Trio Mocotó Samba Rock (Six Degrees/Outside)

A quarter of a century ago, Trio Mocotó were central figures in the samba-rock sound of Brazil, fusing funk and soul, samba and tropicalismo, rock and electronics into a wildly excited (and politicized!) hybrid. The recent resurgence in interest the sound has seen got Fritz, Nereu and Joao out of mothballs and back in the studio. 25 years have done nothing to round off their vivacious energy or wacky humour. 25 years have, however, brought them new ideas to toy with, and modern elements (read: digital goofage) poke through frequently. But whether it’s Moog/Korg buzz or the whoop-whoop of the traditional cuíca, the sonic oddities are used for recklessly comic effect, as Brazilians are wont to do. Loads of fun throughout, this disc plays a nice, noisy, handmade counterpoint to the more chilled-out neo-Braziliana of Bebel Gilberto et al. 9/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

Concrete Blonde Group Therapy
(Manifesto)
After an eight-year hiatus, this trio—the original Concrete Blonde line-up—has made another decent rock album, albeit minus some of the fire of their early days. But singer Johnette Napolitano is in great rock-hag form, expressing sweet nostalgia (“Roxy”), wailing anger (“When I Was a Fool”) and catty resentment (“Valentine”) with her pliable voice, which can hold firm, bend or break if it needs to. The best tunes, however, are spent on side one (in vinyl terms, kids), while the sound breaks down to an increasingly sparse, funereal groove in the second half. But how ’bout those A-sides? 7.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)

No Doubt
Rock Steady (Trauma/Universal)
The latest from Betty-Boop-meets-Blondie Gwen Stefani and her Cali cohorts is a lot shakier than the title would suggest. It’s a reference to reggae history, of course, in keeping with the fact that this was recorded in Jamaica and features dancehall heroes Lady Saw and Bounty Killer at the mic, and the legendary Sly & Robbie at the board. But then, William Orbit, Nellee Hooper and Ric Ocasek (whose Carsy touches are unmistakable) help out as well—which leads to the album’s big flaw. This was supposed to be a more easy-goin’, partytime disc with no heavy heart trouble (ref. please Return of Saturn), but the genre-hopping hubris, skipping from ska to rock to nu R&B to new wave to D&B to cabaret to what all else—several times in each song!—is forced and even a bit nauseating. Truly, this band rocks steadiest when they do straight-ahead whitebread reggae pop, as on the title track. 7/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

Ye Olde Castletons
In Like With Love
(Kranzke)
Keeping in tradition with all bands from Austin, Texas, this is some rocking stuff but very left of centre. Math rock (emphasis on the rock) is the order of the day but never overshadows the fact that the amps are on 10 and YOC aren’t taking the whole thing too seriously. The noisy twang of John Voshamp’s guitar even bring Austin institutions like the Big Boys and Scratch Acid to mind, while the lyrics to “Screw the Duke” are straight out of Butthole Surfer Gibby Haynes’s notebook. If you dug the Texas weird-sound of yore, then check this out because it’s back and it wants to get freaky wit’ ya. 8/10 (Johnson Cummins)

Within Reach
Complaint Ignored
(Bad Taste/Outside)
Sweden’s Within Reach churn out their third release and shed a bit more of their hardcore roots in favour of a more metallic assault. Produced by Nasum’s Mieszko Talarzcyk, this is a brutal piece of work that goes for the throat with every turn. Only 10 songs here, but that proves to be just enough with all songs being epic opuses that never lose attack. Utilizing some of Raised Fist and Snapcase’s discordant harmonies and clever arrangement work, Within Reach are definitely going to turn some heads Stateside with this. Put down that Slipknot record right now and get this. 8.5/10 (Johnson Cummins)

Champale
Simple Days (Pitch-a-Tent)
Members of Pizzicato Five, Luna, Nada Surf and Clem Snide converge on this impressive debut, a smooth, sweet, sluggish journey along the border of downtown and down home. Despite the line-up of ’90s indie characters, this isn’t simply a supergroup’s self-congratulatory jam session, but a well-managed exercise in classic, lazily happy pop-rock. Led by singer/songwriter Mark Rozzo, this seven-piece act somehow maintains a light touch, combining brass, woodwind, keys and assorted percussion with standard rock instrumentation, and Rozzo’s vocals holding everything in place. Here’s a guy who doesn’t sing like Eddie Vedder, thank Christ. 8/10
(Lorraine Carpenter)

