Various Ego Trip's The Big Playback (Rawkus/Virgin)
The Makers Rock Star God (Sub Pop) It seems that the Makers have now completely shed their garage rock skins by releasing a two-record, 55-minute conceptual effort with more in common with Ziggy Stardust, the Sweet's Desolation Boulevard or Rocky Horror Picture Show than, say, Let Them Eat Pussy. The stars are in their eyes right from the get-go as they glam it up with Jagger vocals, saxophones, harmonica, electric pianos etc. Strings intermingle with fuzzed-out guitars on "God's Playing Favorites," while "I'm a Concrete Wall" modernizes the unlikely pairing of the Creation and Screamin' Jay Hawkins. Ultimately, this will offer more to Britpop nuts than fans of their previous work on Estrus, but the Makers are the real deal, modern rock stars and a lot more listenable than to the current owners of the crown, Oasis. 9/10 (Johnson Cummins) At Jailhouse Rock on Tues., May 16 The Queers Beyond the Valley... (Hopeless)
Bad Religion The New America (Atlantic/WEA)
Steffie Shock Presque Rien
Echoboy Volume One (Mute)
Dusty Trails Dusty Trails self-titled (Atlantic/Warner)
My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult A Crime For All Seasons (RykoPalm/Outside) Last time I heard from these guys was on the soundtrack to the only Crow movie that mattered, the first one. With "After the Flesh" as a reference point, I can say that they've added more techno to their style, which hasn't evolved much otherwise. MLWTTKK is your above-average spacey/quirky technorock band that uses samples, synths, nasty guitar and decent breakbeat loops as well as other crazy effects and sounds to unhinge the comfy. It's a fun album, if you don't mind cheesy, over-the-top antics--check out the raunchy ridiculousness of "Lucifer's Flowers." You'll like this if you're in one of those melodramatic moods and aren't taking yourself too seriously. Lucifer knows, the Kult ain't. 7/10 (Lateef Martin)
Various 2001: A Rhyme Odyssey (Guidance/Fusion III) Even before John Coxon and Ashley Wales got signed to Island and helped make a clubby drum & bass fit into an album-formatted world, the London duo hinted that they were genre transgressionists with a bent for the experiment. Their '95 debut There Are Strings tapped samples from Miles Davis to Arvo Paert, but on Treader (and back on an indie) the Jacks dispense with nods and winks to go full-blown post-rock (neo-electroacoustic, even)--steely soundscrapes, orchestral outbursts and a "1st Piece For La Monte Young" included. Which doesn't mean they forsake a base of driving d&b, although that is pretty much out the window by the time you get to the companion Oddities, which climaxes with the Victoriaville-worthy "Piece For Six Turntables." Don't be put off: give 'piece' a chance. Both 8.5/10 (Chris Yurkiw)
Spring Heel Jack Treader (Thirsty Ear)
Spring Heel Jack Oddities (Thirsty Ear)
Various Sky Dancing: Nada Masala Vol. 1 (Interchill/Outside) What I really like about Interchill's comps is that they're always within the parameters of the label's electro-balm aesthetic, and at the same time, each is distinctly its own thing. Take their latest, compiled by Japan's Gio Makyo (who contributes the opening track). Built around the 30-minute centrepiece, the astral travelogue of Professor Trance's "Medicine Trance," the set gathers like minds from Asia, Europe and right here (Adam Shaikh remixes "Arc en Ciel" by his own Drift project). Always easy on the ears--and third eye--but never new-age wallpaper, the stuff is a tonic, calming and invigorating at the same time. 8.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) Launch party with Freeworm and DJs at Tokyo on Wed., May 17, 6pm-3am, $5
Donell JonesWhere I Wanna Be
Larry CoryellNew High (HighNote/Fusion III) (Atlantic/Warner)
Jimmy PonderAin't Misbehavin' (HighNote/Fusion III)
Two very together and very different guitarists--Coryell is pretty much his own man while Ponder has been listening to Wes Montgomery. The former is mostly originals with Ronnie Mathews on piano and newcomer Shunzo Ono on trumpet, while the latter consists of mostly standards--great support here by John Hicks' trio plus the tenor of Don Braden. A toss-up; both are very musical outings. Both 8/10 (Len Dobbin)
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You can always count on Ego Trip to come correct when it's time to talk serious about hip hop. Not "serious" in the literal sense, but just a crazy knowledge about the roots and beginnings that are so quickly forgotten these days. This is a great compilation of songs I'm sure most people haven't even heard but may know in a roundabout way. The double payoff with this record is the wicked liner notes that include all the cool inside bits and anecdotes that we all love to hear about. This comp is, of course, a companion to Ego Trip's Book of Rap Lists that came out last year, digging up some greats that have an importance all their own. Joints from the Bizzie Boys, MC Mitchski and Lord Shafiyq make this the nicest bunch of jams that you never heard. 10/10 (Scott C)
