LED ZEPPELIN
How the West Was Won (Atlantic/Warner)
Zeppelin left some incredible studio work, but it's no secret that live, they were always the dogs bollocks. As good as previous live records were, they only gave us small dose of what Zep could really do. This three-hour, three-CD set blows them out of the water. Recorded in 1972 at two shows just two days apart, this is Zeppelin at their zenith. The Bonzo ballast is all there, but it's in songs like "Heartbreaker" and the 25-minute "Dazed and Confused" that Bonzo and Jones lock in for some serious funk groove that was only hinted at on studio albums. On the 23-minute version of "Whole Lotta Love," Page seems fearless at the helm. History books may peg Zep as dinosaur-rock wizards of wankery and hell, even I'll admit that some of Plant's lyrics are just downright dumb, but even songs about Vikings seem apt for music this heavy. Oh Valhalla, I am coming. 9.5/10 (Johnson Cummins)
SAM ROBERTS
We Were Born in a Flame (Universal)
Luckily, this local-boy-done-good story extends past charts, money and media to a quality debut LP, a collection that easily oversteps Roberts' breakout EP The Inhuman Condition (most of which has been re-recorded for inclusion here). Simply put, the songs are solid and the reference points mercifully subtle - classic rock, pinches of punk and Manchester groove - making for a timeless array of knees-up rockers, swaying semi-ballads and slow-burning anthems. Best of all, Roberts averts the grotesque sheen that taints most mainstream music to the point of noise pollution. Could it be safe to turn on the radio? 8/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)
TOSHACK HIGHWAY VS. SIANSPHERIC
Magnetic Morning/ Aspirin Age (Sonic Unyon)
The "versus" thing is misleading - consider it a mirror job, five tracks each from two very compatible acts. Toshack Highway is the new deal for Adam Franklin, once of U.K. shoegazers Swervedriver, while Sianspheric were Canada's foremost equivalent in the '90s. Both acts have since cast their eyes upwards, reaching past the swirling, stratospheric bombast to achieve a certain zero-gravity calm. In fact, "astro-folk" might almost define what's going on here. On the other hand, there ain't much to hold on to in space, is there, so both EPs meander without ever really gelling. 7/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) Adam Franklin opens for All System Go at Cabaret, Thurs., June 5, 9pm, $8
...AND THE SAGA CONTINUES
You Can't Stop the 3rd (Contempt for Humanity)
These local hardcore heroes lay down some serious, blistering thrash that takes no prisoners. Throughout all 18 songs here, ATSC fly the single-finger salute and manage to squeeze their tender ballads of pain, dead end jobs, senseless destruction, their crew and getting fucked up in at under 60 seconds each. Although some metal moments do occasionally pop up ("Fuck the Bullshit"), this is pretty much meat 'n' potatoes thrash that doesn't get caught up in the muck of innovation. If you are missing the glory days of the first Napalm Death, D.R.I. and Negative Approach, this is your ticket. See you in the pit! 8/10 (Johnson Cummins)
SUFJAN STEVENS
Greetings From Michigan the Great Lake State (Asthmatic Kitty)
Here's an interesting project - Brooklyn-based avant-pop artist Stevens has cobbled together a tribute to his native state, one that's lyrically quite complex (historically, politically and culturally). The music is an equitable and colourful blending of post-rock's gentle, jazz-based structures and ornate Reichian rhythms with pokey, folky pickin' and tootin' of the back-porch variety. The mood is mellow and pensive, making for a disc that's substantial, beautiful and tremendously honest, right down to the jacket art by Martha Stewart's crafts editor. 8.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) With Royal City and the Arcade Fire at la Sala Rossa, Tues., June 10, 9pm, $8
SAS-31
Au jardin de la maison H. (l'Autre Terre/Local)
Over a melancholy trill of keys and effected guitars - suggesting two Quebec staples, prog rock and church music - SAS-31's main man Denis Ferland engages in poetic, electric folk (largely) en français. A sombre but peaceful atmosphere permeates the beatless soundscapes, drum machine-driven electronic approximations and more traditional rock tracks. With a soft touch and leisurely tempo, the diverse styles co-exist, converge and smoothly segue into one widescreen apparition, a decent debut by these local artistes. 7/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) CD launch at Petit Campus on Sunday, June 8, 8:30PM, $5
VARIOUS
Futurism 2 (City Rockers)
I know, I know, you're sick of all these high-fashion electro comps flooding the market. But this one's different, I promise! Sort of. Truth be told, if you've bought any compilation with the words "New York," "clash," "electro" or "wave" in its title over the last two years, you probably have heard at least one of the artists on Futurism 2. But that's okay because along with the Felix da Housecat, Chicks on Speed, Crème de Menthe and Dot Allison tracks, you also get a bunch of other shit you haven't heard and most of them are pretty good! 8/10 (Raf Katigbak)
YVON KREVE
Quand j'rap pas (Kilo)
