Turbonegrom Darkness Forever
(Bitzcore) This German import is sadly the last documentation of these now-legendary Norwegian gay rockers. Recorded in '98 at a show in Hamburg and their last show ever in their home town of Oslo, Turbonegro deliver all of the anthems that span their lengthy career, like "The Midnight NAMBLA," "Sailor Man," "Rendezvous With Anus," "Rock Against Ass," "I Got Erection" and the explosive "Good Head." The non-stop onslaught of fuel-injected rock is razor-sharp, and a German audience chanting, "I got erection," before the band launches into AC/DC's "Thunder," is one of rock's crowning moments. For those about to suck cock, we salute you--you will be sorely missed. 9/10 (Johnson Cummins) Elevator A Taste of Complete Perspective (Teenage USA)
The Flames Fast Easy Cheap (Joetown) Taking their cues from some of the giants of American sleazerock--MC5, Joan Jett, the Ramones--this Connecticut-based trio packs their debut with big riffs and song titles like "Real Cool Bad Guy" and "Love Hog." They say that God is in the details, and the occasional holy falsetto, handclaps and melodic twists rescue this album from the true depths of one-track cock rock. With a pop edge, Brit-glam overtones and a (bad) touch of hair metal, the Flames fit in quite nicely with the One-976/Robin Black set. Get out your leather pants, sequined cowboy hats and beers, everyone. It's that kind of party. 7.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) At Club Zone on Fri., Sept. 29
The Hellacopters Payin' the Dues + Live (Sub Pop)
After the Hellacopters' disappointing Grande Rock, Sub Pop have reissued the rock classic Payin' the Dues, and to make it worth your while this time around, have included the bonus of a 1999 show in Vancouver--and what a bonus! The real highlight here is hearing Scott Morgan (Sonic's Rendezvous Band, Hydromatics, the Rationals) join these Swedes on stage for killer renditions of his own "City Slang" and "Downright Blue." If you didn't like the production of their last couple of outings, these live versions of "Action de Grace" and "Disappointment Blues" will deliver all the raunch you'll ever need. 9/10 (Johnson Cummins)
Madonna Music (Maverick/Warner) It's fair to say that new material from the Material Girl invariably rides the bell curve of contemporary pop like a rodeo bronco, nailing the zeitgeist if not predicting it. What's predictable here are things like the vocodered vocals and adult-contemporary house (so Cher), but these lead to the French touch of new producer Mirwais Ahmadzaï, whose Parisian particularities clash enticingly with the cowgirl chic of the packaging. While there's enough mediocre tracks here (e.g. the appropriately titled "Nobody's Perfect"), and former right-hand man William Orbit has insisted on hanging around for a few shitty numbers, Madonna never fails to toss in a winner or two per disc. This time it's the electro-&-western coolness of "Don't Tell Me" and the catchy "What It Feels Like for a Girl," harkening back to the good ol' days of Benitez and "Borderline." 7/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
Shyne self-titled (Bad Boy/BMG) This right here is some shit that I can't even believe. I don't know who this kid is but he sounds like the poster boy for MCs who want to get on, but just don't have anything about their style that sets them apart from the next guy. Next question: who the hell signed this guy? Shyne at best tries to emulate the "connection" that DMX has with his dogs without even coming close to sounding like a guy who has one ounce of sincerity in his body. With lines like, "The greatest rappers of all time/Jay-Z/Biggie and Shyne," this dude better learn the difference between shit and Shyneola real quick. 5/10 (Scott C)
LL Cool Jr The G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time) (DefJam2000) (Righteous Babe/Festival) While we're on the topic of the greatest rapper of all time, James Todd Smith, aka LL, has decided for all of us that he is in fact the esteemed holder of this lofty title. I'll admit that while this record may not exactly illustrate said merits to the level that you would expect from "the Greatest," LL has had his lyrical moments in the past. Most of them in the distant past. If you're one of those girls who've been holding on to LL forever, this record is for you and nobody else. Check the F.L.O.A.T.--Foolish Lyrics, Old and Tired. 7/10 (Scott C)
Various Xen Cuts (Ninja Tune/Outside) It's a decade now since Coldcut initiated their indie empire Ninja Tune, 10 years of daring, creative and thoughtfully selected music buttressed by solid politics, warped humour and cool techno-treats. Rather than celebrate with a "best of" deal, they've done right by the faithful and scrounged up three CDs worth of oddities, obscurities and unreleased shit from their roster (Kid Koala, Amon Tobin, Up, Bustle & Out, DJ Vadim, Roots Manuva--the list goes on). Recent forays into CD-ROM fun, Internet broadcasting and even print publishing (where do I plug this thing in?) suggests that the first 10 years were for momentum. Here's to the next 10, full speed ahead. 8/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
