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 Isis
Wavering Radiant (Ipecac/Sonic Unyon)
The kings of post-metal are back and if the rumours are true, this could be their last piece of work. If so, they’ve certainly capped things off right with this perfect swan song. Aaron Turner’s hushed/screamed vocals adds flourish as opposed to stomping over the mix while their widescreen treatment to the songs’ central musical themes will pull you under and hold you down. After all of these years, Isis continues to make their contemporaries seem utterly rudderless. 9/10 Trial Track: “Threshold of Transformation” (Johnson Cummins)
 Acid Mothers Temple and the Melting Paraiso U.F.O.
Lord of the Underground: Vishnu and the Magic Elixir (Alien8)
Clamp on the headphones and prepare the bong, for this is truly hard psych at its best. Three rambling songs here that have very little in common, starting off with the dense freak-out before switching gears to U.K.-style psych-folk and ending things on an exhaustive but richly rewarding blues/noise dirge. 8.5/10 Trial Track: “Vishnu and the Magic Elixir” (Johnson Cummins)
 Bat for Lashes
Two Suns (Echo/EMI)
Magic pipes, stunning songcraft and bold organic/synthetic arrangements add up to a beautiful, timeless record by Brighton’s Natasha Khan, superior to 2006’s Fur and Gold. Largely a one-woman show, apart from cameos by a choir, Yeasayer and Scott Walker, Two Suns has the sonic refinement and mystical pretension of Loreena McKennitt, and the edgy presence and artistic eccentricity of Kate Bush. 8/10 Trial Track: “Two Planets” (Lorraine Carpenter)
Years
self-titled (Arts & Crafts)
Ohad Benchetrit of Broken Social Scene and Do Make Say Think cooks up a concoction of guitars, horns, strings, beats and sequences, an acquired taste that’s well worth a try. With the exception of one song, the record is instrumental, its compositions evoking dramatic movement, excited emotions and natural beauty—a contemporary dance routine, or an active afternoon at the cottage. 7.5/10 Trial Track: “Kids Toy Love Affair” (Lorraine Carpenter)
The New Cities
Lost in City Lights (Sony BMG)
The Mirror encourages everyone to buy local. To those planning on dispensing their hard-earned EI cheques on some caked-on eye shadow and ironic t-shirt sporting, woo-hoo refraining, teen-focus-group-obsessed synth-pop stool sample—why not bail out this Quebec six-piece instead of whatever outsourced teen-punk green shoot is sprouting elsewhere? Less painful than a Canadian music industry stimulus package. 1/10 Trial Track: n/a (Erik Leijon)
 The Real Deal
Fun (Stomp/Warner)
Third-wave California ska punk is making a final heroic stand in Montreal, even though it’s difficult to even remember a time when the sped-up guitars and cheeky, contrarian lyrics were considered current outside a Seann William Scott movie. These locals have the appropriate anarchist sneer and a way with hooks, so consider adding them to your “house toilet-papering” mixtape. 5/10 Trial Track: “Another ‘Another Fuck You Song’” (Erik Leijon)
Moodini
Let’s Get Outta Here! (Flux Industries)
A throwback to some of the fun sounds of ’90s, before the existential dread of the Bush era pissed on everyone’s parade, the debut from Montreal’s Moodini recalls Madchester groove and Shibuya club pop, funky monkey business and sci-fi zap, loungecore and big-beat bounce (with the occasional swatch of bossa nova and country music thrown in for a chuckle). The strength of these sparkling instrumentals lies in the obsessive attention to detail, so listen close and expect the unexpected. 7.5/10 Trial Track: “Mankind’s Greatest Hits” (Rupert Bottenberg) CD launch at O Patro Vys, Fri., May 15, 9 p.m.
