Iggy Pop Beat 'Em Up (Virgin/EMI)
The Beta Band Hot Shots II (Virgin/EMI)
The Shins Oh, Inverted World (Sub Pop/Warner)
Burning Airlines Identikit (DeSoto)
God Forbid Determination (Century Media) Got math? You're gonna need it to decipher this blitzkrieg of spiked metal sonics. Byronde Davis is the dreadlocked beast on the mic who seems pretty pissed off as he rips his throat to shreds about a "Broken Promise," "Dead Words on Deaf Ears" and "Determination," clawing his way out of the churning chaos of über-complex progressive-hardcore speed-metal insanity. Got lost? God forbid. 8.5/10 (Lateef Martin) Declaime Andsoitisaid (Superappin/Groove Attack)
Eloi Brunelle Elsonic Project (Epsilonlab/Fusion III) Just when you thought, "there couldn't possibly be anymore great electronic music in Montreal--there's so much already," along comes local boy Eloi Brunelle with his debut album Elsonic Project to make you eat those blasphemous words. Elsonic is Brunelle's alter ego and his Project consists of 13 variations on the theme of tech-house, a collection of minimal masterpieces that will make you think of a big, juicy Kraftwerk-Hawtin-Swayzak sandwich with special sauce. Now mark these words: it won't be long before the labels come a-knocking on Brunelle's door looking to release DJ-friendly vinyl of these soon-to-be-coveted tunes. 9/10 (Krista) VariousVersatile Family Album (Versatile/Fusion III) It's true. Versatile Records have sewn themselves into the fabric of revolutionary and emotional underground music. Not satisfied with rehashing the well-trodden paths of common dance music, Versatile's extra effort in terms of originality must be duly noted. Here, the people who have made the name synonymous with next-level niceness over the last five years strut their stuff. Osunlade's now classic "Tree of Life" sits comfortably beside Gilb'r and U-Roy's "Paris Romance," while contributions from Phil Asher, Joakim, I:Cube and Tchok make you wonder what the future holds for the family and the label they call home. 8.5/10 (Scott C) Osunlade Paradigm (Soul Jazz/Nice)
Aaliyah self-titled (Blackground/EMI)
Ike Turner & the Kings of Rhythm Here and Now (Ikon/Koch) It's been a quarter century since howlin' soul goddess Tina Turner finally dumped Ike's wife-beating, coke-fiend ass, paving the way for her own massive solo success and blowing the whistle on the man's reprehensible ways--and almost that long since Ike put out a record. You'd think being tarred and feathered (and jailed, too) would teach him what humility is, but his ego remains as bloated as ever (note his label's name). Of course, this is the guy who, arguably, kickstarted rock 'n' roll with the tune "Rocket 88," dusted off here, and later gave us "Nutbush City Limits" and all that boss shit. But what do we get today? Competently played, occasionally inventive but largely bland blues rock, best suited to dime-a-wing strip-mall jock joints. Put Here and Now together, kid, and you get nowhere. 3/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
Twilight Circus Dub Sound System Volcanic Dub (M)
Michael Brecker Nearness of You: the Ballad Album (Verve/Universal) Tenorman Brecker hooks up with an all-star lineup of Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, Charlie Haden and Jack DeJohnette (and, on a pair of tracks, James Taylor) for an exquisite CD of 11 ballads. Three are standards, including "My Ship" in a Gil Evans arrangement, the others are by the leader, Metheny, Taylor, Hancock and Joe Zawinul. There's also "Nascente" by Flavio Venturini. Try the opener, Hancock's "Chan's Song." An outing to be proud of. 9.5/10 (Len Dobbin) |
With the goal of wrapping up the stormy "OPNR" trip that started with End of a Hollywood Bedtime Story, this four-track EP is equally strong song-wise, but plays itself out with far more ease and grace than its long-form predecessor. Since the title has already covered the appropriate clichés, I'll just point out the ever-present British influence (Bowie-Moz-Blur?), particularly on the opening track "Heathrow or Deathrow, and the strangely appealing, messed-up easy-listening groove on "No Return." If you're like me, you'll find this to be the shit. And you'll have no excuse not to cheer for the home team. 9.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)
Holy shit, this took the old Igster a while. After last year's folk- and spoken-word-driven Avenue B, it seemed that Iggy's lifeblood might have dried up for good. The first track here, "Mask," attacks just like in the old days and gets you ready for the maelstrom ahead. Iggy is once again dancing on the lip of nihilism with a peanut butter jar clutched in one hand and a broken bottle in the other. "Beat 'Em Up," "Death Is Certain," "It's All Shit," "Go For the Throat"--I'm tellin' ya, he's not fuckin around this time. The sinewy one is in fine form and if you miss his glory days with James Williamson and can't stand duds like "Cold Metal," then this is it. 9/10 (Johnson Cummins)
