Basement Jaxx
Kish Kash (XL/Select)
Ratcliffe and Buxton of Brixton are back with this vertiginous barrage of wiggly, wobbly, 21st-century soul-punk. They've further fine-tuned their controlled chaos, keeping it largely fast, funny and freaked out (interludes and a couple of chiller tracks allow some needed breathing space). This joint coughs up no less than five truly killer tracks, starting with the unstoppable "Good Luck," graced by the powerful pipes of the Bellray's Lisa Kekaula. That's immediately followed by the snappy "Right Here's the Spot," one of two tunes with Meshell Ndegeocello, and then the adrenal Arabesque of "Lucky Star," showcasing the ubiquitous Dizzee Rascal. Veteran punk diva gives her two cents on the kick-ass greed screed "Cish Cash," but it's fuckin' "Plug It In" that'll own my ears for a month. 9.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

Kelly Osbourne
Changes (Sanctuary/EMI)
That brassy kid. Instead of leaving her slow-selling debut album to the footnotes of musical history (where it'll end up anyway, really), Ms. K.O. has switched record labels, retitled and rereleased the disc with just enough extras for fans to buy it again. It's all of Shut Up plus four unflattering live tracks and duet with daddy, a cover of Black Sabbath's "Changes" with lyrics rewritten for sappy, self-referential effect. But with that little curiosity and a handful of pretty decent punk and rock 'n' roll anthems, this album's only half bad. 6/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)

Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros
Streetcore (Hellcat/FAB)
It's hard not to look at this release as a memorial to the recently deceased Strummer, once of the Clash, but it wasn't intended as such. Objectively speaking, it's a strong third album of patchwork folk-punk from Strummer and co. (band members Martin Slattery and Scott Shields had the grim job of tying up loose ends and making the thing presentable). Its 10 tunes range from knees-up rockers ("Arms Aloft," "All in a Day") to psych-pop zone-outs ("Midnight Jam") to Strummer strummin' on his own ("Long Shadow," Bob Marley's "Redemption Song," produced by Rick Rubin). The saddest part is, Streetcore shows the band firming up into something more than simply "the Clash guy's new Clash." 8/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

The Weakerthans
Reconstruction Site (Epitaph/FAB)
Last year's Left and Leaving was so damned close to perfection, it must've been a little daunting for these nerds from the Peg to even go back into a studio. Not only have they surpassed any previous efforts but they've made a classic record that is guaranteed to take up space on everyone's year-end picks list. The Weakerthans craft simple pop gems that can appeal to anyone, but it's John K. Samson's lyrical pearls and slightly skewed observations that really make this more than just another pop record. On "One Great City," Samson takes aim at his hometown Winnipeg and actually gives Townes Van Zant a run for his money, sneaking a tightly-focused snapshot of a small, crippled city. Really, really good. 9/10 (Johnson Cummins)

Modey Lemon
Thunder + Lightning (Birdman)
Dropping 11 tracks in 35 minutes, Pittsburgh's white-hot rawk duo do right by their album title. Like the White Stripes and Death From Above, singer/guitarist/keyboardist Philander Boyd and drummer Paul Quattrone make a hell of a noise with two sets of hands, cutting gritty, lo-fi garage with '70s hard rock, their drums thundering, their guitars shooting sparks. And when the speed and density ebb and the sci-fi SFX and groovy riffs are left to flow, you'd think it was Jon Spencer with half the budget and double the spunk. 8/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) With Shonen Knife at Petit Campus on Tues., Oct. 28, 9pm, $12

Harris Newman
Non-Sequiturs (Strange Attractors Audio House)
If you've ever wondered what Kelley Joe Phelps would sound like if he were brought up on Sonic Youth rather than Mississippi John Hurt, then you have to check this out. Local musician Newman impresses here with a great detail in his compositions and a dynamic finger-picking guitar style that has as much to do with Chet Atkins as it does seminal indie band Slint. Newman is able to quote traditional forms while changing speeds with open-tuned arpeggios, but always lets the melody shine through his cluster of chords. He keeps his trap shut and lets his guitar do most of the talking, with occasional accompaniment by Bruce Cawdron on assorted instruments. 9/10 (Johnson Cummins) CD launch with the Matt Valentine & Erika Elder Medicine Show, at Casa del Popolo, Fri., Oct. 25, 10pm, $6

Ghislain Poirier
Beats As Politics (Chocolate Industries)
When local Poirier made the trip from minimal techno to hip hop, he made sure to keep his unearthly sense of abstractionism intact. This album may ruffle a few purists' noses, but it's really aimed at lefties ready for a challenge. Ghislain tools his way around some familiar techno sounds, raking jagged rhythms across the vocals of local MC Seba and Stateside talent Diverse. No club bangers here, but you could probably really get down to the dancehall-tinged "Carquois" without much persuasion. I consider this a colder record, simply based on a lot of the sounds that are used, so if you're looking for something to warm you from the inside, perhaps you should look elsewhere. 7.5/10 (Scott C)