As far as authentic, original Montreal rap goes, there are few MCs that can hit the nail on the head like our own Yvon Kreve. For gutter flows and effortless timing, it gets no rougher than this - or does it? On this, his second album, Yvon still has a firm grasp on telling it like it is, but the beats are considerably different from his debut LP. Given the choice, I think I prefer hearing this local thug on some neck-breaker bounce, instead of the familiar-sounding club fare that seems to be the focus of this release. 01 Etranjj flexes his signature raspy attack on four tracks, a voice that works well against the deeper tones of Yvon, while Jon Bling and Moshine do their thing on "Oh Shit!" But the star here is still Yvon, stealing the show with his flow. 7.5/10 (Scott C)
MCENROE
Disenfranchised (Peanuts and Corn)
This corny storyteller from western Canada has a whole lot of fans who appreciate his tales of Burger King and Dairy Queen, not to mention the fact that he doesn't just sound like a white rapper, he actually is. Whatever. Mcenroe is a fairly talented producer and seems to have found an interesting approach to hip hop, rapping about anything from elementary-school relationships to junk food and the like. Like his label's namesake, this is stuff is mildly laughable, but repeated listens might be something you work out later on. Somebody asked if this was Eminem when I was playing this, but they soon realized that Marshall Mathers may take his hard knock life a little more seriously then this clever Canadian. 7/10 (Scott C)
µ-ZIQ
Bilious Paths (Planet Mu)
It seems that the warning issued on the promo CDs (ie. "If I find copies on any p2p network before the release date, there will be no more µ-Ziq albums") was largely ignored. Thus, Mike Paradinas' first full-length in three years is his last as µ-Ziq. That said, the spliced and diced beats on the album are classic µ-Ziq. From the DSP breakbeat fuckery of "Meinheld" (which uses some tired ragga samples) to the gabber-hop intensity of "Silk Ties" and the 2-steppy skank of opener "Johnny Maastricht," µ-Ziq's deft programming is evidenced throughout. Although long-time fans looking for that µ-Ziq sound probably won't be disappointed, it did leave me with the feeling that there was room to push things further. Perhaps the death of µ-Ziq isn't so bad after all? 6.5/10 (Raf Katigbak)
LIZZ WRIGHT
Salt (Verve/Universal)
Take R&B/folk vocalist Randy Crawford, mix equal parts contemporary jazz vocalist Cassandra Wilson and R&B chanteuse Anita Baker, throw in some blues and gospel, and you have the stunning debut by Georgia native Lizz Wright. Like Crawford and Wilson, Wright's vocal power rests in her lower registers, which she uses to powerful effect from the opening bars of Chick Corea's "Open Your Eyes, You Can Fly." Her rich, earthy tone flows into her updated version of "Afro Blue," her brilliant take of Stephanie Mills' Broadway signature "Soon As I Get Home" and the deeply soulful title track. Likewise, the passionate, self-penned "Fire" and her jazz makeover of gospel standard "Walk With Me Lord" only serve to deepen the salt in this sumptuous stew. 9.5/10 (Gerard Dee)
MACHITO
Ritmo Caliente (Proper Box)
If you have any interest in the roots of Afro-Cuban jazz, you need go no further than this marvelous, 73-track, reasonably-priced four-CD set covering recordings from '41 to '51. The leader, his musical director Mario Bauza, Miguelito Valdes and Chano Pozo are some of the magic names, joined by the likes of Flip Philips, Zoot Sims, Brew Moore, Howard McGhee, Milt Jackson and even a young Harry Belafonte. Much of it is live from famed NYC spots like the Royal Roost, Bop City and Birdland, and all of it is exciting! The material includes "Tabu," "Cubop City," "Lean On Me," the "Afro Cuban Jazz Suite," three versions of "Tanga," "Asia Minor" and "Gone City" (a kind of Latinized "Things to Come"), the latter two from the pen of Roger King Mozian. 10/10 (Len Dobbin)
Mini CD Reviews
DEAD MEADOW Shivering King and Others (Matador/Select) Heavy-handed psychedelia that seems to have sprung from the loins of Bardo Pond and the Heads. Dig it! 9 (JC)
TED HEATH Big Ben Bounce (Proper Pair) 50 tracks plus by this noted English big band, including music arranged by George Shearing, Tadd Dameron, Tiny Kahn and Ed Finckel. 8.5 (LD)
MOONSTARR Mashup (Public Transit) Toronto's Moonstarr remixes Jazzanova, Recloose and himself with cracking results! 8.5 (SC)
LES TABERNACLES Born Ready (Teenage Rampage) Rock 'n' roll mayhem soaked in beer, blood and gasoline - yeah, okay, but this time it's good. 8 (JC)
ED HARCOURT From Every Sphere (Capitol/EMI) This singing-songwriting Brit mashes spunk and whimsy into a pretty sweet, adventurous album, like a modern-day Nick Drake with Prozac and cash. 7.5 (LC)
BRITTA PHILLIPS & DEAN WAREHAM L'Avventura (Jetset) Aided by producer Tony Visconti, the Luna singers unfurl silken covers and originals in the spirit of sexy '60s duets. 7 (LC)
KARIM RASHID Newyorkelectronew (Neverstop/Fusion III) Slick upscale marketing tactic or one of the seven signs of the apocalypse? You be the judge. 5 (RK)
ELECTRIC SIX Fire (XL/Select) Despite the genius song titles ("Dance Commander," "She's White," "I Invented the Night"), this mix of disco and histrionic FM rawk is major migraine fuel. 4 (RB)
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