The inspiration for this disc is to provide a forum for up-and-coming artists. The result is a kick-ass compilation where new artists shine right alongside well-known performers. The "old guard" is fiercely represented: Erykah Badu does the environmental thing on the subtle "Today (Earth Song)," India.Arie's "Butterfly" is an ode to self-esteem, Jill Scott's brilliant "A Long Walk" gets a touch of jazz and Canadian homegirl Nelly Furtado provides a reality check on "Legend." Standouts among the new crop include Glen Lewis' enticing ode to male responsibility "Don't You Forget," D'Angelo sound-alike Jack Herra on "High on You" and Spanish Fly's sweet "Don't Stop." No need to search for the soul, this rich disc provides it all in abundance. 9.5/10 (Gerard Dee) Stereo Total Musique automatique (Bobsled) Another chaotic entertainment from the now two-member Stereo Total. Perhaps a little more electronic-sounding than the band's previous records, Musique automatique nonetheless retains their trademark elements: klaxons, polyglot songwriting (French, German, English and even Turkish), and weirdo covers like Charles Trenet's "Nationale 7." Watch out for "Kleptomane," a Felix Kubin collaboration with a distinctly video-gamey feel (think Dig-Dug meets Rygar). All told, an amusing treat. 8/10 (Mark Slutsky) With Momus and Lederhosen Lucil at Lion d'Or, Sun., Oct. 28, 9pm, $15
Various Club Tricatel (Tricatel/Fusion III)
The Prima Donnas Drugs, Sex & Discotheques (Peek-A-Boo)
Incubus Morning View (Epic/Sony)
Princess Superstar Princess Superstar Is (Rapster/Fusion III) If this broad's dream came true, she'd be black, filthy rich and a crack whore. But she's none of these, and the joke (if there is one) doesn't really work. On top of its assembly-line rap-R&B-electronica sound, this slutty sophomore disc shamelessly borrows Eminem's off-beat, machine-gun rapping style and quirky, dumbass imagery. When she's not jabbering about ecstasy and wet undies (with Kool Keith and Beth Orton strangely in tow), she's spewing out references that are going to sound dated in about a month, if they're not already (also à la Eminem). In short, this one's neither Princess nor Superstar. 5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) Kid Loco Kill Your Darlings (Yellow/Warner) Okay, Mr. Crazypants (or Jean-Yves, as your mother calls you), we are painfully aware of the fact that you looooove to smoke pot by now. No need for titles like "Three Feet High Reefer" and "Here Come the Munchies"--we dig it, babe. Looks like things haven't changed much, except Locito here has delved into his rock heritage, layering crisp vocals, dusty guitar and general rocky hijinx over his usual lazy, hazy trip hop for mischievous pussycats up to no good. 7.5/10 (Geni P) With Luc Raymond, Bacuzzi and Shakedown at Club Soda, Sat., Oct. 27, 8pm, $25 Various We Came From Beyond (Razor &Tie) This here is a comp that celebrates one of the longest-running underground hip hop radio shows in Southern California, We Came From Beyond. Host Mike Nardone is revered by Cali natives everywhere for consistently bringing the voice of independent and underground hip hop to the people who need it on a weekly basis. This guy has some good friends in people like Blackalicious, Dilated Peoples, Hieroglyphics, Jurassic Five and Freestyle Fellowship, all of whom are featured on this disc and had received some exclusive airplay from Nardone when their careers were in the early stages. Now, I never heard of this dude, but it looks like he's got the Midas touch. After 13 years of doing his show at Loyola Marymount University, he's finally put out something to commemorate all those memorable years, and remind us of some So-Cal jams that may have changed the way we listen. 7.5/10 (Scott C) Eiffel 65 Contact! (Popular/EMI) Yeah, I know, and fuck you if you can't deal. These Italian masters of scientifically precise Eurotrash Hi-NRG dance traxx earned my deep respect with their previous disc, which featured that "Blue" tune which I'm sure you all loved as much as I did. This time 'round, their vocodered Dôme-ditties suggest the influences of prototronic krautrock, the asymmetrical classicism of u-Ziq and, more that anything, Daft Punk. Aside from some overreaching in the form of straightfaced balladry, this is some stellar pop goofage. Groceries after midnight just got so much more fun. 8.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) Goldie Goldie.Co.UK: A Drum & Bass DJ Mix (Moonshine/Koch) It was never a huge hit on this side of the Atlantic, but drum & bass is to the British Isles as snow is to the Himalayas, if you know what I mean. And helping to maintain, right up there alongside the big boys like Grooverider and J.J. Frost, is the one and only Goldie--graffiti artist, movie star, professional b-boy, Metalheadz frontman and drum & bass poster boy. L.A.'s Moonshine have chosen Björk's ex-lover to represent and spread the love Stateside with a mix CD for their new sublabel, Trustthedj.com. Goldie's mix features tunes from Metalheadz crew members Marcus Intalex, Doc Scott and Future Cut, as well as major players like Digital and Rufige Crew. 7.5/10 (Krista) Chris Brann No Room for Form (Bombay/Koch)
