Disc of the week

Amanda Palmer
Who Killed Amanda Palmer (Roadrunner)
Messy and gorgeous, loud, quiet and obnoxious, Dresden Dolls chanteuse Amanda Palmer charts territory a little closer to her smouldering heart. With a voice that ranges from soothing to cringe-inducing, Palmer rages over piano, smashing the keys with her swagger. Producer Ben Folds enlists the help of several off-centre artists, including cellist Zoe Keating (formerly of Rasputina) and East Bay Ray of the Dead Kennedys. Folds also contributes with percussion and keys. With a mix of ballads and rambunctious forays, Who Killed Amanda Palmer gives Palmer an outlet for material worthy of the Dresden Dolls, but altogether more personal. 8/10 (Lateef Martin)

The Verve
Forth (Virgin/EMI)
Furrowed brows, black leather and “music of the spheres” assemble once again to form Verve power—a pretentious variation on Oasis power, pretty much (greetings, Gallaghers). Frontman Richard Ashcroft hasn’t been far from the radar during the Verve’s nine-year absence, and frankly, despite the reverent ballyhoo being emitted by our Commonwealth brethren over this comeback record, it’s not much more exciting than one of his so-so solo LPs. Songs like “Sit and Wonder” and “Columbo” satisfy somewhat with their woozy guitars and teenage angst/vision quest lyrics, while “Noise Epic” is, in essence, wank epic. Really guys, put a little heat under it. 5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)

Motörhead
Motorizer (SPV/Fusion III)
Being a huge Motörhead fan, even I have to approach new releases with extreme skepticism. No worries—on album number 24, Ol’ Lemmy’s Jack Daniels-ravaged growl still has teeth, while songs like “Runaround Man” and “Teach You How to Sing the Blues” actually stack up nicely with their classics. Only Lemmy can get away with actually penning a song with the knuckle-dragging title of “Rock Out,” but for the most part, this is cheese-free rock ’n’ roll from a band that’s still firing on all cylinders. Don’t be afraid. 8/10 (Johnson Cummins) With the Misfits, Valient Thorr, Year Long Disaster at Metropolis, Tues., Sept. 16, 6 p.m., $38

The Sounds of Animals Fighting
The Ocean and the Sun (Epitaph)
With members from Circa Survive, Finch, Chiodos, Days Away, Good Old War, the Autumns and RX Bandits, the Sounds is a constantly evolving collaborative effort that spans a wide range of talent from solid bands. Progressive and at times experimental, The Ocean and the Sun is always urgent and frenetic, an aural version of watching wildlife clash. Although many guest performers contribute, this third full-length returns to the four core members from their first album, The Tiger and the Duke. Circa Survive vocalist Anthony Green manages to keep the beasts in check with his soaring voice while the rest of the animals storm away in a whirlwind of fur and teeth and claws and feathers. 8/10 (Lateef Martin)

Z’s
The Hard EP (Three.One.G/Red Eye)
The blast of this single piece starts off with intermittent bursts of noise set to an odd time signature, until its true form is finally revealed five minutes into the track. The cut-and-paste arrangement work of the Locust and John Zorn is explored, with Sam Hillmer’s tenor saxophone rotating between a supporting role and skronking at the top of the mix. Around the 10-minute mark is where things get really interesting with an intense no-wave groove that absolutely slays. 7.5/10 (Johnson Cummins)

The Clips
Matterhorn (Unfamiliar)
At best, Vancouver’s the Clips’ spatial keyboards and screeching guitars explosively lock horns like a Canuck Yorke/Greenwood. At worst, as is the case on “Space Kidz” and “2nd Hand Deal,” they settle for mundane dance rock. The guitars and keyboards contrast beautifully, especially when Thom Yorke acolyte Edo Van Breemen’s vocals recede during the chaotic instrumental segments. Another strong influence is Spencer Krug’s groups, specifically the irregular pacing and presence of keyboards higher in the mix. Although striving for the large, orchestral ambitions of the biggest Brit rock acts, the Clips adhere to an awkward, Pacific Northwest style of indie rock. 7.5/10 (Erik Leijon)

Brian Wilson
That Lucky Old Sun (Capitol/EMI)
The Beach Boys’ mastermind and reformed waste case had a tough act to follow after his long-awaited retooling of Smile a few years back. With that career-defining moment out of the way, Wilson returns with basically more of the same, which will be no disappointment to his fans—his trademark soaring harmonies, masterful arrangements and naïve persona are all present. “Mexican Girl,” complete with faux-Mex instrumentation, is an embarrassment nearly matching the Beach Boys’ post-Wilson “Kokomo” era, and a recurring motif of rhyming spoken interludes—well, only Wilson could get away with that, barely. But his beautiful melodies and knack for orchestration make this, if not equal to Smile, a worthy addition to his utterly unique body of work. 8/10 (Malcolm Fraser)

Tricky
Knowle West Boy (Domino/Outside)
The crown prince of trip hop seems to have emerged from the hot box with his most eclectic creations to date, an often exciting cross-pollination of dub, punk, rock, reggae, pop, hip hop and sleek soundtrack music. Guest toaster dudes and backup chicks lend significant support to Tricky’s signature mumble, but on songs such as “Coalition,” he sounds more awake and, lyrically, more aware than ever—the fact that he had the foresight to release a record called Blowback in July 2001 notwithstanding. Elsewhere, he paints vivid grey pictures of a working-class upbringing in Bristol—“Council Estate” and such—but with beats and riffs that rocket from the gutter to the stars. 7/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)

