The Murder City Devils In Name and Blood (Sub Pop/Scratch)
Iggy Pop Live in NYC (King Biscuit Flower Hour)
Motley Crue New Tattoo (Motley/Beyond/EMI)
Easy Mo Bee Now or Never: Odyssey 2000 (Virgin/EMI) If I had to name one guy who managed to make himself a name as a respected producer without a whole lot of fanfare, it would be Easy Mo Bee. For 10 years, the guy has worked with everyone from P.E. to Biggie but always took a comfortable back seat to the MCs' more lyrical personalities. This is his first complete project as a headliner, and he works the formula on Raekwon, Gangstarr and Sauce Money for an interesting "odyssey" of a few dope tracks, some mediocre sliders and some stinkers. Bee even gets goofy and raps on a track produced by his brother LG, something I could have done without, now or ever. 7/10 (Scott C)
Kinnie Starr Tune-Up (Violet Inch Records)
EncoreSelf Preservation (75Ark/Outside) Encore is part of a slew of more than competent MCs based out of the Bay Area, a fact that allows him to rap with insight and eyes-open consciousness. Unfortunately, his first solo album is somehow... subdued. With the Architect manning the production tasks, I was expecting just a little bit more from this otherwise dynamic duo. E shines bright on tracks like "Love & Hate" and "Takin' It," but overall, the record never really gets to the place that it really should, opting for a more low-key feel throughout. 7.5/10 (Scott C)
The Urbanauts Stereotonic (Wikkid/Dep)
Carl Cox Mixed Live at Crobar Nightclub, Chicago (Moonshine/Koch) To christen their latest DJ-mix series, Moonshine has enlisted the world-famous mixing skills of techno's answer to Paul Oakenfold, U.K. mega-DJ Carl Cox, and captured a dose of Carl live (of course) at Chicago's Crobar nightclub. This latest volume of mix CDs from Moonshine (leaders of DJ mix CD market) is aimed at "re-establishing the DJ as the rock star of tomorrow." Um, right. At any rate, for Carl's mix microphones were placed around the club to record crowd reaction and vibe, so throughout the 73 minutes of pounding techno you also hear screaming and cheering, ergo the Mixed Live part. A hundred per cent adrenaline. 7.5/10 (Krista)
Sean Deason Allegory and Metaphor (Intuit-Solar) Originally a graphic designer with a roster of clients, including A Guy Called Gerald, Carl Craig and Def Jam records, Detroit native Sean Deason hooked up with pioneers like Richie Hawtin and Kenny Larkin, who helped him nurture his production skills in the early '90s. Before long he had started his own label, Matrix, and was producing for others like Studio K7, Distance and Generator. Allegory and Metaphor is Deason's second full-length effort, an album of hidden, symbolic meanings and implied comparisons. It's typically Detroit-sounding, all atmospheric keys and soundtrack-esque riffs. 7/10 (Krista)
Jodie Resther Real (Aquarius) If it weren't for references to local spots like NDG and Little Burgundy, the fact that up-and-coming R&B vocalist Jodie Resther is Montreal talent wouldn't be obvious. Resther and her producers have tailored an album that is indistinguishable from similar American talent: think Shanice or Brandy. For her part, Resther delivers superior vocals that work best over slow jams like "I Will" and "All You Mean to Me is Everything." Not particularly original, but a pretty solid effort nevertheless. 7.5/10 (Gerard Dee)
Beenie Man Art & Life (Virgin) The man known as the "gals dem sugar" returns this month with his latest, in what I think is a safe attempt to duplicate the magical happenings that made "Who Am I?" his calling card in '97. Beenie Man has also decided, for some reason, to let wayward Fugee Wyclef get his hooks into a piece of this record, with mixed results. Yeah, they play well off of each other, but I can't help feeling like it's a corny chemistry at best. Other guests on this album include the lithe and lovely Maia, singing on a song called--you guessed it--"Girls Dem Sugar." This album is right on time for Bennie Man fans, but it's no Many Moods of Moses. 6.5/10 (Scott C)
Michael Nyman Wonderland (Virgin/EMI) A new Nyman soundtrack is always a notable event, even when the wily English neo-classicist opts for the staid, straightforward route. This effort, for the Michael Winterbottom film about a bunch of people doing stuff in London, carries none of the sneaky wit found in Nyman's Greenaway scores or the Damon Albarn collaboration Ravenous. Regardless, Nyman's potent, methodical compositions always fall perfectly into place, and there's a few here which demand compulsive repeat play. 7/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
