Danny Tenaglia Back to Mine (Ultra/DMC)
Martyr Warp Zone (Warfare Records) This Québécois quartet have taken what was laid down by Voivod on the breakthrough Dimension Hatross record and brought technical death metal to the next level. The guitar work of Daniel Mongrain shows him at the top of his game and the time changes are tighter than a chicken's ass in a hail storm [Music ed. note: What!?]. Most run-of-the-mill power metal bands would get a brain hemorrhage just trying to keep up with the skill and proficiency laid down here. According to the press release, the lyrics are about "exploration with one's life, evolution, transitions, self-questionings and reflections," but when things are this heavy who really gives a fuck what the guy is screaming about. 8.5/10 (Johnson Cummins) Launch at Foufs with Ghoulunatics and Spelldown on Friday, May 5, 7pm, $10
Les Rita Mitsouko Cool Frenesie (Virgin/EMI) Fans have spent the last half of this deranged French duo's 15-year career waiting for the follow-up to Système D (the Concert Privé unplugged number notwithstanding). Well, here it is, and worth the wait. Intact is the fascinating Rita sensibility, singer Catherine Ringer's neurotic theatricality playing at weird angles off guitarist Fred Chichin's self-conscious, multi-temporal pop/rock scenarios. Dig the faux disco of the title track, the medieval fanfare of "Femme de Moyen Age" or the hyperkinetic "Allo!" and understand this: les Ritas have ridden the flow of time by never really being "of their time," but somewhere all their own. 8/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
Elliott Smith Figure 8 (DreamWorks/Universal) Neither his demised indie-rock band nor an acoustic solo start really suited Elliott Smith, but Mr. Misery found both himself and an audience on the lush, hushed, Anglophilic pop of his '98 DreamWorks debut XO. No surprise then that the follow-up plays like a p.s. to XO: same Bong Load production team, same brittle piano sound, maybe slightly heavier on the electric guitar. But despite the odd melodic epiphany, these 16 songs play off XO's a little too much; minor-keyed contrast pieces to the former major ones. Suggestion: shuffle it in a multidisc changer with XO for two hours of melancholia. Figure 8 only skates a 7/10. (Chris Yurkiw)
Reggie and the Full Effect Promotional Copy (Heroes and Villains/Vagrant) Novelty records, for the most part, are usually heartbreak at every turn, with a short shelf life to boot. Let me know how that Bloodhound Gang record that you used to love stands up in a month and I think you'll get my gist. Reggie is definitely in it for the yuks, but it's his dedication to saccharine-coated pop that makes repeated listens a real payoff. These schizophrenic pop hits manage to make the unlikely combination of Tommy Tutone, NWA, Goldie and Slayer work and this is before he even gets to a chorus. Given the radio friendliness of Promotional Copy, this should be battling it out with the big boys of the airwaves, because Reggie's more than ready. 8/10 (Johnson Cummins)
Elastica The Menace (Deceptive/import) Five years after their eponymous debut, Elastica have coughed up another stunning, feline furball, albeit available here only as an import. Balancing tight 'n' catchy energy with moody, smacked-out introspection, The Menace is clearly related to its predecessor but is fresh enough to dispel any "forced contractual obligation" buzz (granted, connoisseurs will already know half the songs). The new wave influences remain--covering Trio's "Da Da Da" and featuring the Fall's Mark E. Smith on "How He Wrote Elastica Man" are the obvious examples--but retro synths and spare contemporary beats set the familiar pop-punk alight. Detractors beware, British sleaze-rock is alive and well. 9/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)
Various Gothic Sanctuary (Attic/Oasis) Hailing from the heyday of goth comes this compilation from Toronto's Savage Garden club DJ, Paul Samuals, aka DJ Lord Pale. Goth is the only genre lately that seems to stick with the good ol' days--we're talking from roughly '79 to the mid-'80s. All the staples are here; you may not recognize the title or even the band, but by all that is dark you know the lyrics by heart. "I Walk The Line" from Alien Sex Fiend, "Love Like Blood" care of Killing Joke, "Bela Lugosi's Dead" from Bauhaus as well as tracks from its offspring Tones on Tail and Love and Rockets. Of course, the Cult could not be forgotten, nor could Skinny Puppy. Too drunk to leave the house and sway in the shadows of your fave club? Slap this in. 8/10 (Lateef Martin)
