Disc of the week

Gang Gang Dance
Saint Dymphna (Social Registry)
The hagiographic title of album two from the Brooklyn trio salutes the patron saint of the marginalized, and in her honour, GGD seem to measure and map the zeitgeist from some alien, outside zone. It’s hipster mystic mecha-mayhem you can dance to or die trying, cross-eyed crypto-krautrock and ersatz Afro riff reps, junkyard juju and art-brat glossolalia. Scraps of the familiar do float up—“Vacuum” echoes My Bloody Valentine, for instance, while “Princes” ropes in U.K. grime MC Tinchy Stryder—but the best bits truly transcend the terrestrial. The tracks, less songs than primal rituals, rarely coalesce the way those of the comparable Celebration do, but remain moments to fully inhabit nonetheless. 8.5/10 Trial Track: “First Communion” (Rupert Bottenberg) With Of Montreal at Metropolis, Wed., Oct. 29, 8 p.m., $23

AC/DC
Black Ice (Columbia/Sony BMG)
If AC/DC aren’t God’s favourite band, I don’t know who is. Facing the facts, though, these Aussie yobs can still deliver a bone-shaking show but have hardly delivered the goods in the studio over the past couple of decades. Black Ice is definitely good—hell, it’s great, and it squashes bands like Jet and Wolfmother—but with more than a few solid gold classics peeking out from the band’s pocket (Back in Black, Powerage etc.), Black Ice unfortunately fails to match their canon of greatness. There are still some real winners on here, though—when they don’t try and sneak a pop chorus under our snouts. 7.5/10 Trial Track: “Rock ’n’ Roll Train” (Johnson Cummins)

Sebastien Grainger & the Mountains
self-titled (independent/Outside)
Kicking off with a high-voltage anthem that sounds like Andrew WK butting heads with Wolf Parade (ouch!), the debut LP by this former Death From Above 1979 drummer is a bit of a beaut. While WK made his name celebrating the party, and Wolf Parade dwell on futility, humiliation and despair, Grainger tackles love (sickness), (hating your) friends and fucking (up). Sung with appropriate passion, backed by big riffs and rhythm that tend towards rawk but cross over into funk and dancefloor domains, this is raw pop music to reckon with. 8.5/10 Trial Track: “Love Can Be So Mean” (Lorraine Carpenter)

Chairlift
Does You Inspire You (Kanine)
From Boulder, Colorado, based in Brooklyn, this trio straddles airbrushed ’80s ballads, spraynet synthpop, the ethereal end of goth, weepy country and cloying contemporary radio fare. And while they score points for versatility and spirit, it’s safe to say that, at this point, they’re the master of none. It’s as if each song is infused with some spoiler ingredient, be it a gaudy synth line, a weak backing vocal, a dodgy lyric or indecent thievery. But between Caroline Polachek’s beautiful voice and the band’s ability to hook and haunt, they could grow into a great band. 7/10 Trial Track: “Bruises” (Lorraine Carpenter) With Yeasayer at le National, Fri. Oct. 24, 9 p.m., $15, all ages

Holly Golightly and the Brokeoffs
Dirt Don’t Hurt (Transdreamer/Sony BMG)
Ms. Golightly’s contribution to modern garage with Thee Headcoatees is without question, but it’s her recent work with traditional blues, gospel, country and rockabilly that really push her lush croon to the forefront. Golightly actually steps aside on a lot of the songs here to make room for co-conspirator and co-vocalist Lawyer Dave’s baritone, and on the Carter Family-inspired “Up Off the Floor” and “Slow Road,” she’s able to bring some real fire and brimstone to her gospel. If you’re a fan of Neko Case, check out the real deal. 8.5/10 Trial Track: “I Wanna Hug Ya, Kiss Ya, Squeeze Ya” (Johnson Cummins)

Black Ships
Omens (New Romance For Kids/FAB)
After two all too brief EPs, these locals make good, with the brutal blast on this full-length being entirely worthwhile. Now that Cursed have given up the crown, Black Ships are only too eager to pick it up with a completely punishing blitzkrieg. Producer Julien Brousseau manages the impossible task of making everything louder than everything else, with needles firmly planted in the red and the band more focused and to the point than ever. As far as modern Canadian hardcore goes, it just doesn’t get any better than this. 8.5/10 Trial Track: “The End” (Johnson Cummins)

Magnum 357 with DJ Rated R & DJ Diggz
Revolver Muzik Vol. 2 (Dirtwork/Escape)
Montreal’s king of the mixtape has knuckled down to bring you a super-helping of rough, rugged and raw music straight from the street. You’ve doubtless had your fill of part-time gangsters and wannabe thugs, but Magnum is not that dude. Take a listen to “I Love This Shit” and you’ll know that above and beyond all the bulletproof hooks and hollow-tipped punchlines, Magnum 357 is the genuine article. The Little Burgundy native seems to have created his own lane, crafting a joint with no shortage of banging beats, club anthems and proper skits. He shows absolutely no signs of slowing down even after over a decade on the mic, so if you’re looking for some theme music for the heist next weekend, Magnum’s got you covered. 7.5/10 Trial Track: “Who Is It?” (Scott C)