5 Deez
Koolmotor (Counterflow/Nice)
Emerging from the Wanna Battle camp out of Cincinnati, 5 Deez have been making music with the likes of Hi-Tek, Kweli, Mood and Lone Catalysts for many years now. This is a different record, where both rhyme patterns and beat production are pushed and pulled to sometimes strange extremes, but somehow it remains a very personal account. With Fat Jon working overtime on the beats, this moody debut could have used a few straight bangers, but I’m not sure that’s really his style. Instead, the listener should cautiously let the record play, and get ready to be challenged with some next shit. 7.5/10 (Scott C)

Masta Ace
Disposable Arts
(JCOR)
Never one to get caught out there at a loss for words, Masta Ace has been breakin’ it down since kids were wearing dookie gold chains and British Knights. Ace seems to understand the inner workings of hip hop as a whole, rhyming very personally and honestly about the industry, the music and his life, making the 20 tracks on Disposable Arts a lyrical pleasure to listen to. Yes, I’m a fan, but this is simply one of the best records that he’s put out. Do we treat hip hop like a disposable artform? Even if you don’t share Ace’s point of view, you won’t be able to front on this record. 8/10 (Scott C)

Felix da Housecat Kittenz and thee Glitz
(Emperor Norton/Outide)
A contemporary of Roy Davis Jr. and DJ Pierre from Chicago’s glory days of “wild pitch” house, this Felix feline now serves as the missing link between quality house grooves and the snarky electro revival going on of late. The common factor is overcooked glamour, and to that end Felix wisely enlists the able aid of Melistar and Miss Kittin, two young ladies who nail that frosty-blasé debutante attitude perfectly. Check out Miss Kittin’s socialite free-association on “Silver Screen Shower Scene” for evidence. Back on the house side, Junior Sanchez helps out on “Control Freaq.” Simply put, if Daft Punk were sexier (if less solid), or if Felix’s EN labelmates Ladytron were funkier and funnier, they’d sound like this. 8.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

Dawn Robinson Dawn (EMI)
“Envious,” the funky lead single from Dawn Robinson’s solo debut, has En Vogue influences all over it. But elsewhere on this surprisingly solid set, Robinson’s musical tendencies stray closer to her brief collaboration with R&B band Lucy Pearl. On the first trio of cuts especially—“Set It Off, “ Still,” and “Party, Party”—you almost expect former L.P. bandmate Raphael Saadiq to jump in. She shows depth on the inspirational “Get Up Again,” and the grown-up “Our Child,” and takes a poke at her detractors on “You Will Never.” Cool. 8/10 (Gerard Dee)

Cher
Living Proof
(Warner)
Cher pushes ahead with the stylistic excess that gave her that umpteenth comeback two years ago with “Believe.” This time, some of the constant techno-screwing with her voice gets a wee bit annoying, especially on the album’s first single, “The Music’s No Good Without You.” Cher’s voice can barely be heard, and dammit, this woman has a beautiful voice. Still, it’s great to hear her croon her way through many of the other tracks, some fairly forgettable but not entirely unpleasing love songs. The one most obviously contrived to please circuit fags is the feel-good, pseudo-New-Age “Different Kind of Love Song,” which, Cher sings, is “dedicated to everyone.” Belt it out, girlfriend! 7/10 (Matthew Hays)

The Dalai Lamas
Theta Waves
(Dilly Dally Music)
Walking that dreaded tightrope between acid jazz throwbacks and genuine purveyors of new funk, the Dalai Lamas teeter ever so close to falling to the hard ground below. What keeps the balance is a loose grasp of the fundamentals of funk music, a science that, if studied too closely, becomes jazz funk noodling, meaning acid jazz. More attention could be given to not just recreating old riffs and rhythms but to actually taking them somewhere else. It’s no secret these guys can play, but I’m not sure this record will challenge people who dig this kind of music. Standard fare, minimal flair. 6.5/10 (Scott C)

Bill Evans
Portrait in Jazz, Sunday at the Village Vanguard
(Riverside/Universal)
Two of the most important trio recordings in jazz history are reissued here in 20-bit K2 Super Coding. I don’t know what that means technically, but it adds up to superlative sound on these sessions featuring pianist Evans in the company of bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Motian, a trio that forever changed piano-trio playing. Portrait was recorded in late 1959 and the live tracks are from the trio’s last appearance in June 25, 1961—LaFaro died in a car crash on July 6 of that year. Twenty-two superior tracks are included here, originals like “Solar” and “Gloria’s Step” and memorable standards like “My Man’s Gone Now” and “Come Rain or Come Shine.” Not to be missed! Both 10/10 (Len Dobbin)