 Zombie Nation
Zombielicious (UKW)
A frenetic, sinister gem by Munich-based Florian Senfter’s undead concept act. The spooky, bloodthirsty analog electro features instrumental flourishes, atmospheric organ lines and a few catchy choruses to contrast the warm, hammering, grating electronic madness. From a purely technical perspective it’s rock solid, but beyond that, the balance between coherent theme and variety makes for a fascinating, challenging listen. 8.5/10 Trial Track: “Mystery Meat Affair” (Jack Oatmon)
 Mr. Scruff
Ninja Tuna (Ninja Tune/Outside)
A longtime Ninja hand, Mr. Scruff’s back with more of his slippery hip-house with a twist of jazz, this time with worthy pals like Quantic, Alice Russell and Roots Manuva lending a hand. Sticking to tempos that amble along amiably, Scruff seems nearly incapable of delivering a piece without a smarmy smirk—“Hold On” is the only almost-serious number here—but that’s what makes his tuna sandwich tasty. 7/10 Trial Track: “Donkey Ride” feat. Quantic (Rupert Bottenberg) With Andy Williams at Piknic Élecronik at Parc Jean-Drapeau, Sun., May 17, 2 p.m., $10
Omnikrom
Comme à la television (Saboteur)
With the bulk of the production work overseen by street-bass savants Megasoid, Omnikrom’s sophomore LP has lifted the local group to a new sonic level. Although the rhyme skills are still a bit gimmicky, the instrumentals more than make up for it on tracks like the electro ballad “Dans tes rêves,” featuring Coeur de Pirate, or the Ghislain Poirier-produced “Kryptonite.” 7.5/10 Trial Track: “Comme a la television” (Morgan Steiker)
Classified
Self Explanatory (Sony BMG)
Not only does this album read like a who’s-who of old- and new-school Canadian hip hop—Choclair, Maestro, Moka Only, Saukrates, D-Sisive, Shad K, DL Incognito and Buck 65 all appear—but it’s also a homegrown celebration of some of the best production the country has to offer. The beats fit the rhymes, and the rhymes fit the context. Solid effort. 8/10 Trial Track: “Quit While You’re Ahead” (Morgan Steiker) With Chad Hatcher, Mic Boyd, J-Bru, DJ IV at les Saints, Sat., May 23, 8 p.m., $20
Various
Oh Happy Day (EMI)
This celebratory collection of gospel and gospel-influenced tracks pairs a wide range of contemporary and gospel artists . If nothing else, it successfully demonstrates that gospel easily combines with many styles of music, including rock (Jonny Lang’s smoldering “I Believe”), soul (Robert Randolph & the Clark Sisters on “Higher Ground”) and reggae (Angelique Kidjo’s reading of “Redemption Song”). Happy day, indeed. 8.5/10 Trial track: Al Green & Heather Headley “People Get Ready” (Gerard Dee)
 Lambert, Hendricks & Ross
Improvisations for the Human Voice (Cherry Red)
Whether you call it scat, bebop or vocalising, this is an important release that’s mostly concerned with Dave Lambert. It includes “What’s This?,” the first bebop vocal, done with the 1945 Gene Krupa band, as well as sides with Red Rodney, a choir (including a cut with Jo Stafford), a version of “Four Brothers” that introduced one Jon Hendricks, Annie Ross doing Wardell Gray and live material by LH&R. Recommended! 8.5/10 Trial Track: “Four Brothers” (Len Dobbin)
Mini CD Reviews
Brian Kellock The Nine Mile Burn Sessions (Thick) A superb duo outing featuring this excellent pianist from Scotland and British multi-reedman Julian Arguelles. Includes Lee Konitz’ “Thingin’.” 9 (LD)
Steve Earle Townes (New West) Earle is about the only living singer who could tackle the late, great Townes Van Zandt’s songbook and do it justice. 8.5 (JC)
Great Bloomers Speak of Trouble (MapleMusic/Universal) Peppy piano, charmed vocals, country overtones and pop melodies produce a crowd-pleasing debut for this Toronto quinet. 7.5 (LC)
Conor Oberst & the Mystic Valley Band Outer South (Merge) Even with a new band and songwriting partners, Oberst’s phony pop-Americana is forever blah. 5 (LC)
Mike Herrera’s Tumbledown Tumbledown (End Sounds) MxPx frontman Mike Herrera having some kinda Texas psychobilly freakout. 5 (EL)
The Perms Keeps You Up When You’re Down (Hugtight) The best part about bad perms (even of the Can-rock variety) is eventually, new hair grows out and all is forgotten. 4 (EL)
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