Disc of the week

…And the Saga Continues
Making Enemies and Burning Bridges (independent)
With all the fuss Toronto thrash-meisters Career Suicide and Brutal Knights have been kicking up lately, it’s a crying shame that this caffeinated local trio haven’t gotten the same amount of love. This blitzkrieg of speed should change that, with 49 songs seared into the two sides of vinyl here. This is some serious, no-frills, face-peeling thrash here à la vintage D.R.I., Void and M.D.C., served up with ferocity and white-hot anger. Most songs get straight to the point before dashing to the finish line in less than 30 seconds, with epic moments happening in mere seconds. Fucking amazing! 8.5/10 Trial Track: “We’re On the Threshold of Hell” (Johnson Cummins) CD launch at Barfly, Sat., Nov. 15, 9 p.m., free

Black Elk
Always a Six, Never a Nine
(Crucial Blast/Lumberjack)
Black Elk’s eponymous 2006 debut knocked me on my ass but on this sophomore effort, they actually ascend to Unsane territory, but now with even more dementia pushed up in the mix. If you thought Converge were the most heavy, fucked-up band going, you really need to dig yer fangs into this one. Black Elk is truly all about disrupting the party, but can be quite clever when sneaking in some hooky parts hidden under the tsunami of angular riffs, psych freak-outs and pure angst. 8.5/10 Trial Track: “Hospital” (Johnson Cummins)

Escape the Fate
This War Is Ours (Epitaph/FAB)
Fashion-conscious Las Vegas pop-punk quartet Escape the Fate stink of pre-packaged teen aggression. The generic guitar tapping and bravado of new vocalist Craig Mabbit’s growling and screeching suggest a mischievous quartet eager to toilet paper your front yard—provided they can fit the rolls in their ultra-tight jean pockets. When the time comes to prove any modicum of writing chops beyond copying the last My Chemical Romance album, they fail laughably. The single “The Flood” apes Marilyn Manson’s cover of “Tainted Love,” and needless ballad “Harder Than You Know” is Green Day’s “Wake Me Up When September Ends” v. 2. 1/10 Trial Track: “It’s Just Me” (Erik Leijon) With A Fly Lit Drive, Volca at le Studio, Sun., Nov. 16, 7:30 p.m., $16

Pattern Is Movement
All Together (Hometapes)
Here’s evidence that truly exceptional chamber pop takes more than a passing grade in band class and a thrift-shop glockenspiel. As much as math rock and music hall schmaltz, it’s medieval motets and modern serial music that inform these filigreed artifacts from the Philadelphia duo of singer/keyboardist Andrew Thibodeaux and drummer Chris Ward. The stuff gets awfully rich at points, what with the elaborate structures and Thibodeaux’s demonstrative vocals, and perhaps too cute for its own good. Ward’s crisp drum work reels things in for balance, though, and no shortage of rewards do abound for the curious ear. 7.5/10 Trial Track: “Right Away” (Rupert Bottenberg) With Subtle, Zach Hill at Club Lambi, Sun., Nov. 16, 9 p.m., $12

The Duke Spirit
Neptune (You Are Here)
Neptune is the Roman god of water and the sea, namesake of the other blue planet. What early astrologers didn’t know about Earth’s twin is that it’s covered in ice, with the strongest winds and coldest temperatures in the solar system. Similar irony and tension are at play on this British band’s sophomore album, with its cold front and melting core. Liela Moss, steely and supple from one minute to the next, sings of tears, storms, cold hearts, sunken treasure and vessels to weather it all, while the band mounts blues-rock ballast and ballads akin to the Velvet Underground and their descendents. 7.5/10 Trial Track: “The Step and the Walk” (Lorraine Carpenter) With the Eagles of Death Metal, Matt Mays & El Torpedo at les Saints on Fri., Nov. 14, 9 p.m., $22.50

The Sea and Cake
Car Alarm (Thrill Jockey)
Lazy Sunday alternative rock might have been more common during the group’s ’90s heyday, yet the up-tempo, complex-yet-easygoing arrangements feel like the ideal soundtrack to the warm climate vacation I would love to take this upcoming January as I stare into the heartless white abyss of another frigid winter. The fuzzy guitars and underlying danceable qualities of “Car Alarm” and “Window Sills” compare to a more carefree Broken Social Scene. As “Weekend” shows, the group can successfully incorporate electronic beats and hi-hat drumming without losing the consistent dreamlike state. 8/10 Trial Track: “Window Sills” (Erik Leijon) With Death Vessel, Little Scream at a Sala Rossa tonight, Thurs., Nov. 13, 8:30 p.m., $18

Girl Talk
Feed the Animals (Illegal Art)
An online-only PWYC release since June, the fourth album from Pittsburgh bio-med engineer-turned-mega-masher-upper and party detonator Gregg Gillis confirms him as the prince of bandit pop. As with 2006’s Night Ripper, countless “now that’s what I call…” numbers, alternative to AOR, urban to disturbin’, get snipped and snapped together in inspired configurations. He’s dialed down the mind-numbing, machine-gun turnover this time around though. Less micro, more macro, his lifts and loops breathe a bit better now, at the cost of some of the manic momentum of the last album. Regardless, this is fine food for the nightlife’s wildlife. 8/10 Trial Track: “No Pause” (Rupert Bottenberg) With the Death Set, CX Kidtronik at Metropolis tonight, Thurs., Nov. 13, 8 p.m., $20, all ages