A bad Charlie Sheen sequel? Don't ask me, but this is the proper debut from these Scottish Londonites, following the compiled 3 EPs of High Fidelity fame. There's a dirty (Phish-ey?) under-taste in the sing-song vocal structures, annoying nonsense lyrics and shaggy jams, but those elements form a surprisingly small part of the equation. Relying heavily on programming, piano and empty space, the vibe is a lot more classy, structured and showered than my first impression revealed. One highlight is the album's centrepiece, "Broke," which combines an electro-organic groove with slight yet effective, emotive lyrics. Touché. 8/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)
Take Brian Wilson. Add Perry Farrell. Stir. And it's not just the vocals. These hard-working New Mexicans (formerly Flake, Flakemusic) merge the pure pop melodies and airy, near-psychedelic tone of the mid-'60s with the angular, ethereal alt-rock of the early '90s. So you've got masterfully catchy melodies, a slightly dizzy production quality laid over rhythmic guitars and spare keyboards, and deliciously abstract lyrical imagery. Some French horn, violin and harmonica fill in the gaps here and there, making for a full sound without thick, messy slabs of effects (see: shoegazing). Amazing what you can find in the desert these days. 9/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)
Airlines main man J. Robbins may never lose his indie-god status garnered during his days in Jawbox, but with his new band's second release he seems to have cleverly hidden his tracks. The discordant jangle and crafty pop know-how are still coming up for air but it seems like Robbins is on a whole new plane now. Although there are a couple of post-rock moments, no doubt about it, this is definitely a rock record where cerebral moments and pop craftiness slug it out to the bitter end. Robbins is no kid and his songwriting vision is up there with XTC's Andy Partridge (okay, maybe if Andy chugged 40 cups of coffee). 9/10 (Johnson Cummins)
I gotta say that Declaime is the first MC since Biz Markie that I can enjoy listening to even though it sounds like he's got about five marbles in his mouth most of the time. His "unique flow" has always had somewhere to go, though, thanks in part to people like Madlib, Kan Kick and Oh No, who steer the production into open water. But it's weird, because now that I listen to this, I don't know if it would be half as interesting if Lootpack, Rasco, Kazi, Medaphor, Phil Da Agony, Sauna, Taboo and my man Quasimoto hadn't stopped by to help out. Still, how you gonna play with marbles if you ain't got someone to play with, right? 7.5/10 (Scott C)
Those of you who are familiar with the releases of London reissue juggernaut Soul Jazz already know that the concept of quality in any of their projects is the number 1 consideration. It makes sense, then, that the deep, African-flavoured house vibes of New York's Osunlade make their full-length debut on a label that regularly showcases some of the most beautiful music in the world. Paradigm is indeed the perfect example of the marriage between sweeping Afrocentric rhythms and immediate dancefloor relevance, showcasing unique vocalists like Morley and growing superstar Wunmi. Osunlade earns his keep with a subtle musical touch that gradually becomes the overwhelming reason why you'll love this record. 9/10 (Scott C)
This latest one takes some getting used to. That's been the case for all of the R&B singer's three albums, and her third is no exception. This time around, master producer Timbaland shares producing duties with a host of others, including Rapture and Bud'da. "We Need a Resolution," the set's first single, is right in the Aaliyah/Timbaland pocket, complete with quirky, off-centre beats. Rapture provides more straightforward and equally enjoyable funk on tracks like "Rock the Boat" and "Those Were the Days." No doubt, this one will keep Aaliyah right in the game. 8/10 (Gerard Dee)
Mossman Vs. the World Bank (Dispensation)
Two seething chunks of neo-dub, both worth the investment. Ryan Moore's Dutch-based Twilight Circus deal (here, at least, a solo affair) has previously proven its penchant for inventive and thoughtful dub, drawing from outside the reggae sphere while capably wrangling the ghostly tracer beats and plexagonal echo-fects. Montreal dub lord Moss goes for a dirtier, more trad dub sound, abetted by the Ark of Infinity band, a host of local luminaries. Inside loping basslines big enough that they're no longer ballast but the box itself, the Ark craft a stack of firmly rooted but distinctive tracks, freaked and finessed by that boss Moss production. Despite the cool Dstrbo cover (burn, WTO, burn), the chaos is kept in check. So there you go--now your living room is a Dub Lounge, too. Twilight Circus 8/10, Mossman 9/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)