John Beltran
In Full Color (Ubiquity/Outside)
The master of future Latin vibes has emerged from the studio with an album that sings in full colour. John Beltran proudly releases his sixth album, showing off a grounded respect for roots rhythms and soulful snapshots. Every last track on this 10-song killer is laced with care, whether it's the drum programming, the vocal flourishes, the live performaces or the overall warmth of it all. Just when you'd forgotten that summer is just around the corner, this music takes you there a few months early. Future classic. 8.5/10 (Scott C)

The Heavy Blinkers
The Night and I Are Still So Young (Endearing)
Pas/Cal
Oh Honey, We're Ridiculous (Le Grand Magistery)
On their fourth LP, Halifax's Heavy Blinkers ease a sleek, featherweight sound from the same pop realm as Mercury Rev and the Delgados, but with a Brian Wilson-esque '70s gauze in place of Dave Fridmann's contemporary ring and crunch. Their lovely melodies, patient tempos and a masterfully arranged (and restrained) 25-piece orchestra aim high and consistently hit the mark. With a smaller cast and equally powerful tunes, Pas/Cal continue to blow a breath of fresh pop air at Detroit's diesel-rock fumes. The Beach Boys, Belle & Sebastian and the Smiths are implicated in their heavenly vocals, raucous riffs and scrumptious concoctions of keys and strings, perfect chamber pop-eras for smart-ass romantics. Blinkers 8/10, Pas/Cal 8.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) The Heavy Blinkers are at le Swimming, Sun., March 7, 10pm, $8

The Get Up Kids
Guilt Show (Vagrant)
The Kids are leaning even more on the pop side of punk on this one, although it might've been best if they'd left those XTC songs alone. The songs stretch and breathe, but the clever arrangement work seems forced and never reaches the genius of the current crop of popsters like the New Pornographers or Sweden's Ray Wonder. Not a total loss here - when the band throws off the leashes that bind and rocks out with innocent abandon ("Man of Conviction"), almost all is forgotten. Sadly though, the Get Up Kids just seems like a current version of Squeeze, and this ain't no Argy Bargy. 6.5/10 (Johnson Cummins) With Recover and Rocky Votolato at le Spectrum, Thurs., March 11, 8pm, $20, all ages

John Frusciante
Shadows Collide With People (Warner)
With his fourth solo album, guitarist Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers delves into soft acoustic and electric guitar turf, resulting in a jump-in-your-pickup-and-head-to-the-country kinda vibe. There are some pleasant vocal melodies and sweet harmonies here, but in fronting a musical project, Frusciante needs to work on control and consistency. Definitely more listenable than his past efforts, Shadows stays away from the more experimental tip, yet delves into interesting instrumental movements. Not a rollicking party album, more like the next-day wake-up with a hangover - maybe some coffee and a trip to the country are in order. 7/10 (Lateef Martin)

M
Qui de nous deux (Delabel/EMI)
His vocal cameo on the Triplettes de Belleville soundtrack might up M's visibility beyond France, but it's no guide to what the impish figure with the aerodynamic coif does on his own. M's fluttering, effeminate falsetto and lyrical spark are the constant in a set that touches on reggae lullabies, nocturnal pop-tone bouquets, faux Western and frequent jags of classic FM rock, all rippling Rhodes, sunset pianos and dry, high-flying guitar solos. His style is sure to grate with many, but you can't fault the guy for his way with clever, candied artifice. 7/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

The Diskettes
self-titled (Humble Bee/Scratch)
Snap your fingers to the sunny sound of the Diskettes, a Montreal-based duo (David Barclay and Emily Beliveau) from Victoria, BC who fuse bossa nova, doo wop and pre-war pop. Their darling vocal interplay, simple, straightforward arrangements (voices, guitar, percussion) and sweet, naïve lyrics about new love recall a time well before pop turned tawdry and dour, before rock 'n' roll did its first twist and shout. But the Diskettes deliver a tight, timeless bounce that's bound to get you shaking your thang, with a few tranquil ballads to bum on the beach by. 7.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)

Dennis Young
Old Dog: New Tricks (independent)
NYC's arty groove-punks Liquid Liquid (no-wavers whose '83 tune "Cavern" was cannibalized by Grandmaster Flash for "White Lines") paraded the worldly percussion work of Dennis Young, a master of all things that go ping, pop, clank and thump. His current solo album seems a reasonable extension of what LL were up to - mellower and more pensive but a rhythm junkie's delight nontheless, produced to sound, ahem, cavernous. Proper jazz excursions and global pop in a Peter Gabriel vein (minus the gravitas) share space with more indefinable efforts, stuff that might compare to what the Clash were up to with Combat Rock's "Sean Flynn." LL singer Sal Principato pops in to handle vox on the exceptional, dark and danceable "Signal Up Ahead." 8/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

