Various Glücklich II (Compost)
Wayne Kramer Citizen Wayne (Epitaph/Cargo)Wayne Kramer's back with his third solo release and unfortunately we're faced with disappointment at every turn. Producer David Was (Was Not Was) pushes Mr. Kramer overboard and leaves him treading in a sea of samples and programmed drums. Lyrically, Kramer once again falls back to tales of his MC5/Gangland glory days while attempting to reinvent himself for the '90s. Hey Wayne: if it ain't broke, don't fix it! 5.5/10 (Johnson Cummins) Trunk Federation The Infamous Hamburger Transfer (Alias/Cargo)Trunk Federation are purportedly the biggest indie-rock-like thing in the dustbowl of Phoenix, Arizona, but when they're on the player that doesn't count for much at all. Though they cop both arty, Pavement-ish shoegazing and Alice Donut for occasionally revved-up vocals (points for reference?), Trunk Federation might want to pack it in now--this isn't even worth the price of a half-cooked Junior Whopper™. 4/10 (Lorrie Edmonds) Rahsaan Patterson Rahsaan Patterson (Universal)
Maxwell, Erykah Badu and D'Angelo are among a growing list of urban artists reaching back to old soul for new inspiration. Add to that list Rahsaan Patterson and his slinky '70s-style debut. Stevie Wonder influences abound on this set, albeit without Wonder's social edge. Instead, he finds innovative ways to sing love songs, with an acoustic interlude here, an a cappella track there. A strong debut from another recruit in the new soul army. 8/10 (Gerard Dee)
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Glücklich is German for "lucky," and that's me for snagging this light jazz gem. With cuts by polynational acts like Sail-Joia and Ximo & Judy, this comp gives calculated Eurocool an infusion of tropical warmth, via exploration of Brazil's diverse musical menu. While the recent Red Hot & Rio comp took the low road and gave Brazilian pop an anglo club makeover, these pieces strive for a more integrated approach. 8/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)