For those who like their rock 'n' roll and their comedy rolled into one crack-tastic package, set your sights on this fifth album by the Eels. Whereas Cake's dry laughs tend to substitute for engaging music, Souljacker's got slinky sleaze-rock guitar, lots of cool keys and programmed beats, a variety of sounds and moods lovingly shaped by singer E and frequent PJ Harvey collaborator (and it shows) John Parish. And the songs, "sung" in Cake-like deadpan, discuss the issues that most bands are afraid to touch, like "Dog Faced Boy," "Bus Stop Boxer," and, quite simply, "World of Shit." Nice. 9/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) The Dictators D.F.F.D. (Dictators Multi Media) Before the Ramones were even siblings and Richard Hell had announced the Blank Generation to a packed CBGBs, the Dictators had already put down a touchstone punk rock record with Go Girl Crazy in 1975. Flash forward 26 years later and they're still pumping out balls to the wall rock 'n' roll, bald spots, beer guts and all. Feel-good anthems like "Who Will Save Rock and Roll?" and "Pussy and Money" show these Brooklyn yobs doing the backstroke in the fountain of youth and still wallowing in a state of arrested development. This time around, let's give them the respect they have always deserved. 8/10 (Johnson Cummins) Rob Zombie The Sinister Urge (Universal) Zombie is back and things are largely as dead and monotonous as ever. There are, however, a couple of live ones here, including the ripping "Bring Her Down," and a psychotic appearance by the wretched, menacing, geriatric Ozzy Osbourne. Wholesome fun for all the disenfranchised undead youth out there with the sinister urge, and at least the songs don't all sound the same this time around. But overall this horror show is stuffed with too much embalming fluid and not enough venom. 6.5/10 (Lateef Martin)
Andromeda Definitive Collection (Angel Air) This often-bootlegged 1967 record finally gets a legitimate release. Before guitarist John Du Cann went on to fame with Atomic Rooster, he cut his teeth in this psychedelic prog-blues combo. Often compared to another power trio ripping up the London scene at the time, Cream, Andromeda were even championed by John Peel. No need for any comparisons to Ol' Slowhand as Andromeda easily hold their own while sailing on Du Cann's guitar pyrotechnics. Listening to psychedelic masterpieces like "Acidus" and "Return to Sanity," it seems insane that this band would languish in obscurity for so long. This two-CD set has it all, so find out what most of the world was missing in '67 and FREAK OUT! 9/10 (Johnson Cummins)
Ian Brown Music of the Spheres (Universal) After that fateful second Stone Roses album, no one had much hope for singer Ian Brown. But while guitarist John Squire embarrassed himself with his Noel-ish Seahorses "project," Brown quietly built the foundation of a respectable solo career. This, his third in a series of trippy, electro-fied excursions, features solid string arrangements (with a 26-piece orchestra!), sparing keys, thick and flighty beats, lite guitars and, as on his other albums, a token Spanish ballad. And even the requisite bum track or two don't steal too much thunder from this spacious, understated downpour. 8/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) The Avalanches Since I Left You (Modular/Warner)
The Dungeon Family Even in Darkness (Arista/BMG) Just when you thought our friends down in Atlanta couldn't get any weirder, here comes the Dungeon Family. New-found weirdoes Outkast have been out there since the success of their last album and their all-important new image, but who knew that they'd drag Goodie Mob, Freddie Calhoun and Witchdoctor down to the costume rental for some D&D fantasy role-playing. This record sounds like Atlanta, but it also has shades of that George Clinton freak-nasty shit that Outkast recently tuned into. Lots of people here too, so you gotta listen close to all that drawl and lip, cause these dudes might like to dress up a lot, but it's still ATL. 7/10 (Scott C) Alain Vinet House Warming (Apricot/Musicor)
Various American Gigolo (Turbo/Koch) We've all been having fun reminiscing about the awkward '80s, the bad hair and bad fashion (mesh tops and mullets rising like the phoenix from the flames). It's oh-so-clever the way we've managed to turn it around and make it cool, 20 years later. But there are people out there who apparently never got over the era the first time around. Like the kids at Munich's Gigolo Records, who have been releasing a steady stream of synth-pop and nu-wave since their label's inception in 1996. Leading the Montreal chapter of the electro revival, Turbo Records frontman Tiga has gone and dug up 25 of Gigolo's finest tunes and mixed them together in classic Tiga fashion for your enjoyment. 8/10 (Krista) Nathaniel Merriweather Lovage: Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady by (75 Ark/Outside)
