T. RAUMSCHMIERE
The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle (Shitkatapult/Kompakt)
Just when we were about to max out on tweaked-out, self-serious musical pud-pullers, along comes Marco Haas (that's T. Raumschmiere to you) with his musical crowbar, ready to pry minimal techno's head out of its own arse. Open up the CD sleeve and inside you'll see in, big bold letters, "Maximum volume recommended," no haphazard design filler but rather the key to unlocking the true power of Raumschmiere (not unlike that He-Man guy and his sword, except less gay). This is balls-out, stripped-down techno at its heaviest - sure, the beats don't get all complicated and shit and the melodies are dumb as fuck, but who needs another "nice" minimal techno album in their collection"? Naughty is the new nice and Raumschmiere is your new god. 9/10 (Raf Katigbak) With Coil and Philipp Quehenberger at Metropolis tonight, Thurs., May 29, 10:30pm, $25

RYE COALITION
On Top (Tiger Style)
The hype magnet at this year's SXSW and recent openers for Queens of the Stone Age and Isis, Rye Coalition's world domination is imminent. On Top's nitro-fuelled rock attack shows why, combining the urgency of Fugazi with the majesty of '70s riff rock. Steve Albini's production adds to the angular, Jesus Lizard quirkiness here, and on the stellar track "Honky, Please!" these Jersey-ites show more than a passing fondness for the Lizard (especially in the guitar arpeggio). But lyrical shout-outs include Led Zeppelin, Django Rhinehardt and Emmet Ray, further obscuring their M.O. for prying, namedropping rock crits (like me). If you were lucky enough to see them with Isis recently at la Sala Rossa, you already know these guys are the tits. 9/10 (Johnson Cummins)

NADA SURF
Let Go (Barsuk)
Though more tidy than its '90s counterpart, this aerial alt-pop wouldn't have sounded out of place in America's counter-grunge scene a decade ago. With featherweight vocals, silken guitars, and a lyrical and melodic melancholy and yearning, nostalgia seeps from songs like "Blonde on Blonde" and "Là pour ça" (a bone for us, en français) while rockers like "Hi-speed Soul" and "The Way You Wear Your Head" come on thicker and more urgent, but no less terse and emotive. The album ends on a mediocre note, but its best songs have such a classic quality, you can almost hear Coldplay sweat. 7.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) With Sondre Lerche and the Long Winters at la Sala Rossa, Fri., May 30, 9pm, $12

THE BANGLES
Doll Revolution (EMI)
The Bangles have always benefited from the kindness of strangers, making hits out of "Manic Monday" (by Prince), "Hazy Shade of Winter" (by Paul Simon) and "Walk Like an Egyptian" (by producer Liam Sternberg). This time, their title track is an Elvis Costello cover, and just as it was the best song on his latest disc, it's clearly the highlight here. There are other moments when their classic pop prowess shines with beautifully coordinated harmonies, hooks and melodies, but clichéd lyrics, tepid tunes and dull production wash over like a lite-rock tide subduing everything in its wake. Blah. 5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)

THE SAINTE CATHERINES
The Art of Arrogance (Dare to Care)
Man, these are some cocky motherfuckers, taking a dig at A Simple Plan on "No Pads, No Helmets… Just a Bunch of Dicks." They could easily mop the floor with our hometown MTV beefcakes, but that doesn't really count for much, does it? These Montrealers don't bother pandering to namby-pamby pop-punk, just hit like a punch to the chops while pouring piss and vinegar down your throat. Even with slightly predictable half-time breakdowns, these guys are upping the ante, mixing up some discordant chords and noise ("It's All About Ja Rule Baby"). Their biggest punk rock asset is that they really don't care what you or I think of them, and that's what makes this work. 8.5/10 (Johnson Cummins)

VARIOUS
Tales From the Australian Underground: Singles 1976-1989 (Feel)
Opening on Radio Birdman's scorching "Burned My Eye," this two-disc doozy sets out to give an overview of the history of Aussie punk. Compiler Tim Pittman, first as fanboy then as both promoter and manager, has followed that arc since his Clearasil days. Here he's whittled a stack of 1,000 obscure local 7-inches down to just short of 50 prime tracks. The lineup snakes from the echo effect of London '77 heard in the Saints and the Scientists through the grim din of the Birthday Party, the post-punk of the Celibate Rifles and the early grunge attack of Cosmic Psychos and Hard-Ons, plus a shitload of others who never made it off the island. 8/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

DEFTONES
self-titled (Maverick/Warner)
If Around the Fur was their summer album and White Pony their winter one, then Deftones is, despite its release date, the autumn album, with a lush, wide sound that is equally hopeful and bloody dark. After two years of sharpening their knives on the road, they come into the studio with searing intensity. But this album's secret weapon is drummer Abe Cunningham, who lays a foundation leaning more to funk and hip hop than just straight-up rock 'n' roll. Still doing their own thing, it's anyone's guess why they're on tour with Wimp Biscuit, Sinkin' Park and Selloutica. A diamond in the rough, I suppose. 8.5/10 (Lateef Martin)

VARIOUS
Channel 2 (Output/Fusion III)
Trevor Jackson chairs the current no-wave revival, electroclash for adults if you will, scouting out quality digi-glam, nu-electro and punky, dubbed-out danger disco (when not generating it himself as Playgroup). Channel 2 gathers the best, fresh and next shit from his label Output. A weak start and finish bookend the real meat on this comp, the new-school disco-punk shit - Playgroup's own "Make It Happen" (remixed by Japan's Zongamin), noise from the DFA camp (the Rapture's Cure-ish "Olio" and LCD Soundsystem's necessary "I'm Losing My Edge) and a hot tip in Grand National's "Distance." Also worth watching: Volga Select, Rekindle. Stay tuned. 8.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