T-Pain
Thr33 Ringz (Jive/Zomba)
T-Pain’s collaborations have had such a profound effect on Top 40 hit-making that a T-Pain album feels like a referendum on popular music in 2008. The Floridian undoubtedly has an ear for memorable hooks—“Freeze” (with Chris Brown) and “It Ain’t Me” (with Akon and T.I.) being his latest triumphs—but his love of cool synths and vocal manipulation will divide listeners. With little filler, a robust guest list and everything that makes T-Pain such a talented yet controversial producer pushed to the forefront, this is the best document chronicling this particular time in pop. Fans of unique CD packaging should check out the awesome pop-up book design. 7.5/10 Trial Track: “It Ain’t Me” (Erik Leijon)

Various
Kitsuné Maison Compilation 6 (Kitsuné)
The choppy blog house aspect of the Kitsuné formula has unfortunately survived the implosion of that fad, manifesting itself in D.I.M.’s snoozer of a remix for Fischerspooner, autoKratz’s dirt cheap “Stay the Same (edit)” and Streetlife DJs’ dopey Ed Banger wannabe disaster “We Love the Disco Sound.” Such white noise is augmented by those Crystal Castles coattail riders, Heartsrevolution and You Love Her Coz She’s Dead, regurgitating chiptune hooks that were only tenuously entertaining to begin with. But it’s not all bad news, as “Say Whoa,” A-Trak’s response to Braxe’s “Addicted,” and “Hannukah,” Étienne de Crècy’s latest futuristic foray add some considerable value to the package. Other gems include a lighthearted Hot Chip remix of Grovesnor’s “Drive Your Car” and Lo-Fi-Fnk’s catchiest single to date, “Want U.” 6/10 Trial Track: Pnau “With You Forever” (Jack Oatmon)

El Guincho
Alegranza (XL/Select)
Winter’s around the corner, so stock up on this batch of bottled sunshine, spiked with sea salt and citrus juice. Chanting, chopping and looping in an almost monomaniacal manner, Spain’s Pablo Díaz-Reixa whips up a heady, hypnotic soup of crunchy rainforest rhythms and fragmented global folk, cosmonautical doo-wop and prismatic tropical pop. Be it the lively steel pan stomp of “Kalise” or the lazy lilt of closer “Polca Mazurca,” El Guincho’s shaggy one-man jams may shimmy, shake and shed on the carpet but they never fall apart. Guaranteed to get you grinning and grooving. 8.5/10 Trial Track: “Costa Paraiso” (Rupert Bottenberg)

John Legend
Evolver (Sony BMG)
Legend’s sophomore effort, 2006’s Once Again, stepped away from the hooky soul that characterized his debut, 2004’s Get Lifted, and instead veered towards the kind of challenging artistry that musicians admire but the public finds harder to digest. With his third effort, he takes a step back towards a happy medium, making good use of guest shots by Estelle on the reggae-infused “No Other Love” and a spirited Kanye West on “It’s Over” to connect with the audience. And he’s still the master romantic, mixing pillow talk and lush harmonies on “Good Morning.” The album closer, “If You’re Out There,” is a call to arms that taps into the same public sentiment that no doubt ushered Obama into power. 8/10 Trial track: “It’s Over” (Gerard Dee)

Dave McKenna
An Intimate Evening (Arbors)
Bobby Gordon & Dave McKenna
Clarinet Blue (Arbors)
Daryl Sherman & Dave McKenna
Jubilee (Arbors)
Pianist McKenna, who died recently, was referred to as a one-man rhythm section, so strong was his left hand. He’s heard in three settings here, the first a solo outing with a number of his famed medleys, including 26 minutes of pieces with the word “street” in them. The second is a quartet session with clarinetist Gordon, bassist Frank Tate and drummer Joe Ascione, heard in a program of 17 tracks, mostly standards, while on the outing with Ms. Sherman, a relatively unsung vocalist, they are joined by Tate, guitarist Joe Cohn (Al’s son) and drummer Terry Clarke in salutes to Fred Astaire, Hoagy Carmichael, Noel Coward and Duke Ellington. All are recommended in particular for Dave’s playing—a great talent gone. All 10/10 Trial Tracks: Evening “Street Medley,” Clarinet “Louisiana,” Jubilee “Jubilee” (Len Dobbin)

Mini CD Reviews

Bruno Hubert Live @ the Cellar (Cellar Live) Vancouver-based pianist Hubert is joined by bassist Andre Lachance and the multi-talented Brad Turner on drums. Great live music, including “Lush Life.” 9 (LD)

Aun & Allseits Irrlicht (Oral) A great pairing, with local Martin Dumais (Aun) and German Nina Kernicke (Allseits) take it down a couple of notches and let these four epic slices of dark ambiance shine. 8 (JC)

Thisquietarmy Blackhaunter (Elevation) Like the wonderfully, woefully goth cover art, this is chilling ambient rock that you’ll be glad to get lost in. 8 (LC)

Brett Anderson Wilderness (BA Songs/Edel) Tasteful, mournful songs set to slight guitars, keys, cello. Even better: see weekly YouTube dispatches from his living room, where he plays solo stuff, Suede and pop covers. 7 (LC)

Lisa Miskovsky Mirror’s Edge Soundtrack (Electronic Arts) Downloadable soundtrack to the upcoming video game—features “Still Alive” from the Swedish adult pop songwriter, plus some very punchy remixes. 7 (EL)

>> Music Listings

MIRROR ARCHIVES » Dec 13 Dec 19 2008: INSIDE - COVER | ARCHIVES INDEX | CURRENT ISSUE