Shazz self-titled (Saint George/Sony) This sleek, suave debut from the man from the North of France with only one name is a house purist's wet dream, rife with the sound of deep, jazz-inspired house, at once heavenly and sinfully sexy. And it's no wonder. Shazz (aka Choice, Soofle) has been hanging with the crème de la crème of the Parisian deep-house crew (St. Germain, Laurent Garnier) and nurturing his passion for producing mid-tempo coital house since 1986. Simply irresistible. 9/10 (Krista)
Various TranceFormed: a Tribute to Madonna (Colossal/Oasis) The "tribute album" is one small step up from the "tribute band"--even in its early-'90s prime a hackneyed device the mainstream picked up from indie rock to flaunt creative bankruptcy. Fortunately, this isn't one of those "tributes." Unfortunately, it is merely mollified "trance" versions (trance itself being one small step up from Hi-NRG cheese) of Maddy songs from "Borderline" through "Ray Of Light," done up by two U.S. producer-arrangers and a posse of Madonna-be vocalists with names like Dannie and Coco. You could probably find the exact same songs on the real Madonna's remix EPs. Still, a real '90s-style "tribute" to Madtronica from dance types would be fun (and deserved). Any takers? 5/10 (Chris Yurkiw)
Common Like Water For Chocolate (MCA/Universal) "Why you got to act like a nigga all the time?/Is a nigga your complexion or is it all in your mind?" Still bucking the conventional MC's penchant to talk about the same old shit, Common's newest treads boldly and consciously into the world of the hip hop paradox. Here he takes his own personal flaws, as well a wide-angle look at how impersonal the industry has become, and serves it up on a challenging lyrical platter. Some fans of Com's previous partner No I.D. may scoff at the Jay Dee-produced, Roots-influenced musicality of this release, but it's got heart and soul. Although much has changed since "Can I Borrow a Dollar?" Common has done nothing but progress over the course of all four of his albums. 8.5/10 (Scott C)
Pink AND Tamar -- Can't Take Me Home (BMG) AND Self-titled (Universal) And the latest entries in the tough-but-sexy-as-hell competition: Toni Braxton's baby sis, Tamar, and L.A. Reid & Babyface protegé, Pink. The most noteworthy thing about these two releases: further proof that music can be good and still not distinctive. Both women have a slew of producers in their corners (Babyface and Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs riding shotgun for Pink, Jermain Dupri and Tim & Bob on side for Tamar) who do their jobs of keeping the radio-friendly jams flowing. And each album has its highlights, Pink being effectively seductive on the slow jam "Let Me Let You Know," Tamar turning a funky phrase on "Get None." But, ethnicity aside, both these starlets are pretty much interchangeable, which is exactly the point about so much new music: ain't bad, but who is this again? Whatever, I guess it's all pink on the inside. Pink 7.5/10, Tamar 7/10 (Gerard Dee)
Bebel Gilberto Tanto Tempo (Six Degrees/Outside) As the direct descendant of bossa nova royalty (mom 'n' pop Astrud and Joao), one would have high expectations for this proper debut album by 32-year-old Bebel Gilberto. She shoulders the burden of her legacy rather casually though, balancing classic sambas from the day with bossatronic baubles of today (Amon Tobin, Thievery Corp., Suba and Mario Caldato Jr. all help out). Clearly cut out for the Euro and the Yankee buck, Tanto Tempo may compromise a certain degree of emotional depth, true, but that's not to say it isn't a lush, lovely and relaxing listen. 8/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
Dave Douglas Soul on Soul (RCA Victor/BMG)
With Freddie Hubbard and Tom Harrell suffering with lip problems, perhaps Douglas' time has come. This is the debut on a major label for the 37-year-old, New Jersey-born trumpet player. He juxtaposes nine of his memorable compositions with four by the great Mary Lou Williams. The inventive Chris Speed is also here, along with Greg Tardy and Joshua Roseman and a rhythm team of Uri Caine, James Genus and Joey Baron. Superb, accessible, cutting-edge music! 9.5/10 (Len Dobbin)
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Painstakingly picked by the golden hand of Danny Tenaglia from his collection of over 15,000 records, (just imagine what his bedroom must look like) Back to Mine is one of the most personal sets he's ever put together. If you're hoping for a deliciously dark and sweaty Danny-in-the-main-room-at-4 a.m. experience, you won't be getting it here. What you get instead is a moment at home with Danny, after the party's over and he's just chillin' out and listening to some feelgood tunes. Except that for the purposes of this CD he's taken the liberty of throwing his picks into some sequencing software and doing some distinctly Danny re-edits that bring out the hard and soul of every track and make those little hairs on the back of your neck stand up. Herbert, CeCe Peniston and Roy Ayers never sounded so good. 10/10 (Krista)