Uphill Battle
Wreck of Nerves (Relapse)
Fucking brutal, punishing onslaught. True, the same words could be applied to the new Courtney Love record, but in this case it's a good thing, a very good thing. Uphill Battle are the new upstarts in the ever-changing hardcore scene and lay it down with such intensity they could easily go toe to toe with the kings of extreme, Converge. The technical proficiency is checked but the rage is never sacrificed for the odd time signatures and dissonant noise. Hardcore and metal have been attempting the crossover forever but there just doesn't seem to be anybody doing it better than these angst-ridden San Diego misanthropes. 9/10 (Johnson Cummins)

David Byrne
Grown Backwards (Nonesuch/Warner)
"Something familiar, something far, far away," sings Byrne on "Civilization," offhandedly indicating the operative tone of Grown Backwards. Could be his shook-up new songwriting strategy, suggested by the title, but the tunes here benefit from both a warm, homespun familiarity and, at the same time, a constant upending of expectations. That Byrne tackles a Bizet aria with the help of Rufus Wainwright, or that "The Other Side of This Life" hears household junk mimic Balinese gamelan music, or that melodic duties throughout are largely handled by a string ensemble rather than keys or guitars - none of these seem obvious, and none seem the least bit out of place. 8/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

Andre Ethier
With Christopher Sandes Featuring Pickles and Price (Sonic Unyon)
This Deadly Snake sheds his garage-rock skin and comes clean with his very own Music From the Big Pink. Ethier shows his warts and all and really impresses with a dishevelled display of songs recorded just before taking root. Accompaniment is bare throughout and the recording is live off the floor while the band lazily grooves through with no apologies. The one thing that you will hang your hat on is Ethier's lyrical razzle-dazzle. It seems that Ethier may have more than a passing fancy for Bobby Zimmerman, but his tribute seems heartfelt. Fans of the Deadly Snakes may get confused over this one but they shouldn't because it's one hell of screamer, just a whole lot quieter. 8.5/10 (Johnson Cummins)

The Black Heart Procession & Solbakken
In the Fishtank 11 (Konkurrent)
Enon
Hocus Pocus (Touch and Go)
Well before San Diego's Black Heart Procession met Brooklyn's Enon on their current tour, they recorded six songs with Dutch prog rockers Solbakken for the latest Fishtank pair-up. Like Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, there's vitality and beauty behind their bleak shadowplay, coloured with driving rhythm, sinister strings, piano and tides of vocals and guitar drowned in reverb. While those bands consolidated their sounds, Enon (now a trio, minus Rick Lee) continue to twist off in disparate directions, getting more hits than misses doing the robot in the synthpop realm, college rocking XTC-style, flirting with trad Japanese music and wasting time with meek demi-ballads. Both 7.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) With Kiss Me Deadly at Cabaret, Mon., March 22, 9pm, $17.50

P:ano
The Den (Hive-Fi)
In grafting a 20-piece orchestra to a young band (or any band, really), there's always the risk of bloating, of masking poor songwriting with frills, but Vancouver's P:ano and producer Colin Stewart work it with a subtle, nuanced touch. Nick Krgovich is a naturally graceful singer and storyteller, his lulling vocals flirting with music hall pomp, slo-mo chamber pop and downcast balladry. The plodding pace, the fragmentary stretches and the over-use of the old quiet-to-loud device (minus guitars) paint an underwhelming streak through the album, but there's more than enough beauty here to forecast a brilliant follow-up. 7.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)

Godsmack
The Other Side EP (Republic/Universal)
Taking their name from an Alice in Chains song, Godsmack has followed in their footsteps by doing an acoustic album. But the writing just isn't there, neither musically nor lyrically. The boys unplug their instruments and that's when the parmesan turns from drizzle to harrowing downpour. Singer Sully Erna is an annoying Frankenstein of Metallica's James Hetfield and a poor man's Layne Staley. To make things worse, they steal an Alice in Chains riff off a song from their fragile yet powerful acoustic album Jar of Flies. No chances taken here, folks. Without an original bone in its body, the other side of Godsmack ain't pretty. 5/10 (Lateef Martin)

Joshua Treble
Five Points Fincastle (Intr_version)
The MIMI-nominated Intr_version label continues its push towards finding beauty in the abstract and ambient. This time, Cincinnati-based Joshua Treble layers glitchy found sound with wonderfully delicate string pads (like Wolfgang Voigt's Gas project), otherworldly drones and familiar incidental granulated guitar pluckings (no surprise, as Treble is half of post-rock/IDM duo Désormais). Like a 17th-century tapestry seen through a Vaselined lens, Treble's blurred elegance and penchant for romantic moods tug at the tear ducts while nudging the neurons. Head and heart music for future-sound fans everywhere. 8/10 (Raf Katigbak)

