Little Axe Hard Grind (Fat Possum/Epitaph)
Ex-Tackhead/Sugar Hill Records guitarist extraordinaire Skip McDonald gathers his old Tackhead buddies Keith Leblanc and Doug Wimbish, along with genius producer and longtime collaborator Adrian Sherwood, for a challenging update on the blues. Sherwood brings his dub sounds from African Headcharge and the funk of Tackhead to the mix, setting it side by side with McDonald’s excellent guitar work. “Dark as the Night Cold as the Ground” hearkens back to Ry Cooder’s stellar work on the Paris, Texas soundtrack, while “Blues Story” grooves underneath a found interview with an unknown blues legend. In fact, the vocals are often taken from found blues samples, which fits like a glove with the thick McDonald/Sherwood groove. This thing is a monster. 9/10 (Johnson Cummins)

Doves The Last Broadcast (EMI)
With all the beauty and grandeur of an old epic film, this sophomore disc finds Northern England’s Doves in a widescreen world-embrace. Yes, the hills are alive with the sound of rock—rhythmic, expansive rock with jangly guitars, theatrical strings, slinky horns and just a hint of gospel, smoothly mixed and matched to fit the scene. Intensity is carefully built on epic tracks like “There Goes the Fear,” climaxing with a chorus of guitars and keys and singer Jimi Goodwin’s plea to “think of me when you’re coming down.” Dynamic and refreshingly timeless, this is no less than breathtaking. 9/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)

Danzig I Luciferi
(Sancutary/EMI)
The wee evil man is back! Not really changing things up too much here, Danzig lets the molten-lead riffs do the talking and puts it all to bed with a voice that is unmatched. With new guys like Howie Pyro (D Generation) and NYHC guitar hero Todd Youth in his band, Danzig’s got all the power he needs to back up his throat o’ gold. Although he can get a little cartoonish with his babbling about Beelzebub, thank God he at least ditched that econo-Nine Inch Nails sound he drummed up a couple of years ago. 8/10 (Johnson Cummins)

Citizen Bird
self-titled (Stinky)
Opening with a murky, minimal mood piece that abruptly blows out into guitar-heavy rawkage, the sophomore album by this Swedish act is full of surprises. A list of influences that includes Pink Floyd and Joy Division is an indication that more than one rulebook is in use here. Late-’60s candy keyboard pop meets frenetic post-punk, lethargic psychedelia meets stately rock, and everyone remains friends despite the variety of drugs involved. Not every encounter is fully successful, however, resulting in some awkward moments, but the album’s subterranean energy overshadows the flaws and points to a promising follow-up. 7.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)

Mastodon Remission (Relapse/Koch)
Definitely one of metal’s most impressive debuts of the year. With a name like Mastodon and songs titles like “Elephant Man,” “Where Strides the Behemoth” and “Ol’ Nessie,” you are due for some heavy listening. Mastodon deliver the brutal blows, but it’s ace producer Matt Bayles (Isis, Botch, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Pearl Jam) who makes every punch connect. Given that survival in the metal world is linked to innovation, Mastodon don’t have to worry about extinction any time soon. Remission has some of the most fucked arrangements and musical prowess you are likely to hear for some time. 8.5/10 (Johnson Cummins)

Dot Allison We Are Science (Mantra/Select)
Formerly the singer for One Dove, an early ’90s British act in the Saint Etienne vein, Dot Allison travels the pop-tech express on her second solo album, jumping from deadpan retro-electro to breathy, ethereal disco pop to stoner trip-whatever. Lengthy ambient passages and overly leisurely beats undercut the sense of urgency built by the better dance numbers, but some of those upbeat tunes fail right alongside the sleepy ones. Heavily atmospheric in texture, with the requisite suggestions of Eastern melodies and mantras, this is neither typical, faceless electronica, nor is it brimming with personality. 6/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)

Eminem The Eminem Show (Universal)
Eminem’s latest will not disappoint the millions of fans who devoured the drama of the first two records. Marshall Mathers is smart, and he knows it, wasting very little time talking about the joys of material wealth. Instead, he dives headfirst into the wide world of media scrutiny, legal headaches and the continuing drama of his dysfunctional family. Beats are catchy, popping left and right with lots of sing-song choruses, and some Eminem productions that show Dre has rubbed off on him. Always the prankster, this bleach-blond inflammatory wordsmith has honed his ability to keep all those millions of listeners guessing, if not laughing and shaking their heads. 8.5/10 (Scott C)

Cam Soulshine
(Columbia/Sony)
Well, it was bound to happen. Cam (he’s dropped the “DJ” prefix) sounds like he’s in love with the way that Questlove produces records, throwing in the slightly lazy rimshots and organic hand-claps on way too many songs. He also employs the talents of Guru for some sort of Jazzamatazz throwback track called “Condor,” something we might have been into in ’92, muted trumpets and all. It just seems like while a lot of producers chose to evolve, Cam has stuck to initially enticing loops that quickly lose their sheen after the two-minute mark. This isn’t all bad though, with the Primo remix of Afu Ra’s “Voodoo Child,” and “Summer in Paris” with Anggun standing out as great tunes. 6.5/10 (Scott C)

