their noisier elements on the stunning “The Savage Hippy” and “It Tastes Better Than the Truth.” While most bands might be caught milking past successes at this point, Melvins prove they are only now really hitting their stride. 9/10 (Johnson Cummins)

Human Kind
It Will All End in Tears (independent)
Formerly the Amber Room, this Canadian quartet has traded Radiohead stylings for adulation of the Cure, with Echo and the Bunnymen, early U2 and Joy Division figuring in the new aesthetic as well. Although this appears to be a crass bandwagon leap—they also moved en masse from Vancouver to Toronto, and hired Mike Turner of Our Lady Peace as producer—there’s no need to hold any of that against them. Over six songs, the band revives a very specific early ’80s sound with grace and gusto, pairing cracked emotive vocals with memorable tunes that stick to the bright side of blackened post-punk. 8/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) With Nista at Zoobizarre, Thurs., July 10, 9 p.m., $5

My Brightest Diamond
A Thousand Shark’s Teeth (Asthmatic Kitty)
The bewitching voice of Brooklyn’s Shara Worden is the star of My Brightest Diamond’s sophomore album, channelling the likes of Beth Gibbons, Jeff Buckley and Nina Simone. But the music is no slouch, lying in the fine lines between rock, jazz, chamber pop, contemporary classical and classic film soundtracks. Flowing soundscapes are favoured over catchy tunes, but the light, lush formations of violins, vibraphones, French horns, harps, chimes, marimbas, guitars and percussion are just as gripping as the sharpest hook. 8/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)

Quest For Fire
self-titled (Storyboard/Outside)
With ex-members of the Deadly Snakes and Cursed, and current members of No No Zero, this could be considered a Toronto supergroup, but fans of their pedigree might be a bit disappointed—this psych-out has very little to do with their illustrious past. This is some serious modern psychedelia that should have fans of Dead Meadow, Comets on Fire and Entrance hitting up the iTunes store lickety-split. Given how mind-melting psychedelia is thankfully wiping out mopey sad sacks in the underground, the world is definitely Quest for Fire’s oyster. 8.5/10 (Johnson Cummins)

Daedelus
Love to Make Music To (Ninja Tune/Outside)
L.A.’s Alfred Arlington, aka Daedelus, neatly packages some of his latest musical emotions in this new LP, stuffed with analog synths, layered vocals and ’80s references that are anything but obvious. The record also has the feel of a hastily packed suitcase, well stocked with a song to accompany just about any adventure you could fathom, but perhaps a tad heavy for comfortable travel. “Make It So” shines with its melancholy choir arrangement and Joy Division leanings, while “Hrs:Mins:Secs” combines an erratic helping of samples glued together by a chaotic march. Guests like singer Michael Johnson and Sa-Ra’s Taz Arnold and Om’Mas Keith add to the mix, but it’s Daedelus who has provided the perfect, exhausting canvas. 7.5/10 (Scott C)

Various
Ed Rec Voll III (Ed Banger/Warner)
Thanks largely to the massive success of Justice—whose live version of the high-tension “Stress” is a standout on this comp—French label Ed Banger has seen its profile skyrocket over its five years in the game. Ed Rec Vol. III high-fives that half-decade with a spread that includes a pair from Mr. Oizo, who helped grandfather the squelchy, woozy house brut that’s much of Ed Banger’s backbone. Disappointments abound—Uffie’s “Robot Oeuf” is a blank chunk of pedestrian electroclash and Sebastian’s “Dog” is an unfortunate post-goth rave-metal throwback. On the other hand, DJ Medhi’s “Pocket Piano” carries itself with a sweet, casual elegance and Feadz’s vigourous “Back It Up,” with Spank Rock, delivers a jolt. Mr. Flash’s “Over the Top,” meanwhile, flies the old French Touch flag with lite-rock riffage and hydraulic disco dazzle. 7/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

Invincible
Shapeshifters (Emergence)
Finally emerging from the shadows to take her place in a long line of formidable Detroit rappers, Ilana Weaver, aka Invincible, drops a succinct and powerful discourse on the current state of social and economic emergency in Detroit, as well as a contemplative poke at sexism, racism, gentrification, urban renewal and the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Sounds like a full plate, but you’ll be happy to realize that Invincible is more than capable of getting her point across, making the listener effectively re-think the power and importance of using your music for a purpose. Black Milk, Wordsworth, Tiombe Lockhart and Buff1 all guest, but it’s her team-ups with Finale on “Locusts” and “Recognize” that will have you waiting for an album from these two. 8/10 (Scott C)