Oneness of Juju African Rhythms 1970-82 LP (Strut) The magical tribal funk of Oneness of Juju has managed to stay a rarity in most vinyl bins for years and years, but luckily for us, Strut Records has unleashed a comprehensive three-LP journey that makes this one of their strongest releases ever. Filling in the cracks linking George Duke, Sun Ra and Fela, you'll hear this and wonder just why you'd never heard of this collective before. While funk is definitely present here, the African rhythms, tribal chants and soulful vocals also do their part to take you off the planet and back again in time to listen to the whole thing again. 9/10 (Scott C) Dexter Gordon L.T.D. (Milestone/Universal)/FONT>
Pat LaBarbera From the Heart (Justin Time/Fusion III) Two tenor-sax-with-rhythm outings. The one from long, tall Dexter stems from a live session in Baltimore in 1969, released here for the first time. Gordon, backed by Bobby Timmons, Victor Gaskin and Percy Brice, is exhilarating on all four tracks, which include "Blues Up and Down" and an "All the Things You Are" variant. LaBarbera is also impressive in his own way on a studio session recorded last year in Toronto with his drummer brother Joe, George Cables and Rufus Reid. "I Wished on the Moon," a tune I associate with Billie Holiday, Pat's "Dream Steps" and variations on "You Stepped out of a Dream," are good starting points. Both sessions will keep your foot tapping! Both 9/10 (Len Dobbin) |
Bertrand Burgalat The Sssound of Mmmusic (Emperor Norton/Outside)
Funny to think that, after years of producing, scoring and remixing, never to mention running the Tricatel label and backing up Air and April March, French renaissance rascal Burgalat has only just got around to delivering a proper solo album (could a presentable haircut soon follow?). It finds him indulging his taste for neo-disco, soft-porn cosmophonica, dub-hop mousse and Riviera stopover pop, all of which he handles with expert grace, inventiveness and a hands-on approach that eschews digital shortcuts. Tricatel hasn't dried up, though, as the Club Tricatel comp indicates. It's not a guide to BB's label signings, but rather a hypereclectic mix of inspirations old and new. There's Shibuya action in Yoshinori Sunahara, a pair from FPM and the ersatz pee-fivage of England's Corduroy. There's robo-grooves from Arling & Cameron and Dauerfish, leftfield funk from Can and Soulking, and hip hop silliness from Kriss Kross. And then there's the Knack. Guess what? It all works. Sssound 8/10, Club Tricatel 8.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
The elaborate bullshit bio details this trio's exile from their native Sussex, England in the early '80s, followed by a downward spiral into a drug-addled homo hell in Texas. But these dudes (probably) hail from Austin, not exactly the hub of frenetic synth-punk. In a snivelling, half-Brit accent, singer Otto Matik belts out all manner of sleaze, cheese and dumb jokes over intensely catchy and cheap '80s electro. Laughs and retro kitsch aside, the songs also rock in that minimal, robotic way, making this debut a fitting companion to your Ladytron, Peaches and Beastie Boys discs. 8.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)
There's no question that the boys are tight and their writing is prime, but they've left behind most of their adventurous spirit in favour of pop appeal. "Wish You Were Here" is a title I'm sure they would have balked at years ago, but it's the catchy first single, with a bad-for-your-teeth chorus. "Nice to Know" finds singer/percussionist Brandon Boyd beatboxing (wonder where he got that idea from?) and the sweepingly beautiful "Under my Umbrella" finds Incubus in ancient China (dig the frogs!). So yes, there are bright spots and a few tracks that dig into their crazier past, with more rock and less drum & bass this time around. Regardless of Morning View's shortcomings, Incubus still stand out among their peers. 7/10 (Lateef Martin)
It is becoming increasingly difficult to navigate through the dense forest of mediocre tunes and get to the clearing where the light shines through to reveal a little treasure. However, if one is steadfast in one's pursuit of said treasure, it can be found. A recent pursuit led me (with a little help from the label's press attaché) to No Room for Form, the latest full-length project from prolific Atlanta-based artist and Wamdue Project frontman Chris Brann. This collection is indeed a most sophisticated, lush, mesmerizing and eclectic collection of jazz-tinged house music--soft and beautiful and deeply passionate. Don't be afraid... 8.5/10 (Krista)