Various
Studio One DJ’s
(Soul Jazz/Fusion III)
Chalk up another one for the astounding Soul Jazz label—another comp that’s focused and informative without compromising an ounce of bounce. This time, the subject is the classic, turn-of-the-’70s Jamaican “deejay”—the starting point for decknician culture as we know it today. Understand that deejay and DJ, that’s two different things. These Kingston cats were equal parts platters and chatter, “selecting” instrumental versions of established tracks over which to MC, meaning sing, hoot, holler and dispense wisdom, insight and fool nonsense. Add the guttural “peps,” the sub-linguistic precursor to beatboxing, and these guys were one-man, ambulatory hip hop block parties. It’s all perfectly illustrated by a parade of numbers from Dillinger, Prince Far I, Dennis Alcapone, Brigadier Jerry and many more. 9/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

Timo Maas Loud (Kinetic/BMG)
On his debut full-length, the German superstar über-DJ tries to do the techno-pop crossover thing in yet another instance of an artist trying to nail that ever-so-elusive (and lucrative) mid-ground between commercial and underground. While instrumental tracks like the funky-breaky “O.C.B.” and driving tribal grooves of “Like Love” will be sure to get many a Honda Civic a-pumpin’ on Ste-Catherine this season, it’s the strained, lite-rockin’ vocals of German funkster Martin Bettinghaus on two songs that really drag this album into le zone fromage. Add to that a limp and lifeless guest spot by Finley Quaye and the trite, prerequisite soliloquy-on-life-by-some-British-tosser in a “Choose Life”/Trainspotting stylee and this album is 50 per cent cringeworthy. 5/10 (Raf Katigbak) At Sona, Fri., June 7, midnight, $20

Michelle Williams Heart to Yours (Sony)
The first Destiny’s Child member to go solo, Michelle Williams bows with a gospel set designed to showcase her gravely voice. She’s probably the weakest DC vocalist, and while this disc is generally good, it will do nothing to change that fact. Credit state-of-the-art production and guest stars like gospel duo Mary Mary (“So Glad”), R&B crooner Carl Thomas (“Heaven”) and the legendary Shirley Caesar (“Steal Away to Jesus”) for seeing Williams through the storm. This one won’t make you stomp your feet, but it does make a somewhat joyful noise. 6.5/10 (Gerard Dee)

Pigeon-Hole And the One They Call Lightning (DKD/Aquarius)
Whoever said that a West Island past could stand in the way of a bright future may have had a point. Actually, I think it was me who said that, but here comes Pigeon-Hole to make me look dumb. And the One They Call Lightning features the songwriting talents of Natasha Szuber and Isabelle Fahmy, former coffeehouse duo turned folk-rock foursome. After years of plugging away, the often bittersweet harmonies of Pigeon-Hole enjoy a proper release for virgin ears to hear. With the rhythm section now fully assimilated, songs like “Monday Morning” and the adopted anthem “We’re Not Gonna Take It” should be on the radio already. Guests include upstart Kinnie Starr and Bob Egan from Blue Rodeo. 8/10 (Scott C) CD launch with Bob Egan at Cabaret, Tues, June 11, 8pm, $7

DaZoque! self-titled (Les Pages noires)
Local violinists Minda Bernstein and Norman Nawrocki (both of the Bagg Street Klezmer Band and many other things) delight as DaZoque!, an Eastern European and klezmer influenced string band. The duo divert a little from the traditional, performing mostly original compositions and not shying away from plugging in. Choice Montreal guests—Hélène Boissinot, Alec McElcheran, and others—round out this neat ensemble. A warm, accomplished debut. 8/10 (Mark Slutsky)At la Sala Rossa, Thurs., June 13, 9pm, $7/$9

James Campbell, Gene DiNovi & Dave Young Manhattan Echoes
(Marquis)
Three talented Canadian-based musicians here. Clarinetist Campbell, born in Leduc, Alta., seems to be equally at home with Alban Berg and Irving Berlin. Bassist Young, born in Winnipeg, is a high-profile jazz musician who’s worked with both Oscar Peterson and Oliver Jones. DiNovi, a Brooklyn-born pianist and a Toronto resident for the last 30 years, began his recording career (at the age of 18) during the onset of the bebop era, recording with Aaron Sachs. As well, he worked with Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw and Buddy DeFranco and accompanied singers such as Lena Horne, Peggy Lee and Tony Bennett. Together they make a most musical trio and these 13 tracks, which include “Jitterbug Waltz”, “Somewhere” and Goodman’s closing theme, “Goodbye”, are well worth multiple listens. 8.5/10 (Len Dobbin) At the Oscar Peterson Concert Hall, Fri., June 7, 8pm, with Alain Trudel and Anne Robert