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More tales from the dark side of the bottle, this time with a double shot of lapsed-Christian self-loathing. Down two Israeli members, Firewater ditch the bastardized Balkan vibe of their first, Get Off the Cross... This one's as American as apple pie (with shards of glass baked in). A grueling mash-up of jazz, country, gospel and marches, sullied at times by annoying rockism. Here's a game: have a shot of whiskey every time you hear the words "drunk," "remorse," "Jesus" or "Satan." 8/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) With the Delmarva Scheme at Jailhouse Rock on Tuesday, October 13, 9pm, $7 Elvis Costello With Burt Bacharach Painted From Memory (Mercury/PolyGram) So Elvis #2 inaugurates his new deal with Mercury Records with a dream collaboration--at least for those who've been giving latter-day props to the late '60s, easy-listening heyday of master songwriter and arranger Burt Bacharach. And Burt doesn't disappoint--he brings it all back: heart-tugging strings, bits of bah-bah brass, sparkling piano, female chorus. But Costello's vocal lines seem overwrought compared to the breezy ease of Bacharach's melodies. Nice legs--shame about the face. 7/10 (Chris Yurkiw) Lyle Lovett Step Inside This House (Curb/Universal)
Not only does Lovett look like he's taken his share of whoopins from the ugly stick, but he may actually have asked for seconds. On the other hand, he could sing the phone book and make a grown man cry. On his latest double CD, Lovett forgoes songwriting and takes a crack at some of his favourite Texan tunes: "Flyin' Shoes," "Highway Kind" and the Nashvile-goes-Tinseltown "Bears." C&W super-sessionmen like Jerry Douglas and Victor Krauss add extra glimmer to this already well-polished tribute. 8.5/10 (Johnson "Pretty Boy" Cummins)
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Black Star Self-titled (Rawkus)
Stepping in a direction rarely explored, the team of Mos Def and Talib Kweli have produced one of the most personal journeys into the tainted world of hip hop since ATCQ's People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm. This album breathes knowledge of self/self-determination, as Kweli speaks from his soul to black people everywhere about the victories and the struggles. Mos Def billows lyrical confidence and nicely complements Kweli's wiser tone, while DJ Hi-Tek and Shawn J. Period bring some much-needed musicality back to the production table. Using depth and perception, these two may singlehandedly open the eyes of a new hip hop constituency. 9/10 (Scott C)
Firewater The Ponzi Scheme (Cherry/Universal)