Holy fuck, this is fucking good fucking punk fucking rock. Fuckin' punk fuckin' rock titles like "I Just Called To Say Fuck You," "Journey to the Center of Your Empty Fucking Skull," "Stupid Fucking Vegan," "Beyond the Valley of the Assfuckers" and, of course, the tender ballad "My Cunt is a Fucking Cunt," set to tunes that are like the fucking Ramones or the fucking Beach Boys or something, fuck. Finally, a band that fuckin' speaks to me, ya fuckin' know what I mean? Unfuckingbelievable! Fuck happens! Fuckity fuck fuck fuck! 8/10 (Johnson Fuckin' Cummins)
Hardcore's heavy hitters are back again with their umpteenth record, with the unlikely Todd Rundgren manning the production helm. If you're expecting the same old same old from these forty-something punkers, you've come to the right place. Melodic tunes are still at an uptempo beat with their trademark multi-layered harmonies but it seems Mr. Rundgren has filed down all of the rough areas a little bit too much and castrated all balls in sight. Perhaps a weak attempt to finally break out of their punk ghetto, the songs are devoid of any personality and show no growth at all. The New America shows a tired and uninspired band going through the motions again. In a nutshell, this sounds like Journey taking a stab at punk. 5/10 (Johnson Cummins)
The Gainsbourg comparisons are inevitable, not so much because of the whipsmart wordplay and stylish ease of this local newcomer's delivery as because his accent's so trans-Atlantic. In today's episode, Mr. Shock finds himself basking in mirrorball refractions of a sort of Shibuya vibe, detailed pop embellishments minus any garish plasti-kitsch. This is a rock album, though, when all's said and done, just cleverly decorated/disguised. Remarkable stuff--can we get a show, please? 8/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
This second album by British act Echoboy (aka ex-Hybirds singer Richard Warren) is what I imagine heroin to be like: moments of euphoria followed by lengthy, zoned-out analyses of your shoes or some equally banal scenery. Effects-laden guitars, mournful strings, piercing beats and new-agey nonsense compete for time on this one-man-machine opus. Borrowing heavily from '70s German bands Can and Neu (Krautrock acts frequently name-dropped by the likes of Blur, Stereolab, Add N to X) as well as Kraftwerk, Echoboy wallows in the downbeat, only coming up for air on the Joy Division-esque "Kit and Holly." A good listen, just pack a noose with your needle. 7.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)
Tony Toca: DJ, producer, MC, b-boy. There's a lot of people who claim to represent all aspects of the culture, but few who can back it up. Tony Touch is that guy, and apparently well-liked at that. Spanglin' from track to track, Tony is joined by Mobb Deep, Heltah Skeltah, Cypress Hill and Wu Tang as well as getting production help from Primo. The "Diaz Bros" joint with Doo Wop got this record bubbling, and it has enough strong songs to do well going into summer. 7/10 (Scott C)
Even before John Coxon and Ashley Wales got signed to Island and helped make a clubby drum & bass fit into an album-formatted world, the London duo hinted that they were genre transgressionists with a bent for the experiment. Their '95 debut There Are Strings tapped samples from Miles Davis to Arvo Paert, but on Treader (and back on an indie) the Jacks dispense with nods and winks to go full-blown post-rock (neo-electroacoustic, even)--steely soundscrapes, orchestral outbursts and a "1st Piece For La Monte Young" included. Which doesn't mean they forsake a base of driving d&b, although that is pretty much out the window by the time you get to the companion Oddities, which climaxes with the Victoriaville-worthy "Piece For Six Turntables." Don't be put off: give 'piece' a chance. Both 8.5/10 (Chris Yurkiw)
The title track from Donell Jones' sophomore effort is on the money: a heartfelt, folksy ballad that avoids being mushy. It's the kind of balance that Jones strives for and achieves on most tracks on this stellar release. The monster jam "U Know What's Up," with TLC's Lisa "Left Eye" Lopez, is only one of many standouts. The sexy, slow groove of "Shorty (Got Her Eyes on Me)" will work on the streets and mainstream radio, and "When I Was Down" builds surprisingly well on Curtis Mayfield's classic "Freddie's Dead." No doubt, Donell clearly knows what's up. 8/10 (Gerard Dee)