Discs of the week

The Replacements Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash (Restless/Outside); Stink (Restless/Outside); Hootenanny (Restless/Outside; Let It Be (Restless/Outside)

Poor Bob dead and gone, Tommy hanging with Axl, Chris Mars who-knows-where, Paul Westerberg popping anti-depressants and trying not to whine. Hard to believe that the Replacements used to be as good as it got, as shown here on their first four albums, released ’81 to ’84. Legend had it that they’d thrown the original masters into the Mississippi, but it seems that as usual they messed up and chucked the wrong tapes. So this quadrilogy has been digitally remastered under Paul’s guidance. Objectively speaking, Sorry Ma is great, Stink is great but short, Hootenanny is close to great and Let It Be is the one that rock critics love but it’s still great. All four show the brilliance of Bob’s manic guitar and the beginning of Paul’s self-indulgence. A winning combination, for a while. Sorry Ma 10/10, Stink 8.5/10, Hootenanny 9.5/10, Let It Be 9.5/10 (Al South)

Liars They Threw Us All in a Trench and Stuck a Monument on Top (Blast First/Mute/Fusion III)
Obnoxious noise undercut by exploratory sounds and rhythms, and dumb adrenaline fed through steady muso hands. A rough definition, but fitting for the rough stylings of the Liars, a Brooklyn-based quartet who’ve gained the NYC-band-buzz despite hailing from Australia, L.A. and the Midwest. The band’s multi-faceted punk hints at dancey electro, angular emo and gritty funk, hyping the bass and drums over their cutting guitar noise and cheaply distorted vocals. A striking debut for the Liars, who put their best fibs forward on the accessible tracks and the obscure, like the epic creep-out, “This Dust Makes That Mud.” 8/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)

Gordon Gano Hitting the Ground (Instinct)
’80s rootspunk act Violent Femmes was really frontman Gano’s show, defined by his morbid Americanism and catty rebelliousness, his bristling blueballs and nerd-on-the-edge vocals. While he has yet to replicate the caustic intensity of that first VF album from ’82, Gano can still pen a mean, wound-up tune. His distinctive voice only graces three tracks on his “solo” debut (one a duet with Martha Wainwright), but the balance are handled by some right-on stand-ins. There’s PJ Harvey’s hiccuppy hurtle through the title track, John Cale alone at the keys for “Don’t Pretend” and Frank Black mauling the mic on “Run.” Lou Reed, They Might Be Giants and Mary Lou Lord pitch in as well, and all treat the material with due respect. 8/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
Tegan and Sara If It Was You (Superclose/Universal)
These prairie-born, B.C.-dwelling twin sisters make a brave about-face on this sophomore disc, shedding their sparse, furrowed-brow folk for a broader pop-rock approach. The major label brain-rinse, a “Presto, mainstream!” producer plus plain old creative laziness could have spelled disaster, but the majority of songs are strong and accessible, the producers are New Pornographers alumni, and the roots remain, as on the bluegrass-styled “Living Room” and the acoustic come-on “And Darling.” Most importantly, there’s no sickly modern pop sheen, letting the sisters rock out, harmonize and ’80s-it-up, when they want to, in good taste. 8/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)
The Omen “It’s Our World”/“Half Steppin’” 12” (Up Above)
Oh, shit! What the hell happened to Diamond D? Well, the man who’s known for diggin’ in the crates and those crisp drums has resurfaced with a new single featuring MCs Camari and Sadat X. For a guy who was admired and revered by so many aspiring hip hop producers, this return is a little disappointing. “It’s Our World” sounds like it was recorded in a vacuum closet, and the awful quality doesn’t even allow you to enjoy the song. The b-side, “Half Steppin’,” re-cycles the same Heatwave sample that Big Daddy Kane made famous, but only trumps on the guitar line, leaving lots of room for D and his peoples to drop some mediocre rhymes. I admit I got excited when I saw Diamond’s name on paper, but he needs to read the reviews of this so he can go back to the lab and come correct. 6/10 (Scott C)
Nightmares on Wax Mind Elevation (Warp/Outside)
After melting headphones with the classic Smoker’s Delight album back in ’95, and a decent effort in ’98’s Carboot Soul, Leeds-based Nightmares on Wax (which is primarily this guy George Evelyn) come back with their overdue fourth album. Heavy on the deep electro-soul, dub and downtempo tip, Elevation’s seductive melodies and ambiences play out like a breezy summer day spent swinging in a hammock. With its post-party come-down vibe, it comes as no surprise to find out that Evelyn once judged the Cannabis Cup. Just remember—puff-puff give! 8/10 (Raf Katigbak)
Stacs of Stamina Cashew Fenny (Sideshow)
This is what happens when hip hop ends up in Sweden. But hip hop is universal and any culture dipping their toes into the pool brings their own flavour (okay, nasty analogy). Leftfield beats stumble into drum & bass at such an angle that it takes you a while to figure out what just happened, but by the time you do, that slow, lurching beat is back in effect. That’s just one example of where these cats are at. Following no trends, Stacs of Stamina would rather tie your brain in a knot with quirked-out soundscapes that back hyped MCs spittin’ tight, aggressive raps. Yeah, they drop in English, but if you can figure out what they’re rapping about, gimme a call. 8/10 (Lateef Martin)
DMX Krew “Seedy Films” 12” (White Leather/Turbo/Koch)
The first release from White Leather Records (Turbo’s electro sub-label) and it’s a solid one. Here Soft Cell’s “Seedy Films” gets the DMX Krew treatment and emerges a funkified electro-pop gem. The almost over-the-top melodrama of the original gets replaced with a driving electro bass rhythm and a catchy synth hook that’ll blow your designer leotards right off. For the ultimate in Miami freestyle (complete with stuttered vocal samples and orchestra stabs) check the b-side, the sweet ’n’ funky breakin’ instrumental track “Feeling So Strong.” B-boys take note, the robots are coming. 8/10 (Raf Katigbak)

