Meshell Ndegéocello Bitter (Warner)
Blinker the Star August Everywhere (DreamWorks/Universal) Having survived the carnivorous Universal-PolyGram merger, Jordan Zadorozny joins Rufus Wainwright as another (adopted) Montrealer on the well-financed DreamWorks label. A disciple of Cobain and Mascis when he was a neophyte, the kid from Pembroke, Ont. has gone from regional breakout to Hole co-writer (via his days with Auf der Maur/Tinker) to resident Los Angeleno, and his (band's) third album shows him softly superior to Corgan or Love when it comes to reinvigorating post-grunge rock with strings and classicist pop. Recommended if you like the orch-rock of the last Flaming Lips, or Eric Matthews. 8/10 (Chris Yurkiw) With Super Furry Animals on Tues., Sept. 21 at Cabaret
The Firebird Project Feel Alright (The Mintaka Conspiracy) Local label the Mintaka Conspiracy host Chicago's Firebird Project again (their first 7" was also on M.C.). Featuring members of Braid, the Firebird Project is exactly that--a project. But the outcome is surprisingly realized, considering this 6-song EP was conceived and written in nine days. "South Shore Drive" harkens back to early Jawbox singles, "Leaving Barcelona" has all the emotional impact of Sunny Day Real Estate and "The Fall of the West" gets the Fugazi groove treatment. Angst has never been so goddamn catchy. 8/10 (Johnson Cummins)
Various Megaded: A Tribute to Megadeth (Dwell)
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'Tis the season to be bitter. First an obviously lovesick Mary J. drops the album of her career, now here comes an equally battered Meshell with yet another stunning effort, one totally different from her previous work. Where '96's brilliant Peace Beyond Passion was a funky, topical melodrama, Bitter is simply drama, and not the good kind. Clearly writing out of pain, Ndegéocello delivers 12 songs about trust, betrayal and the price paid for love gone wrong. This mainly acoustic set rarely rises above the mid-tempo rhythm of "Satisfy" or the pleading "Loyalty," yet it is an album of moods, perhaps none so striking as the mesmerizing "Beautiful." Bitterness provides fuel for the sweetest spot of all. 9/10 (Gerard Dee)
As guessed, Megaded completely blows. All versions are pretty much Xeroxes of the originals, with more death vocals and a fraction of the recording budget. The idea of a Kiss tribute, on the other hand, makes good sense. Unfortunately, this is the fifth one. All of the classics are butchered by a bevy of nameless death metal bands. The unlikely inclusion of "The Oath," from the conceptual flop The Elder, and the often-overlooked "Strange Ways" (covered by Vile) is interesting, but you'll inevitably be slapping your noggin, saying, "Whadda waste o' time." Even diehard fans of Megadeth and Kiss should avoid at all costs. Megaded 3/10, Kiss of Death 4.5/10 (Johnson Cummins)