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 Malachai
Ugly Side of Love (Domino)
Although largely made up of found sounds, the diverse samples are perfectly employed to recreate a consistently sunny California rock jammer. Like a stoner Go! Team, this Bristol duo have created a fractious mess infused with flower power, soulful horns, familiar garage guitar riffs and, really, anything that sounds good chopped to bits and slathered with a late-’60s grainy vinyl veneer. 8/10 Trial Track: “Lay Down Stay Down” (Erik Leijon)
 The Hotrats
Turn Ons (Fat Possum)
Supergrass singer Gaz Coombes and drummer Danny Goffey play a dozen covers, produced by Nigel Godrich, tackling glam rock, new wave and punk classics with gusto. The arrangements don’t stray far from those of the originals, apart from a very Who-esque rendering of a Beastie Boys tune. The presence of the Sex Pistols’ “E.M.I.” reflects Supergrass’s recent departure from said label, but hopefully they’ll return to their day jobs shortly. 7/10 Trial Track: “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)” (Lorraine Carpenter)
 Never Shout Never
What Is Love? (Loveway/Warner)
Music is a young person’s pursuit, although rarely is the performer as frighteningly childish as one-man tantrum recovery patient Christofer Ingle, whose pretty melodies can’t hide an infantile lyricist in-between diaper changes. Eighteen-year-old males shouldn’t be blubbering for their “daddies” unless they’re in primal scream therapy; Midwestern alienation simply isn’t a unique enough condition to warrant such a tactless hissy fit. 1/10 Trial Track: n/a (Erik Leijon)
Laura Veirs
July Flame (Raven Marching Band)
The seventh album by Portland-based Laura Veirs relates tales of yearning with pastoral imagery and a touch of magic realism. Her lyrical themes, along with an adaptation of a grim Rimbaud poem, are complemented beautifully by her minimal folk-pop with orchestral and country accents. My Morning Jacket’s Jim James sings back-up here and there, and the Alberta Arts Singers lend choral Can-con to the excellent title track. 8.5/10 Trial Track: “July Flame” (Lorraine Carpenter)
 Aidan Baker
Liminoid/Lifeforms (Alien8)
Baker is probably best known as one half of the amazing drone duo Nadja but his solo output is no less impressive. Two pieces are conveniently edited into five movements with Baker’s compositional skill remaining absolutely stunning with an eight-piece band behind him as he lets it all hang out over the glorious hour here, with James Plotkin’s mix complementing perfectly. Yet again, Baker has proven himself one of Canada’s most exciting modern composers. 9/10 Trial Track: “Liminoid” (Johnson Cummins)
 Skullflower
Strange Keys to Untune Gods’ Firmament (Neurot)
Experimental dronist Bower is once again under his occasional moniker Skullflower with his abrasive, violent drone only getting fiercer as he gets longer in the tooth. Having almost invented brutal drone music in the early ’80s, Bower proves he still has some new tricks up his sleeve. Hardly for the faint of heart, this two-CD set is just sheer brutality throughout, but after the initial pummelling has settled in, and if you’re still willing to submit, this a perfect and beautiful blast. 8.5/10 Trial Track: “Gateway to Blasphemous Light” (Johnson Cummins)
 Bomb
the Bass Back to Light (K7)
Twenty-three years of just about anything tends toward feedback cycles, particularly in the realm of repetitive electronic music. Here are 10 comparable cuts of crisp, twinkling sci-fi trance synth loops and haunting, mantra-type choruses, with steady percussive thuds and buzzing disco bass, as well as the odd low-end arpeggio. Gorgeous and formulaic. 6.5/10 Trial Track: “Burn Less Brighter” (Jack Oatmon)
 Whitefield Brothers
Earthology (Now Again)
While this record may wander from Africa to Arabia to Asia to America, at its heart, Munich’s Whitefield bros, formerly of Poets of Rhythm, are all about the funk. MCs Mr. Lif and Percee P, among others, as well as folks from Antibalas, the Dap Kings, the El Michels Affair—not to mention Quantic—hitch along for the ride, but it doesn’t take away from the instrumental interest of Earthology. 8/10 Trial Track: “The Gift” feat. Edan and Mr. Lif (Erin MacLeod)
 Lazlo Supreme
Evil Made Easy (Urban Home Companion)
Lazlo Supreme are three fellows from Minneapolis who write clever, catchy tunes containing, at times, vocal flourishes that sound a little like Spookey Ruben (check “Skrulls” for evidence of this tendency). This is smart, showtune hip hop with sweeping choruses and bouncy, piano-driven verses. So precious that some might be annoyed, but at its best, it’s impossible not to like. 7.5/10 Trial Track: “The Girl From the Coffeeshop” (Erin MacLeod)
 Angie Stone
Unexpected (Stax)
Stone’s fifth album, her second on the legendary soul label Stax, mixes her signature classic soul style with some updated hip hop grooves. Stone’s musical instincts are usually razor sharp so the unnecessary auto-tune on “Tell Me” is surprising. Still, it’s a small misstep that’s overshadowed by tracks like funky lead single “I Ain’t Hearin’ U” and the sensuous “Maybe.” 8/10 Trial Track: “Think Sometimes” (Gerard Dee)
 Various
Keb Darge & Paul Weller Present Lost & Found: Real R’n’B & Soul (BBE)
Weller’s a major player in the mod revival, DJ Darge the lost link between Wigan Casino and the Winehouse wave, so you’d figure these two cats could compile the killer-est crop of vintage soul crate-diggery. No dice. The material here, strictly late-’50s to mid-’60s, betrays a distinct shortage of truly memorable stompers and ragers—alas, no sweatin’ to these oldies. Refer back to Darge’s Funk Spectrum comps for the really good stuff, please. 6.5/10 Trial Track: Elsie Wheat, “Tippin’” (Rupert Bottenberg)
 Who Cares How
Long You Sink
Folk Forms Evaporate Big Sky (Sundmagi)
New York double bassist and composer Jason Ajemian has a deeply moving way of working with poetic text and a mysterious, very human sense of orchestration. On Folk Forms…, 30-plus players support his plaintive voice with a cloud of harmony that moves and breathes, appearing and disappearing in the endless acoustic space of a large church. This is music that opens borders between worlds. 8/10 Trial Track: “The Fear They Give” (Gordon Allen)
MINI CD REVIEWS
Various Covers for Reggae Lovers (VP) Exactly as advertised—covers of pop love songs from the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s and today by a range of greats, each one demonstrating that reggae works with anything. Period. 9 (EM)
David Bowie A Reality Tour (ISO/Columbia/Sony) Practically a greatest hits selection played live, and played well (in Dublin, 2003), this two-disc set captures what may have been Bowie’s final tour. 8 (LC)
Face Value Rode Hard, Put Away Wet: Clevo HC ’89-’93 (Smog Veil) Once again, Cleveland archivists Smog Veil hit it out of the park with this awesome CD/DVD set from Cleveland’s unsung hardcore heroes. 7.5 (JC)
Dead Letter Chorus The August Magnificent (Code One) Australia’s answer to Canada’s big (indie) band sound, perhaps? Signs of promise sadly give way to epic schmaltz. 5 (LC)
Adam Palmer & the Specialest Lights (Eleazar) This electropop record’s best instrumental section sounds somewhat like a slowed-down version of Savage Garden’s “I Want You.” 3 (EL)
A Rocket to the Moon On Your Side (Fueled by Ramen/Warner) You know how boring pop-punk bands always name songs after girls with unusual names? Annabelle and Dakota, this shitty record is for you. 2 (EL)
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