POLE
45/45 EP (Mute/Fusion III)
With this four-song EP, Pole shifts away from the dub-reggae sound of his previous three albums and brings his trimmed-down, rinsed-out productions skills into hip hop territory. While the production is executed with German precision, the soul Betke had once captured with his huge and enveloping sub-bass hugs is all but lost. The beats, clearly inspired by the chart-busting sounds of Timbaland and the Neptunes, lack a lot of the rawness that make the skittery, syncopated style fun to listen to. That said, fans will be pleased to know that Pole's sonic clarity and bare-bones exploration into sound are still intact. 7/10 (Raf Katigbak)

VARIOUS
Monster Mash (ICM)
This is what I'm talkin' about. This extended Montreal crew that calls itself the Island City Monsters have got together and produced a CD showcasing the various talents of the 14 dudes involved. With Offsides, Eye2Eye, Meta4ce, Patrick Batemen and a few others, Monster Mash aptly feels like the first in a long line of these things, not to mention some of the pending full-on projects from some of the MCs and producers involved. Notable tracks include Pat Batemen's "Aim Ay Building," still fresh after all this time, and Offsides' "Pet the Bully," which finds the boys opening up on an infectious AX beat. 8/10 (Scott C)

VARIOUS
A Blow to the State (Coup d'Etat)
Rapper, producer and DJ J Live may have been blessed with the propensity to represent hip hop culture in various aspects, but I'm still not convinced that he knows what he's doing with his label Coup d'Etat. While this LP showcases his roster, only tracks from from Rasco, Fakts One and J Live himself reveal something more. I still don't understand why Paul Barman gets any attention with his soulless-but clever nerd raps, while Boston's Akrobatik has never really impressed me with his flow. A Blow to the State implies that this bunch of MCs could pose some sort of threat to the status quo, but you wouldn't know it from the majority of the tracks that you'll find on here. 7/10 (Scott C)

DWELE
Subject (Virgin/EMI)
Since D'Angelo's groundbreaking Brown Sugar back in '95, the so-called neo-soul movement has exploded. Now comes the highly anticipated debut by Detroit native Dwele, which incorporates similar ingredients to D'Angelo's debut: genuine musicianship, musical experimentation and lyrical innovation. His subject of choice is familiar - love and relationships - but he uses engaging tools to express his thoughts: a funky groove ("Find a Way," "Sho Ya Right"), a melodious guitar ("Day at a Time"), a soft-jazz shuffle ("Kick Out of You") and some moody orchestration filtered throughout the title track. On this subject, Dwele gets high marks. 8.5/10 (Gerard Dee)

FATS NAVARRO
The Fats Navarro Story (Proper Box)
Allen Eager, the last of the Lester Young inspired tenor saxophonists of the 40s, died at age 76 on April 13. A superb if lesser known player, he left but a small recorded legacy. Eager appears on 16 tracks on this four-CD box spotlighting one of great trumpeters in jazz history. Navarro died in a fall from a "horse" in 1950 at the age of 26. Both Fats and Eager are in top form on "Sweet Georgia Brown" and "High on an Open Mike" from a 1947 WNEW radio broadcast. The sides done the following year with Tadd Dameron, recorded live at the Royal Roost and in a Blue Note studio session, also offer bebop playing of the first order. 10/10 (Len Dobbin)

Mini CD Reviews

DMS COUNTRY FEAT. CVEES "The Jump Off!" 12" (SubVerse) Best shit I've heard since Little Brother. Check "For You" on the B-side for added neck pain. 10 (SC)

SEAN CRAIG Underglass (Ora) A most interesting debut by Craig, a Montreal-based saxophonist/composer, abetted by an unusual group of guitar (Kenny Bibace), drums and two basses. 9.5 (LD)

RICKY SCAGGS & KENTUCKY THUNDER Live at the Charleston Music Hall (Skaggs Family Records) Probably the greatest living mandolin player today, matched with some of the best players of bluegrass. Hotsy-totsy! 9 (JC)

FALSE s/t (Plus8) After impressing more than a few people with his 12" on Ghostly, Matthew Dear is back with a full-length album of raw, playful tech-house. For fans of Akufen looking for a little more low-end bump. 7 (RK)

J MASCIS + THE FOG Free So Free (Ultimatum/Artemis) With a lighter heart and (slightly) lighter hand, Mascis keeps Dinosaur (Jr.) rock alive. 7 (LC)

ANGIE REED Presents the Best of Barbara Brockhaus (Chicks on Speed/Fusion III) A fun, funky electro soundtrack to the revenge fantasies of a fake, frustrated secretary. 7 (LC)

THE NICK LUCAS TRIO Little Town (Loose/Fusion III) Guests include Giant Sand's Howe Gelb and Calexico's Joey Burns and John Convertino. Unfortunately, none can steer Mr. Lucas away from his lofty commercial leanings. Bummer! 5 (JC)

STAIND 14 Shades of Grey (Flip/Warner) So we've got this music that's perfect for one of those teen movies from the '80s and we've managed to get Gavin McGinnis (from Bush!) to do vocals over the noise produced by a cheese factory and - hello? Hello? 5 (LM)

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