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Disc of the week |
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 Scott Weiland “Happy” in Galoshes (Softdrive/New West) Between his stints with Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver, Scott Weiland released the eccentric solo record 12 Bar Blues. Bearing no resemblance to the radio-friendly grunge of his first group, nor the cheesy hair metal of the second, 12 Bar Blues revealed Weiland to be a bizarre, drugged-out, Phil Spector-loving nut in the studio. His second solo effort never explores those drug-induced psychoanalytical depths—although considering it sounds like David Bowie (including a hip hop-inspired cover of “Fame”) compromising with Weiland’s FM rock roots, “Happy” is actually more interesting than anything he’s done in a band format. 6/10 Trial Track: “Paralysis” (Erik Leijon)  Mirror self-titled (independent) Composed by Vancouver’s Thomas Anselmi, this is the soundtrack for a multimedia “psychosexual post-modern cabaret”—see video at mirror.fm. As an album, Mirror is notable not only for the quality of its ethereal cinematic stylings (think Angelo Badalamenti and Francis Lai), but also for its guest list. Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan is the voice of “Nostalgia,” which sets the soft electronic tone and melancholy mood, and also features David Bowie pianist Mike Garson. Onetime Andy Warhol superstar Joe Dallesandro lends a monologue to “City Lights,” while singers Laure-Elaine Côté and Frances Lawson provide ethereal counterpoints to the male grit and gravitas, and the music lingers sullenly in limbo. 7.5/10 Trial Track: “City Lights” (Lorraine Carpenter)  Jay Crocker Below the Ocean Over (Artunit Recording Kompany) If you’re searching for a reason to respect Alberta right now, maybe this experimental pop record is it. It’s Jay Crocker’s sophomore album, a theatrical procession of piano, strings and brass, of sing-along pop and singer-songwriter stoicism, with the scope of a Broadway musical and the intricate (de)construction of the wilder side of jazz. Crocker’s voice and overall musical aesthetic are vaguely reminiscent of M. Ward and Rufus Wainwright, but with his emphasis on soulful swing and his brave sorties into chaos, comparisons and categorization don’t come easily. 8/10 Trial Track: “Keep Calm” (Lorraine Carpenter)  Kevin Rudolf In the City (Cash Money/Universal) An awkward amalgam of kiddie rock and hip hop, Rudolf’s poppy/angry debut would really appeal to musically undecided young people. The Manhattan native’s album is appropriately pop-punk, often danceable and occasionally packing rapper bravado, although like Kenna’s underrated first record, there are so many faces to Rudolf that it’s hard to pinpoint any individual qualities that could indicate a long, fruitful career. “Let It Rock” and “N.Y.C.” sound like failed Timbaland rock experiments coupled with random Lil Wayne and Nas appearances. The bubbly “Welcome to the World” and “Coffee and Donuts” work as cute, Cut Copy electropop. 4.5/10 Trial Track: “Coffee and Donuts” (Erik Leijon) Noism + (Crucial Blast) Tokyo, Japan’s most extreme band finally release their first real record after a host of compilation spots, and for tech-heads into chopping and glitch electronics, this ultimate display of grindcore will absolutely peel their faces off. Programmed drums are taken well beyond their parameters in insanely rapid blasts while the guitars try desperately to chug and squeal along. This actually makes Dillinger Escape Plan seem like the Troggs. If you ever wondered just how extreme aggressive music can get, this is it. 8.5/10 Trial Track: “No, Cut and Drag” (Johnson Cummins)  Morgan Geist Double Night Time (Environ) One might expect the smooth, breathy canting of Junior Boys’ Jeremy Greenspan to gel naturally with Morgan Geist’s understated machine funk. Both are noted translators of techno themes into the lexicon of moody, melodic pop, and so they would seem a perfect match. But even if they’ve come a long way since their awkward rendezvous on Geist’s 2006 remix of Junior Boys’ “The Equalizer,” Double Night Time still feels like two creative worlds squeezed into one package. Though both artists radiate technical competence, Greenspan’s classic pretense never really relents to Geist’s spacey futurism, save on “Detroit” and “Ruthless City,” both of which are synergistic masterpieces. 7/10 Trial Track: “Detroit” (Jack Oatmon) Tipsy  Femi KutiDay by Day (Mercer Street/Fontana North) There’s been a fair amount of talk about the fact that this album was released the same month as Seun Kuti’s debut. Seun, who’s two decades Femi’s junior, is backed by none other than Fela Kuti’s original Egypt 80 band, whereas Femi has his own 17-piece musical accompaniment and, it appears, his own ideas. Seun’s a bit more connected to an original, energetic Afrobeat sound. This doesn’t mean that Day by Day is a disappointment—rather, it seems to present a softer, jazzier feel, and showcases Femi’s recent experimentation with trumpet. Some of the tunes are better than others—the title track is not a standout, but “Tension Grip Africa,” for instance, demonstrates both Afrobeat roots and a new direction. 7/10 Trial Track: “Tension Grip Africa” (Erin MacLeod)
The James Moody and Hank Jones Quartet Mini CD ReviewsLee Morgan Vol. 2 Sextet (Blue Note/EMI) A wonderful reissue in the RVG series with six tracks, four of them by Benny Golson. Great playing by the leader and Hank Mobley plus a superb rhythm section. 9 (LD) |
Witchies 
Various 
Musiq Soulchild  |
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