The Herbie Nichols Project Dr. Cyclops' Dream (Soul Note) Nichols was a marvellous pianist/composer who died in 1963. If it weren't for the reissues of some of his few recordings and the attention paid to him by Roswell Budd, Buell Neidlinger, Misha Mengelberg and this sextet led by pianist Frank Kimbrough, his music might well have been forgotten. This newest CD has "the project" tackling a dozen Nichols compositions, five of which are heard here for the first time. The leader, Ron Horton, and Ted Nash, Michael Blake, Ben Allison and Tim Horner are to be commended for another excellent outing. 9.5/10 (Len Dobbin)
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As they did twice for Japan and then again for their own native Germany, Berlin's Bungalow boys now do for the rest of Europe. They call it clubpop, you can call it neo-pop, reconstituted hyper-pop, retrofuturist post-kitsch ultra-pop or whatever you want, but nobody susses it out, selects it and compiles it like Holger and Marcus. Artists from France (Katerine, Bertrand Burgalat), Holland (Arling & Cameron), Sweden (Komeda) and Germany again (Dauerfisch) join a dozen others in contributing light-but-solid entries into the genre. Tracks like "A Simple Formality" by Komeda, Andrei Zueff's "No Name Rock 'n' Roll" and Shy's "Theme From 'A Summer Place'" shine through as high points of an already excellent comp. 9/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
Their first record Empty Bottles, Broken Hearts was a bit of a disappointment after the hype and it seems that this seven-member ensemble still aren't livin' up to it--but they are getting closer. Spencer Moody's ravaged throat is right on the money and the sweeping cheap organ really pumps, but there's just no chorus to hang your hat on. They must be commended for not just revamping the same ol' rock riffs and kind of amping up the Gun Club sound, but when the high point is a cover of Neil Diamond's "I'll Come Running," you know you're in trouble. 6.5/10 (Johnson Cummins)
During Iggy's most nihilistic period (entire Stooges discography, Lust for Life etc.), the guy was simply unbeatable. This 1986 concert has got all the hits, like "I Got a Right," "Down on the Street," and "I Wanna Be Your Dog," but the godfather of punk shows a bit too much restraint and control as he begins working with a net. Guitarist Andy McCoy (from Hanoi Rocks) is no James Williamson or Ron Asheton and makes what should be a barrage of glorious noise sound tired and limp. Unfortunately, when Iggy croons "Gimme Danger," it comes across like an idle threat. The songs "Real Wild Child" and "Blah Blah Blah" seem like mild slaps in the face instead of the healthy kick in the teeth he was delivering when he straddled the edge of the abyss. 6/10 (Johnson Cummins)
All the bets were on for this being industrial nue-metal, but alas, it's the same old riffs, with lyrics loaded with sexual double entendres and references to "partyin', dude." Does that make it good, though? Well, not exactly, but it's a hell of a lot better that Nikki Sixx's project 58 and I don't think we even need to bring up Tommy Lee's Methods of Mayhem. In fact, Lee's absence from the Cruee isn't even noticed, and I'll admit, they do muster up a pretty passable version of the Tubes' "White Punks on Dope." If you liked them then, you'll like 'em now, and if you never liked 'em there's good cover song on it! 6/10 (Johnson Cummins)
This multi-genre, multiculti trip-hip-hop-pop is sure to be a favourite of chichi restaurants and boutiques, perhaps finally knocking that Moby CD off constant rotation. Kinnie Starr's self-produced sophomore album has a good groove and some intricate electronic textures that demand attention. Unfortunately, much of the disc is just what you'd expect from a hairy-legged, tree-hugging, B.C. hippy child. Some of my best friends are Tori Amos fans, but pretentious, self-indulgent, pseudo-feminist, pseudo-intellectual posturing has never really been my bag. And the anti-tampon message in the booklet just pushes it over the edge. Come on, now. 6/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)
These local racket-raisers have been refining their rock/rap/rave composite for a few years now, and can be proud of the results if this debut CD is any indication. The thing about this sound is, for all its dynamism and steady energy (ideal for car-race video games and live-action Saturday nite imitations thereof), it can come off rather superficial. The Urbanauts stave that off with some weightier, more thoughtful touches in the melodies and arrangements, without ever really derailing the momentum. They've been getting the live-show thing down pat too, so keep both an eye and an ear out for these guys in the coming months. 8/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)