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Thievery Corporation Sounds From the Thievery Hi-Fi (4AD/Polygram) They--duo Rob Garza and Eric Hilton--like fashion and bossa nova. They've been compared--endlessly--to Kruder and Dorfmeister. They come from Washington, DC, something the U.K. press have turned into a theme of power. They wear suits that could cut you. Drive Beemers. Make pad-music downtempo. Like using the word "slick." And maybe it's because this is the zillionth spy-tinged softy-soft break offering in the past 18 months, but Sounds From... sailed in and out of my ears a bit too smoothly. Over-lifestylized and soundtrackized. 7/10 (Mireille Silcott)
René Lussier & Martin Tétrault Dur noyau dur (Ambiances Magnétiques)
New-music turntablist Martin Tétrault has come a long way since his last album, 1990's Des pas et des mois, which is good and bad. It's good if you're looking for noise terror even more extreme (and barely identifiable as emanating from vinyl), as in Tétrault's duo with guitarist René Lussier. But it's bad if you got attached to Des pas's more traditional "quoting," although you can find some of that on his cut-ups of opera icon Maria Callas's recordings, with clarinettist Robert M. Lepage. Both 7/10 (Chris Yurkiw) René Lussier, Martin Tétrault, Robert M. Lepage and others jam at the Jazz Festival July 9-11. Musée d'art contemporain. 8 p.m. $12 Various MO'FUNK Collection (Mo'Funk) Soul Crib, Jazz Pharmacy, One Step Beyond and Rumba Calzada are among the Canadian jazz-funk elite who assemble on this compilation. I was happily surprised to find this a more groove-based collection with the familiar head of electronica keeping a low profile. The nasty, grimy vibe of Soul Crib's "Arachnid" spearheads an impressive bunch of bands who are hanging onto the funk with a firm grip. 8/10 (Scott C) Jazz Pharmacy play the launch, Friday, July 10, at Swimming, 10 p.m. $3 Various Wap100: We Are Reasonable People (Warp Records/Nice Music)
It's been nine years since Warp released their first single, "Track With No Name," out of their home in Sheffield, England. Since then, they have become the Encyclopedia Britannica of techno music for punters around the world. Their 100th single is a compilation of unreleased tunes from acts old and new, highlighted by Squarepusher/AFX, Autechre, Nightmares on Wax, Broadcast and new label-mates Plone. Even at 100, Warp still kicks ass! 9/10 (Spunky Balboa)
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