THE TIGER LILLIES WITH KRONOS QUARTET
The Gorey End (EMI)
Here’s a powerhouse collaboration: the creepy, crypto-Victorian lyrics come care of goth culture’s goofy grandpa, the late writer/illustrator Edward Gorey (Gashlycrumb Tinies etc.). It’s Martyn Jaques of London’s Tiger Lillies - of whom Gorey was understandably a fan - who put them to music and delivers them in his hilarious falsetto, and the daring string gang Kronos Quartet whose support brings extra muscle and texture to most of the tracks. Those of you who caught the Lillies at last year’s Just for Laughs know their macabre music-hall approach and Jaques’ own lyrical penchant for the lighter side of death, disease and degradation. I can’t think of anyone better suited to working out the Gorey details. 9/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

MORRISSEY
Under the Influence (DMC/Fusion III)
"Will we ever get out of these pop swamps alive? Will we ever get these songs out of our bloodstream? Will we ever be allowed to forget?" Thus wonders Morrissey in these liner notes, a revealing and hysterically pretentious essay, and essential reading for fans. In a similar spirit to DMC’s Back to Mine series, this disc compiles Morrissey’s favourite tunes, biggest influences and best lifesavers. And it’s a sweet, freely eclectic batch of classic punk, Cajun country, glam, rockabilly, retro pop, and dead, teary krauts Nico and Klaus Nomi. "Will I, too, die?" 8.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)

HONEST JOHN
Plain … & Amigos (Angel Air)
You may not recognize the name right off, but Plain was the main gun in ’77 power-pop legends the Boys. While they never made a big splash on these shores, the Boys’ influence can still be heard in a lot of U.K. bands. Plain wears his own influences on his sleeve on this solo record, Small Faces, Bowie and particularly Mott the Hoople. This is as English as it gets, as Plain puts on his best yob face and weeps into his lager with the bubblegum ballads "Funny Old Game," "SAP" and "You Can Give It." He does lay down some good pub rock on "Billy" and "Beautiful Lies," but this is hardly a rocker overall. Plain is so much the perfect softy sod that you can’t help but tap your foot. 7/10 (Johnson Cummins)

GRANDADDY
Sumday (V2/BMG)
With their fourth album, Modesto’s indie rockers keep on with their poetic pondering of technology vs. humanity, synths vs. guitars. It’s an ongoing lyrical thread and sonic juxtaposition for Grandaddy, the same theme that defined their impressive and depressing disc of 2000, The Sophtware Slump. This album has more pep but less edge than that one, lots of samey chords, sludging mid-tempos and few surprises. Regardless, the album builds a substantial, melancholy robo-pop atmosphere, and its outstanding moments are clinched by the band’s welcoming signature sounds, those gracefully coarse textures and Jason Lytle’s shy genius voice. 7.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)

BABY WOODROSE
Money for Soul (Bad Afro/Fusion III)
Bad Afro is definitely one of the most important underground rock ’n’ roll labels going, with releases by the Flamin’ Sideburns, On Trial, Royal Beat Conspiracy and more, but Baby Woodrose definitely comes out on top with this snotty and scuzzy take on psychedelia. If the MC5 ever got together with the 13th Floor Elevators, the outcome would probably sound like this. These Danish punks lay down some serious, fuzzed-out garage stomp but thankfully couple it with some great songwriting and can also bust out some Hawkwind dementia with the best of them. Freak out! 8.5/10 (Johnson Cummins)

SOUL PURPOSE
Breaking Records (Coup d’Tat)
I’ll tell you right now that I wasn’t too impressed by the boys who go around calling themselves the best unsigned underground hip hop outfit making music today. Big balls get you nowhere when music is the key, but I was intrigued by the collaborations with C Rayz Walz, Pumpkinhead, Percee P, Wordsworth and Juggaknots that appear clearly on the cover of the record, placed nicely to quell any doubts you may have about these guys. It’s fun to work with other people who can carry your lack of skills, but Breaking Records is just that, yet another Coup d’Tat release that seems to lack any sort of real direction, where the featured talent grossly outshines the actual artists. 6.5/10 (Scott C)

RIMA
"This World" 12" (Jazzanova Compost)
Rima combines the production talents of Domu (Dominic Stanton) and Mark de Clive Lowe, two of the most active and prolific personalities working in the broken beat and nu-jazz arena. "This World" is a sublime stomper that features vocalist Nadine Kramer dancing inside the beat, along with the man of a thousand talents, Kaidi Tatham, playing flute and keys. The flip houses the 4hero rework of the same tune, deftly licked by Dego and Kaidi for 2000 Black Bugz in the Attic. These guys make music for nobody else but the open-minded soul set, upping the bar with every chord progression and drum pattern. Nu directions is job one. 8.5/10 (Scott C)