Various The Asthmatic Worm (Mobilé/Fusion III)
The “worm” in question is the accordion in its myriad shapes, and by extension its funny lil’ cousin the melodica. Don’t count on any cheeseball polka jams here, though, no Tex-Mex chicken scratch or Parisian tearjerkers neither. At least, not in any comfortably familiar form. What we’ve got is the likes of Iceland’s Mùm, deconstructionist du jour Matthew Herbert (as Dr. Rockit, sharing a rejected Yves St-Laurent commission), German oddball Atom Heart and prank-popster Gonzales reconfiguring the squeezebox. Dubbed out and mini-teched, these oft-dissed instruments are celebrated for their populist usability and warm, emotive tones—and successfully so! 7.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

Various For Motion Discomfort Call Flight Attendant for Bag Disposal (Peter I’m Flying/Scratch)
An eclectic collection of mostly French techno, with a smidgen of local talent offered up by Mitchell Akiyama and Jérôme Minière (as Herri Kopter). Most of the tracks combine retro synth richness with tight, choppy computer edits and deep electro-acoustic soundscaping. This comp transcends archetypes of both minimal IDM and traditional dance music and becomes a sophisticated, yet wholly captivating, danceable and accessible showcase of blips, bleeps, buzzes and zaps. Think of a soft, melodic, textured and tasteful cross between Stereolab and Pole. Highlight track is “Tupolev” by Snark, with its gentle interplay of counter-rhythms, electro-crunch noises, bells and vintage synth. 9/10 (Boss Sambosa)

Various Timmy Regisford: One Night at Shelter NYC (Dance Wicked/Fusion III)
Timmy’s productions and remixes with virtuoso keyboardist Boyd Jarvis not only helped define the New York garage sound of the ’80s but were also watershed moments in house music’s evolution. Since the ’90s, Mr. Regisford has directed a devoted legion of nimble-bodied punters at the NYC club Shelter with a diet of soulful house, world beats and Paradise Garage/Loft classics. In a continuous mix, he gives a taste of an experience that draws from the golden era of New York dance club culture. Gospel houser Kenny Bobien, Kerri Chandler, Blaze, Shazz and BoobJazz are part of a roll-out of inspirational gems reflecting a broad spread of African-derived rhythms. Get the comp, get to Shelter. 9.5/10 (Peter Lightburn)

Keith Sweat Rebirth (Elektra/WEA)
I’ve got to hand it to Keith. I mean, how many artists from the ’80s are still relevant, post-millennium? But here he is, turning it out 14 years later. To avoid falling into the same old groove, he flavours his style with some retro ’70s funk, which is definitely hit (“I Want You”) or miss (“Gots to Have It”). To be sure, the old bedroom-pleaser Keith is in full effect mid-way through, taking tracks like lead single “One on One” and “Trust Me” straight back to the day. 7/10 (Gerard Dee)

François Théberge 5 + Lee Konitz Music of Konitz (Effendi/SRI)
This is a major release for this Montreal-based label, one combining the quintet of Montreal-born tenor saxophonist Théberge and Chicago native Konitz. He’s a living giant of jazz, a reedman and composer of the first rank, a veteran of the Claude Thornhill and Stan Kenton bands, the Lennie Tristano Sextet and Miles Davis’s Birth of the Cool bands. He’s also led his own groups in a career that spans some 50-odd years. The others helping to make this one a keeper are Stephane Belmondo on trumpet, Jerry Edwards on trombone, bassist Paul Imm and drummer Karl Jannuska. Nine of Lee’s compositions based on standards like “You Stepped Out of a Dream,” “All the Things You Are” and “What Is This Things Called Love” make up this beautiful CD. Don’t miss it! 10/10 (Len Dobbin)

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