Gym Class Heroes
The Quilt (Fueled By Ramen/Warner)
Mercifully, these Western New York rap-rockers stay away from sampling Supertramp this time around, but there’s still plenty of cheese. On “Fly With Me,” with Daryl Hall guesting, or the cookies-as-euphemism-for-philandering “Cookie Jar,” the group embraces their nerdish qualities. Unfortunately, Travis McCoy is an impersonal and chauvinist MC, with a million ways of complimenting himself but resorting to platitudes when it comes to personal issues. Combining ’80s cornball blue-eyed soul with hip hop doesn’t sound like a desirable mix, but the Cool & Dre collabs (including a great Busta Rhymes cameo) deserve commendation for being so preposterously ambitious. 6.5/10 (Erik Leijon)

Arabian Prince
Innovative Life: The Anthology,
1984-1989 (Stones Throw/Koch)
If there was ever a better opportunity for this West Coast producer to turn some heads and benefit from his ’80s sandwich fusion of big ass beats, corny lyrics and big ass beats, then the time is now. Arabian Prince never got a fair shake at making an impact after being bounced from N.W.A. early on to make room for Dre and Yella’s magic combination, and remained quiet while working with Egyptian Lover and the World Class Wreckin Cru. Now, in the age of the iPod, blog champions and yet another return to electro and proto-rap, the joys of Arabian Prince are being eaten up with a vengeance. This is a sweet peek into a creative period for someone who just never seemed to be in the right place at the right time. 6.5/10 (Scott C)

The Game
L.A.X (Geffen/Universal)
Whether or not the Game had something substantial to offer to the West Coast hierarchy of rap was never a question, and Jayceon Taylor has always provided reasons on record for you to believe. L.A.X finds him right where you’d expect, trading bars with Nas, Raekwon and Common like a pro, with enough good sense to save some lyrical shots for his solo cuts as well. Strong songs can also be found in “Let Us Live” with Chrisette Michelle and “Ya Heard” with Ludacris, which flips the classic Ohio Players “Funky Worm” sample for some 2008 bounce. If you ever wondered if the Game could make it without G-Unit or Dr. Dre in his corner, then this record is for you, because he’s doing just fine. Ice Cube, Ne-Yo, Bilal, Lil Wayne and Raheem DeVaughn also guest. 7.5/10 (Scott C)

Lalah Hathaway
Self-Portrait (Concord)
Since debuting with her self-titled 1990 set, Hathaway has worked hard to get out from under her famous father’s shadow. But Donny Hathaway’s presence looms large, a fact his daughter acknowledges on the introspective “Little Girl.” However, her fourth set proves to be her most self-assured, emphasizing grown-up themes over unhurried soul grooves. With writing contributions from other neo-soul stars including Rahsaan Patterson and Sandra St. Victor, Hathaway paints heartfelt pictures of love’s turbulent effects, both the good (“Naked Truth”) and the bad (lead single “Let Go”). Elsewhere, she tackles more universal themes on “What Goes Around” and “UDO,” proving that she’s not always the subject of her own portraits. 8/10 (Gerard Dee)

Chantale Gagné
Silent Strength (C.G.)
Bob Mover
It Amazes Me (Zoho)
Two artists with Montreal connections. Ms. Gagné, a pianist and composer, is joined by the superb rhythm team of Peter Washington and Lewis Nash on 10 musical tracks including Monk’s “I Mean You,” Bill Evans’s “Peri’s Scope” and the standard “But Beautiful,” and originals by the leader—an impressive debut. Mover, who’s played with Mingus and Chet Baker, plays both alto and tenor and sings on this 10-track outing. An unsung jazz giant, Mover is impressive here, joined by Kenny Barron, the late Dennis Irwin and drummer Steve Williams, and guests Reg Schwager on four tracks and Russian tenorman Igor Butman on “Erkin.” Great material like the title song, “Sometime Ago,” “I Believe in You” and Frishberg and Al Cohn’s “The Underdog” make this long overdue session a real winner! Gagné 8.5, Mover 9.5/10 (Len Dobbin)

Mini CD Reviews

Art Blakey & Giants of Jazz 1972 Monterey Jazz Festival (Concord) This is the touring Giants group with Clark Terry and Roy Eldridge in place of Dizzy Gillespie. Add Sonny Stitt, Thelonious Monk, Kai Winding and Al McKibbon, and you have a winning combination in live performance! 9.5 (LD)

Laura Borealis Laura (Gooseberry) Simple and intimate guitar, violin and piano, a personal diary put to song, “dedicated to nature and animals of the Maurice Region of Quebec.” 8 (LM) With Al Tuck at Casa del Popolo, Fri., Sept. 5, 9 p.m.

The Famines “Black Sea” 7” (independent) This post-punk bass/drums duo begs you to stick your needle deep in their groove while they serve it up raw like sushi. 7 (JC)

Poorfolk Our Burning Street (White Whale) Steeped in that fuzzy-guitar Canadian alternative ’90s sound. The ideal end-of-summer soundtrack. 7 (EL)

Rodriguez Cold Fact (Light in the Attic) Lost to all except, for some reason, Australians, this 1970 relic of gritty, dazed, pissed-off street folk sees the light of day again. Cool shit. 7 (RB)

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