BIOCHEMICAL DREAD
Bush Doctrine (Cocosolidciti/ Phonics)
You may know Richard H. Kirk from his work in the seminal ’80s industrial band Cabaret Voltaire. After shaping the way we hear electronic music with CV, Kirk began working to reconcile the electronic and organic through myriad solo guises and collabs. The resulting sample-heavy releases as Sandoz and Electronic Eye combined dub, house and techno production technique, ushering in both the IDM and ethno-techno movements simultaneously. Here Kirk continues his in this vein, using samples he’s collected from his last decade of travels through the Middle East, India, West Africa, Haiti and Jamaica to create a sonic journey through ambient techno. A pulsing audiophonic travelogue filled with warmth and life. Fans will not be disappointed. 8.5/10 (Raf Katigbak)

KNIFEHANDCHOP
Rockstopper (Tigerbeat6)
Fans of acts like Squarepusher and Kid 606 will no doubt blow a proverbial fuse when they hear Toronto’s 21-year-old Billy Pollard, aka Knifehandchop. He shares the deft programming and tongue-in-cheek hip hop/booty samples that made his IDM predecessors so popular. However, his pared-down rhythms and simplistic digital melodies give him the illusion of restraint, while the energetic, sped-up ragga-rap and frantic gabber-step take his infectious production to "dancefloor destruction" level (and it’s a hell of a lot easier to mix, to boot!). 8/10 (Raf Katigbak)

DEBASHISH BHATTACHARYA & BOB BROZMAN
Mahima (Riverboat)
Bhattacharya and Brozman are a pair of outstanding slide guitarists, Brozman in the Hawaiian manner and Bhattacharya in his own original Hindustani style. The latter turns up on the latest from Montreal’s own Ramasutra, while Brozman works a Ry Cooder angle, jamming with exceptional guitarists from around the world. The two share a remarkable degree of facility, clarity and adventurousness with their instruments. Some of the album’s finest moments see them choosing a third, neutral headspace for their Hindu-waiian exchange - note the flamenco flavour of "Sur-o-Lahari" or the African accents of "Bana Mali." Whatever the map coordinates, though, the dialogue is lively, substantial and eloquent. 8.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

VARIOUS
Echoes of an Era (Warner)
Recorded in virtually one take, this little gem from ’82 (finally re-released on CD) was intended as a tribute to the golden era of jazz and is itself now an era removed from its debut. It’s an all-star line-up featuring Chaka Khan, Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), Joe Henderson (tenor sax), Chick Corea (keyboards), Stanley Clark (bass) and drummer Lenny White, the mastermind of this one-shot "super-group." Khan scats and bops like a pro, while this stellar band masters standards like "I Love You Porgy," "Take the A Train" and the one original composition included here, Chick Corea’s "High Wire - The Aerialist." Essential. 9/10 (Gerard Dee)

MILDRED BAILEY
Mrs. Swing (Proper Box)
Besides the big names in jazz singing - Billie, Ella and Sarah - there are lesser known names like Sheila Jordan, Lee Wiley and Mildred Bailey that deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as the aforementioned (and, by coincidence, all three have some native American ancestry). This moderately priced four-CD set contains, chronologically, 100 tracks by Bailey (died in 1951 at 44), recorded between 1929 and 1942. She was at one time married to vibraphonist Red Norvo and they were known as "Mr. and Mrs. Swing." Many of the items here were arranged by the great Eddie Sauter and the musicians involved, besides Norvo, include Hoagy Carmichael, the Dorsey brothers, Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw and Mary Lou Williams, a who’s-who of the jazz world. A must for vocal fanciers! 10/10 (Len Dobbin)

Mini CD Reviews

MILES DAVIS In Person: Friday Night/In Person: Saturday Night (Columbia/Sony) Over two double-CD sets, everything that Miles, Hank Mobley, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb played over two nights in San Francisco in 1961. The remastering job is stunning! 10 (LD)

B.B. KING Reflections (MCA/Universal) C’mon, it’s B.B. - motherfuckin’ B.B.! 8.5 (JC)

DOUGHBOYS La Majeure 1987 (Scamindy/Boss Tuneage) Holy shit, I am so 14 and tearing up the Baie d’Urfé Volunteer Fireman’s Hall again. The local pop-punk originals, before the days of slick production. 8 (RB)

KID606 "The Illness" (Tigerbeat6) Lead single from the Kid’s upcoming album on Ipecac. Hold on to your rave hats, this one’s gonna blow you away inna U.K. hardcore/gabber/jungle stylee! Witness! 8 (RK)

DONNIE "Cloud Nine" 12" (Giant Step) DJ Spinna gets his hands on this almost-too-sweet jam and nods it up for the heads. 7.5 (SC)

PERNICE BROTHERS Yours, Mine & Ours (Ashmont/Redeye) Nice and sappy pop that brims with intelligence. 7.5 (JC)

EVAN DANDO Baby I’m Bored (BarNone/Koch) Aren’t we all, Evan, aren’t we all. 6 (LC)

SUGAR RAY In the Pursuit of Leisure (Atlantic/Warner) Can’t go wrong with connect-the-dot pop. I think I’ll colour this fun run-of-the-mill. 6 (LM)

JEWEL 0304 (Atlantic/Warner) Which Jewel do you hate more? The folky, pastel flake or the faux-neon hoochie? Discuss. 3 (LC)

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