Plastikman
Closer (Paper Bag/M-nus/Outside)
After a five-year wait, Canada's crown prince of techno Richie Hawtin returns, under his Plastikman guise, to deliver his most personal work to date. While the techno star has kept the public guessing by reinventing his image, the signature Plastikman sound is still there - the minimalist percussion and ill atmospherics that modulate discreetly over time, the gliding basslines and throbbing beats in all their tripped-out, acid-fuelled head-fuck glory. As an extra measure, he's turned the creepy knob to 11 and added his own pitched-down vocals to a few tracks. While lyrically it may be a little misguided (the rhyme scheme of "Disconnect" comes off sounding like Dr. Seuss for goths), hats off to Hawtin for daring to lay himself bare. 7/10 (Raf Katigbak)

Midwest Product
World Series of Love (Ghostly International)
Simple and uncluttered, yet colourful and inventive - and that's just the packaging! Skillfully blending the cold, bleepy, squelchy laptop aesthetic with sentimentality of "real" instruments, this trio has moved away from the loose, jammy feel of their previous effort to take a stab at the pop format. Most songs are driving with short, percussive melodies that loop from beginning to end while they build over top with live bass, guitar and some great drum sounds, keeping the feel loose and unexpected. A solid effort from this Ann Arbor trio, this is techno-emo at its best. 8/10 (Raf Katigbak)

R. Kelly
The R. in R&B Collection: Vol. 1 (Jive/BMG)
Don't know whether he's actually the "R.," but Kelly's certainly been urban music's most prolific singer/songwriter in the last decade, and his Chocolate Factory is hands down one of '03's best soul albums. Several tracks from that set are featured here, though too many other crucial tracks are missing for this to be considered definitive. Still, Vol.1 effectively highlights Kelly's musical gifts for sex ("Bump 'N Grind," "Sex Me") and inspiration ("I Believe I Can Fly," "I Wish"). The new track "Touched a Dream" is further proof that he still has the Midas touch for crafting memorable melodies. Hell, maybe he is the "R." At least for now. 8.5/10 (Gerard Dee)

Various
Bob Jones: Souljazz (Trust the DJ)
Despite the straightforward and uninventive title of this compilation, there are some great songs here, compiled by longtime British tastemaker and radio personality Dr. Bob Jones. Things start off beautifully with Perry Hemus and "Rhodesmode," complimented later by the Brooklyn Soul Boys' "Fort Greene Jazzamatazz" and Jazztronik's "Livin' High." Overall though, this is a somewhat wishy-washy mix of tunes that scream acid jazz at times, and scream "Turn me off!" the rest. Maybe it's me, but 95 per cent of the songs on here were produced in 2003, and at least half of them belong in 1992. Maybe that was a particularly good year for Bob, who is literally playing with our trust with this largely flaccid mix. 6.5/10 (Scott C)

Kollage
Fine Print (Jazz.FM91)
This is, with the exception of the piano chair, the exciting hard bop quintet from Toronto that was heard at Maison de la Culture Frontenac last week. It's co-led by veteran drummer Archie Alleyne and tenorman Doug Richardson, who's remembered here as a member of the important Stablemates band that Alfie Wade unveiled back in 1958, the band that introduced Nelson Symonds to Montreal. Its other members are Alexis Baro, a fiery trumpeter from Cuba, rock solid bassist Ron Johnston and pianist Michael Shand, who has now been replaced by Stacie McGregor, a name to note for the future. Unlike their debut CD which mixed standards, jazz standards and originals, this one is entirely made up of originals (in the hard bop vein) by band members. Try the title tune, a memorable opus by Richardson. 9/10 (Len Dobbin)

Margaret Cho
Revolution (Nettwerk)
Stand-up comedian Cho's flying her familiar flag, venting the rage of the angry, fat, queer-identified Korean-American woman. She does it well enough that I wish she'd lay off the screaming à la Sam Kinison. It's not necessary. This time round, she gives more than the usual space to the Asian experience in America and the frustrations it involves, something she's always articulated well. Is this performance revolutionary? Nah, not quite. To get there, she'll have to tighten up her political rhetoric, which at this point is merely comforting fuzz for the put-upon liberal. 7/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

Mini CD Reviews

John Alcorn Quiet Night (JA) The music of Rodgers and Hart, a fine singer and musicians like Richard Whiteman and Michael Stuart. 8.5 (LD)

Various Ladytron Softcore Jukebox (Emperor Norton) Decked out like Roxy Music bathing beauties on the sleeve, Ladytron's ladies pick (but don't mix) post-punk and odd-pop faves and kindly offer two Ladytron exclusives. 9 (LC)

Irving I Hope You're Feeling Better Now (Eenie Meenie) From L.A. with five new tunes, these pop peddlers show off their tight, timeless, edgy wares. 8.5 (LC) With Full White Drag at Casa del Popolo, Sun., Oct. 26

Pete Rock w/ Ninth Wonder self-titled (CDR) The Rock teams up with young lion Ninth Wonder for some likeminded beatmaking. 8 (SC)

Grandpaboy Dead Man Shake (Fat Possum) This is Paul Westerberg's blues alter ego, and who could blame him for his bashfulness? No one would want to take credit for this sub-standard bar blues. 5 (JC)

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