Killah Priest
Behind the Stained Glass (Proverb)
Dripping with religious metaphors, Behind the Stained Glass explores street tales of biblical proportions. With deft lyrical skill on the battlefield, Killah Priest keeps the Wu vibe tight with stark, haunting production and ninja-knight flows. Keeping the amount of guests—Victorious, 60 Second Assassin, Allah Sun and Jeni Fujita—low also gives Priest room to shine. With this seventh release since ’98, it’s clear that Priest has a lot to say, with or without his Wu affiliates keeping up. 7.5/10 Trial Track: “A Crying Heart” (Lateef Martin)

Murs
For President (Warner)
Underground stalwart Murs releases his first LP on a major label and the world has not stopped spinning, but it will have a few more tunes to bump before it does. The always sharp and precise West Coast MC blends nicely into his new surroundings, offering the same wit and wonder that he always has, moving easily between sounds and ideas. A little tip of the hat goes out to touring, something that Murs is certainly no stranger to, on “Road Is My Religion,” while “Lookin Fly” with Will.I.Am reminds you early on that this is a commercial record. Snoop shows up on “Time Is Now” for a very strange pairing of lyricists, while “The Science” breaks down the crack conspiracy over a fluted break. 7/10 Trial Track: “Break Up (The OJ Song)” (Scott C)

DJ Khaled
We Global (Koch)
Miami’s DJ Khaled is known more for an impressive rapper rolodex—his monster single “We Takin’ Over” was propelled entirely with considerable help from his chart-topping friends. The follow-up album to 2007’s We the Best, featuring the aforementioned hit, smartly elevates the likes of Kanye West, Nas, Bun B, the Game and Rick Ross to star status, while Khaled provides the sleek, radio-friendly Floridian beats and the occasional I.D. Disjointed by design, Khaled’s love of bombastic sirens and dramatic strings are the only ties that bind this cluttered record together. Some quality singles, but it’s a glorified mixtape. 6/10 Trial Track: “I’m On” (Erik Leijon)

Natalie Cole
Still Unforgettable (Warner)
Cole successfully resurrected her sagging career in 1991 with the first Unforgettable, a notable disc because Cole seemed to have found her niche with interpretations from the American Songbook, and because it featured an engineered duet with her late father on the title track. Her latest differs from the original only in the song selections. Dear old dad is featured once again on “Walkin’ My Baby Back Home,” and Cole hasn’t lost her touch for imbuing classics like “Come Rain or Shine” and “The Best Is Yet to Come” with her seasoned vocal flair. Not a bit of originality, but a harmless enough return trip down memory lane. 7/10 Trial track: “But Beautiful” (Gerard Dee)

BED Bedlam (Blue Swing)
BED Four + 1 (Blue Swing)
The group’s name comes from the first initials of three of its members, singer Becky Kilgore, singer and banjoist Eddie Erickson and trombonist Dan Barrett, joined on both discs by bassist Joel Forbes and drummer Jeff Hamilton on the second. Fun is the catchword here, with songs like Wardell Gray’s title tune on Bedlam, which also includes gems like “My Canary Has Circles Under His Eyes” and Dave Frishberg’s “Dear Bix,” while Four + 1 has Hoagy’s “Jubilee,” Krupa’s “Drum Boogie” and “The Hucklebuck,” originally Charlie Parker’s “Now’s the Time.” Fine singing from Rebecca and Eddie as well as some memorable instrumental playing. Both 9/10 Trial Tracks: Bedlam “Canary,” Four + 1 “Jubilee” (Len Dobbin)

Angèle Dubeau & la Pietà
Philip Glass: Portrait (Analekta/Select)
Dubeau, among Quebec’s highest-profile classical performers, wisely resists taking the spotlight as she and her ensemble vividly render an array of works for strings by serial music superstar Glass. The selection is pretty conventional, Mishima and other film-score work, and generally highlights the obvious aspects of the composer’s style. They are his strengths, after all, and Dubeau and co. ably handle the enveloping repetition, the bold contrasts and the stirring sense of ebb and flow. 8/10 Trial Track: “The Secret Agent” (Rupert Bottenberg)

Mini CD Reviews

Lee Shaw Live in Graz (ARC) Ms. Shaw, a pianist known for her work in Montreal with the late Skip Bey, is now in her eighties and is heard live on this CD/DVD recorded in Austria. 8.5 (LD)

Young Rival self-titled EP (independent) Ooh, it’s a hot new band from the Hammer, cutting mod/garage rock with squeaky-clean pop and pretty boy vocals. 8 (LC) With the Bicycles at Friendship Cove on Oct. 31, 9 p.m.

Jolie Holland The Living and the Dead (Anti) Another round of pleasant (if a little lukewarm) folk pop from Miss H. 7 (LC) With Herman Dune at Cabaret Juste pour rire, Thurs., Oct. 30, 8 p.m., $18

Juaneco y Su Combo Masters of Chicha Vol. 1 (Barbès) After the breakout of his revival band Chicha Libre, Olivier Conan shares the original Amazonian patchwork pop, starting with this light but tasty treat. 7 (RB)

HR Hey Wella (DC Hardcore) Bad Brains’ iconic vocalist once sparked a revolution, but over the past decade, he’s been more concerned with making sure his next rent cheque doesn’t bounce. Pure heartbreak. 5 (JC)

Colby O’Donis Colby O (Geffen/Universal) Akon’s secret weapon is an effeminate teenage boy from Queens. Turns out Akon is not the most high-pitched singer in his crew. 4 (EL)

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