Pink Missundaztood (Arista/BMG) Man, if Pink had released this set instead of last year's Can't Take Me Home, there would have been less debate over her ethnicity. The infectious lead single "Get the Party Started" and the title track might sound funky, but this is not an urban album. To her credit, Pink seems like she's in her element, easily holding her own singing blues rock with Steven Tyler ("Misery") or doing the hip hop/rock thing with Scratch ("Respect"). Urban fans may jump back, but this is a whole new ball game, and Pink came to play. 8/10 (Gerard Dee) Susheela Raman Salt Rain (Narada World/EMI)
The Philadelphia Experiment self-titled (Ropeadope/Outside) Like some creature that finally emerged from the depths of Philadelphia harbour, this experiment lurches high above what you might expect from the trio of drummer Questlove from the Roots, bassist Christan McBride and keyboardist Uri Caine. With tips of the hat to people like Miles, Grover Washington and Marvin Gaye, the experiment combines its creative juices to hammer out new turns to songs we thought we knew. Musicianship is king here, with each member carrying all the weight at different times, but also a tad boring in places. I believe I will experiment further. 7/10 (Scott C) Billy Bang Vietnam: the Aftermath (Justin Time/Fusion III) Of the nine musicians involved in this moving session by a front-rank jazz violinist, Bang, Ted Daniel, Frank Lowe, Rob Brown, Michael Carvin and Butch Morris are veterans of that terrible war. They are joined on the eight originals by the leader and by Sonny Fortune, John Hicks and Curtis Lundy. As Tim Hagans would say, there are "no words" to describe this powerful release. A must buy! Prepare to be moved. 10/10 (Len Dobbin) |
Australia's better known for pub rock than left-handed collage beats, but the ominous rumblings over Melbourne's Avalanches will soon change that. It's amazing how music so light, music that seems to drift blithely at a foot or two above the ground, could nonetheless be so deliciously dense. The band's tree-fort turntablism and disco logistics are applied to over 900 samples culled from the finest yard sales and cut-out bins Melbourne has to offer, resulting in a gentle frenzy of good-natured groove-o-matix. The high point is "Frontier Psychiatrist," a Ninja-esque recasting of the Wild West as Freudian freak-out. 8.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
There's no contesting the fact that Alain Vinet is by far one of Montreal's most accomplished DJ/producers (along with partner Marc Anthony). And despite the simultaneous over-saturation and watering down of a waning after-hour market, Alain has managed to continue reinventing "his sound" just enough to keep it fresh and yet maintain that essence of Vinet. To better understand what I mean, grab yourself a copy of his House Warming mix CD and let yourself experience a DJ's style of programming that has been over 15 years in the making. Features tunes from Peace Division, Baby Hec Romero, Black Science Orchestra, and MAAV. 8/10 (Krista)
The Handsome Boy Modelling School empire expands as Mr. Merriweather (Dan the Automator) strikes out on his own. Well, not entirely on his own. Mike Patton and Jennifer Charles sing and co-write on this silly spread of slow-motion sofa funk--check them out on the cover of Berlin's sleazy klassik "Sex (I'm a)". Also, HBMS co-founder Chest Rockwell (Prince Paul), Kid Koala and Blur's Damon Albarn drop in and goof off, as does Afrika Bambaataa. The latter provides near-incoherent advice for young lovers that culminates in the title "Herbs, Good Hygiene & Socks" (listen and learn!). All in all, the Automator shows a rare degree of discipline and craft in creating oversexed foolishness. 7.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
A Tamil tigress from the streets of London, Raman seems crouched and ready to spring on an audience far wider than the rather finite world-beat contingent. The music here, like Raman's voice itself, is a successful fusion of middleweight U.K. neo-blues and the classical traditions of her Indian background. Some secondary touches come up--African, Middle Eastern and, on "Maya," echoes of Parisian boîtes. But the East/West axis is front and centre, blended so thoroughly that the boundaries are almost inaudible, placing Raman in a unique and engaging space. 8.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)