Mocean Worker Aural & Hearty (Palm Pictures/Outside) The second album from New Yorker Adam Dorn finds him moving on from his drum & bass debut to hosting a guided tour of the current club-sound scene. The son of noted jazz producer Joel Dorn, Adam knows his way around a studio, and pulls off more than mere mimicry as he gives trance, Frenchy house, big beat and Latin neo-lounge the ol' college try. The humour and personality he injects make each effort distinctly his own. The winners, though, are the absurdly funky "Hey Baby" and the downtempo spy groove of "Velvet Black Sky." Going through the motions, Mocean Worker is not. 8.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
Buscemi Our Girl in Havana (Downsall Plastics/Fusion III) What with all the Germans, Italians and Brits wrapping Brazilian soundz around the Euro club scene these days, could the Belgians be far behind? Well, a little, and Buscemi is indeed Belgian Dirk Swartenbroekx, who probably takes more from Bahia than Havana--despite the title--on his second album. And he takes it seriously, like in the hyper-cussive opener "Spooky Samba." But the best moments are the culturally miscegenated ones--the cabana house of "The Salon Section" and "Nightlife at 3:33" (which could easily make it onto a Break 'n' Bossa comp), or the slide from Cuba to drum & bass on "La Musica De Ayer Con El Sonido De Hoy." And a Belgian doing Brazil with an Italian-American name knows from cultural miscegenation. 7.5/10 (Chris Yurkiw)
After a successful three album run with R&B quartet Xscape, Kandi Burruss steps out on her own. Building on recent songwriting victories--most notably TLC's "No Scrubs" and Destiny Child's "Bills, Bills, Bills"--Burruss continues the male-bashing festival. Lead single "Don't Think I'm Not" is indicative of the album's recurring theme: men are dogs. Producers Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs and Poke & Tone keep the beats fresh, but Miss Kandi needs to find something else to sing about. 6.5/10 (Gerard Dee)
When Molasses mainman Scott Chernoff finally lays his weary bones to die, he should know that he will have taken a lot of trees with him. When you eventually find this CD inside several counterintuitive (if gorgeous) paper envelopes, you remember that Molasses are the quietest band in Montreal that people should be making noise about. There's a lot here in what is ostensibly a three-song mini-album: an epic nod to the hometown in "Saint Catherine (Idiot's Waltz)"--which also doubles as the stylized history of Chernoff's Doukhobor ancestors, and an even epic-er stab at "Amazing Grace," which exhausts the hymn's power. But "Lisa's Waltz"--the slowest waltz you never danced to--best takes the band's bleak-is-beautiful country barbiturate to new heights. Or is that depths? 8/10 (Chris Yurkiw)
Sonny Greenwich/Ed Bickert Days Gone By (Sackville) Two of the world's very best jazz guitarists are joined here by one of our great rhythm teams, Don Thompson and Terry Clarke. This is newly released material from a session done in '79, when Ed was 46 and Sonny 43. The divergent styles of the leaders actually make for an interesting match-up over eight tracks--Sonny's "Lily," a blues, a pair of jazz perennials ("Oleo" and "Nica's Dream") and four musically interesting standards. Recommended, especially for lovers of the jazz guitar. 9.5/10 (Len Dobbin)
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After eight long years, the woman with the supernatural voice returns with her best album to date. Her two previous efforts, the self-titled debut in '92 and '95's First Instrument, were superior contemporary jazz sets that introduced her seven-octave range. On this set, she brings the jazz sound forward, blending it effortlessly with funky rhythms worthy of Me'Shell Ndegeocello. Her subject matters are diverse: "Sista" is dedicated to friendship, "Gaia," which features the remarkable Jonathan Butler, gives props to Mother Earth, "Will You Remember Me?" is all about fidelity. The title track is as much about personal freedom as it is a reflection of Ferrell's past contract problems. With material this innovative, Ferrell makes the album title redundant. 9.5/10 (Gerard Dee)
Another record company (thanks for nothing, oh fallen Sub Pop), another name change (maybe they should have stuck with Elevator to Hell), and another CD booklet plastered with shots of a stoned-faced trio in front of desolate New Brunswick conifers and/or a recreation of the spooky-psychedelic garden in Rick White's mind. Give the lanky longhair credit for consistency (which usually includes quality, when he doesn't get too far up his vision's ass), this one's as lo-fi and epic-conceptual as ever. But one title keeps ringing: "My Library in the Weeds." Yeah, Rick: get an online life. 7/10 (Chris Yurkiw) With Tricky Woo at Foufounes Electriques on Mon., Oct. 2
Kandi Hey Kandi (Sony)
Molasses Trilogie: Toil & Peaceful Life (Fancy/Alien8)