Akon & Dj noodles
It’s a Shake Down (Konvict Muzik/Fusion III)
Omnipresent producer and slogan shouter Akon lends his name and a few shout-outs to this mixtape curated primarily by Buffalo, N.Y. DJ Noodles. As with any mixtape, it can be hard to separate the new from the rehashed, although taking Notorious B.I.G. verses from “Sky’s the Limit” and “Fuck You Tonight,” and giving the deceased rapper featuring credits, doesn’t seem kosher. The real treat is the multiple appearances from the eternally underrated, Caribana-loving Kardinal Offishall. He gives a fantastic verse on “Can I Get an Amen?” and dramatically improves T-Pain’s “Buy U a Drank.” 6/10 (Erik Leijon) Akon, Wyclef Jean, Sean Paul, Kardinal Offishall at the Bell Centre,Wed., July 9, 7:30 p.m., $44.50–$74.50

Papa Groove
We’re Not Blind (Anubis/Outside)
They’re not blind and I’m not deaf—I can tell a solid Afro-funk outfit when I hear it. With their debut disc, this 13-piece Montreal band delivers a hyper-energized, uptempo take on the template of 1970s West African soul jams. The roughness and rawness of their predecessors is rolled back for a fine-tuned clarity and cheerful brass, liberally licked with sci-fi synth sounds (dig the title track) to offset the acceleration (though “Cold Machine” hits the brakes for a dark, ambling detour). “East Road” and “Little Man” bump and grind nicely with an added American flavour, while “Safaria” is a dreary drift across the savannah. 7.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) At the Jazz Fest’s Bell stage (Clark and de Montigny) tonight, Thurs., July 3, 8 p.m., free

Martial Solal
Longitude (Cam Jazz)
Lee Konitz & Martial Solal
Konitz Solal (Cam Jazz)
The 80-year-old, Algerian-born Solal is in all probability Europe’s premier pianist and composer. On Longitude, a trio outing, he’s joined by the Moutin twins François and Louis in a mix of standards (“The Last Time I Saw Paris” and “Tea for Two”) and originals (“Slightly Bluesy” and the title track). Konitz Solal is a two-disc release by a quartet co-led by Solal and Konitz, with great rhythm support from Henri Texier and Daniel Humair. Originally released in 1968 as European Episode and Impressive Rome, this is impressive music indeed! It starts with an extended “Collage on Standards” and ends with some “Roman Blues.” Bird’s “Rhythm” contrafact “Anthropology” is here in two versions, as is the beautiful “Lover Man.” Both 9.5/10 (Len Dobbin)

Mini CD Reviews

Kikuri; Keiji Haino and Masami Akita Pulverized Purple (Victo) A truly pulverizing performance indeed from the devastating pairing of the kings of noise, Haino and Merzbow, from their 2007 Victoriaville performance. Freak the fuck out! 9 (JC)

Paul Shapiro Essen (Tzadik/Koch) The leader’s reeds and vocals are abetted by the likes of Steven Bernstein, Babi Floyd and Frank London. There’s plenty of humour from this “Ribs and Brisket Revue,” including Slim Gaillard’s “Dunkin’ Bagel” and “Matzoh Balls.” 8.5 (LD)

Adem Takes (Domino) Like a folk Nouvelle Vague, revisiting the’90s rather than the ’80s, this British/Turkish artist unplugs tunes by PJ Harvey, Aphex Twin, the Breeders, Smashing Pumpkins, Low, Björk etc. 7 (LC)

Cute is What We Aim For Rotation (Fueled By Ramen/Warner) Another faceless emo pop band for the Facebook generation. There’s nothing cute about tedium. 2 (EL)

The Fratellis Here We Stand (Interscope/Universal) Imagine a future post-Earth, wherein every last recording of U.K. rock music is lost, then recreated in an alien Vegas-style revue based on some recovered magazine articles. Awful. 2 (LC)

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