I-F
Fucking Consumer (Disko B)
German label Disko B is finally releasing some of their harder-to-get classic albums domestically, much to the delight of bass freaks everywhere. First up is this '98 release from Dutch electro revivalists I-F. Included on the album is the vocodered hit that started it all, "Space Invaders are Smoking Grass." While a few of the tracks sound like filler score from early John Carpenter films, there are more than enough dark electro nuggets to loosen up the stiffest faux-hawk. 8/10 (Raf Katigbak)

Pass Into Silence
Calm Like a Millpond (Kompakt)
Japan is sick. And not just in a "slaughtering tens of thousands of chickens over bird flu" way, I mean in a "makes crazy good electronic pop-ambient music" way, in a Susumu Yokota, Tujiko Noriko and Norihide Ogurusu way. Sure, they've got clothing stores with names like Violence Jackoff and Sexy Cramp, but Pass Into Silence's latest EP on Kompakt more than makes up for their rather interesting take on the English language. Think lush, haunting synth pads and emotive chords à la Vangelis and Jean Michel Jarre, while miniature digital keyboard loops echo into infinity. Sweet. 8/10 (Raf Katigbak)

Vikter Duplaix
Singles (Prelude to the Future) (K7/Fusion III)
This fatheaded ladies' man may grate on your nerves a little bit with all his breathy whisper-singing and talk of backrubs and sensuality, but he's still a damn good producer. Here we find a collection of all his 12-inch singles that haven't been available together before. I like how modest Vikter is in telling us that this record is only the beginning, a prelude to the future if you will. The best is yet to come, I hope, but there are some great tracks here too, like "Messages," "Manhood" and fittingly, "Sensuality." 7/10 (Scott C)

One Twelve
Hot & Wet (Def Soul/Universal)
I think the heyday of the R&B quartet peaked in the late '90s with Boyz II Men's reign. Since then, other groups like Jagged Edge and this quartet, One Twelve, have favoured the harder thug lover sound over the Boyz' softer, polished approach. But what really put the Boyz ahead of the pack was their genuine vocal skills, a talent that made them a unique draw. And that's what's missing here. Sure, cuts like the title track with Ludacris and "Na Na Na Na" with Super Cat will get the party started, but who's really gonna remember it was One Twelve when it's all over? 6.5/10 (Gerard Dee)

JoJoe
self-titled (ArMi Tag)
Montrealers may know the voice and presence of local reggae figure JoJoe from way back - his first band KishI began in '87. Almost two decades later, here's his solo debut, and the years haven't whittled away the gentle yet vigourous energy he and his Crowded Bus Band put out. Whether JoJoe's rapping his way through a lively dancehall number or looking back to older reggae and dub styles, the man's verbal vivacity and superior skill with a catchy hook really grab the ear. From the Sugar-Ray-ish opener "All of Them" through the funky "Spread It" and "Dancehall Tour" with its kiddie chorus, JoJoe's CD bumps along with ease. 7.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) With D-Shade and DJ James Bond at Petit Campus, Sat., March 6, 9pm, $8

Marian McPartland
Piano Jazz: Mary Lou Williams (Jazz Alliance/Koch)
On this edition of Marian's long-running NPR radio show, her very special guest was a true jazz giant, regardless of gender. It dates from October 8, 1978 - Mary Lou died May 28, 1981 at the age of 71, ending a career that covered everything from ragtime and Harlem stride through bebop and beyond, including a concert with Cecil Taylor. On this most interesting program, she discusses her long career with Marian, who she plays with on two tracks. Others have her joined by bassist Ronnie Boykins on pieces like her own "Medi-2" and "What's Your Story, Morning Glory?" (the source of the later "Black Coffee") as well as leaving us with some remarkable playing on things like "Caravan" and "The Jeep Is Jumpin'." Highly recommended for the playing and as a jazz history lesson! 10/10 (Len Dobbin)

Mini CD Reviews

Lorraine Foster Compositions by Musicians (Jazzlink) Many Montrealers will remember this remarkable singer (now based in Vancouver). Try Gerry Mulligan's "Ballad of Pearly Sue" for starters. 8.5 (LD)

Various If Only You Were Lonely (Agenda/Fusion III) Black Hearts, Sexsmiths, Fruit Bats and others offer heartbroken tunes to bask and wallow in. 7.5 (LC)

Sekiden i (Boompa!) Ultra-upbeat rock bulging with guitars and riddled with keyboard bullets. 7 (LC) With the Salteens at Casa del Popolo, Sat., March 6

Sandra Collins Perfecto Presents… (Thrive) Two CDs of pumping, thumping, anthemic, proggy, breaky techno that will cause you to lose either your mind or your lunch. 6 (RK)

The Living End Modern Artillery (Reprise) Okay, check this out! It's punk, mixed up with rockabilly. What's next? Hip hop and metal? Crazy shit, man. 6 (JC)

Tesla Into the Now (Sanctuary) Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha... ha... ha. Please kill me. 2 (JC)

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