Various
Ivan Smagghe Presents Death Disco (Eskimo/Fusion III)
Parisian producer and Blackstrobe member Ivan Smagghe digs deep into the crates to mix some forgotten gems and future classics. What makes this particular mix so great is that it's so borderline cheese that you can't help but get into it. The dark vocalisms of Gus Gus's tweak of Ralphi Rosario's classic "In the Night" and the early Warp Records single "Test Four" by Sweet Exorcist blend seamlessly into tracks by the likes of Chicks on Speed, Dub Pistols and a Superpitcher remix of Quark's "I Walk." So what if Raymond Barry blatantly rips off the organ line from the B-52's "Planet Claire" on the sixth track "TV Eyes" - I was too busy starting a crazy dance party in my living room to notice! 8.5/10 (Raf Katigbak) With Tiga at Gravity on Friday, March 26, 2am, $20

Slangblossom
Convulsions (Arbor)
Winnipeg's Slangblossom is getting a lot of attention these days as part of a wave of First Nations hip hop that is finally getting to people's ears. Members Daybi, Wab, Yann Solo and P-Nut have no problem communicating their own reality, contributing to production of this 14-song album as a group. Daybi stands out as lead MC, deftly talking his way around the sometimes bleak and melancholy subject matter but ultimately solidifying himself as one to watch. These guys are trying to make hip hop that can stand up to the rest, and I think they're definitely on the right track. 7.5/10 (Scott C)

Hu Vibrational
Beautiful (Soul Jazz/Fusion III)
Soul Jazz kicks it up a notch with the release of Hu Vibrational's tangible link between Afro-jazz and leftfield hip hop. Musicians Hamid Drake and Adam Rudolph have played with greats like Pharoah Saunders, Herbie Hancock and Yusef Lateef, but collaborate here with West Coast contemporaries like Daedelus and Carlos Nino, aka Ammon Contact. This is a super-organic head nod, backed up by some really great percussive moments and the feeling that some great MCs could have a field day with these solid instrumentals. This record would be the backdrop for a very interesting cipher indeed. You'll see what I mean. 8/10 (Scott C)

Roy Davis Jr.
Water for Thirsty Children (nice + smooth)
Hailing from the old-school Chicago vanguard, Davis's distinct blend of jazzy dance music has made him a fixture in global DJ circles and recording studios. In his latest project, idyllic values are earnestly transmitted in a haze of Korg synths and Moog dynamics. Intent on keeping negativity in check, there is the Bootsy Collins-inspired rumpfest "Dance Shake," a nifty back-in-the-day track with Chi-town MC J. Fury, and an ode to unrequited affection in "I Love You." The housier cuts certainly had the LFO metres buzzing as harps, guitars and flutes kept pace with varying beat schemes. For those parched for new material from Mr. Davis, this album should handily suffice. 8.5/10 (Peter Lightburn) With Patrick Dream at le Parking, Sun., March 21, 9pm

Michelle Williams
Do You Know (Sony)
While all eyes are focused on the seemingly unstoppable career of Beyoncé Knowles, this fellow Destiny's Child member quietly delivers her second gospel effort. It's a better record than 2002's Heart to Yours, especially in terms of Williams' confidence as a singer and writer - she penned several tracks here. Whereas she seemed to take tepid steps on her debut disc, at times being overwhelmed by the production and guests like Shirley Caesar, here she finds her comfort zone, easily trading vocals with gospel duo Dawkins & Dawkins on "Love Thang" and embracing her newfound confidence on "Didn't Know." Finally, Williams is an Independent Woman. 7.5/10 (Gerard Dee)

Joel Frahm
Don't Explain (Palmetto/Fusion III)
Brad Mehldau
Anything Goes (Warner)
Pianist Mehldau is common to both these releases. The first is a duo with Frahm, a childhood friend who plays tenor and soprano saxophones. They are a most compatible twosome on material by the likes of Sonny Rollins, Ornette Coleman and Monk. The other item here is by one of the very best trios currently working in the jazz field. Larry Grenadier and Jorge Rossy really mesh with the pianist on items written by a wide range of composers including Monk (his "Skippy"), Charlie Chaplin, Paul Simon and Radiohead. Why not welcome spring with some fresh playing? Both 9.5/10 (Len Dobbin)

Mini CD Reviews

The Discord of a Forgotten Sketch s/t (New Romance for Kids) Where did these locals pop up from? Awesome! 8.5 (JC) With the Sainte Catherines at Café Chaos, Thurs., March 25, 9pm, $5

Guido Basso One Take Vol. 1 (Alma) More a co-op - Basso, Lorne Lofsky, Joey DeFrancesco and Vito Rezza heard in a series of first takes, including "Walkin'." 8.5 (LD)

Arabesque aka Aramaic "Mamma Dig Me" (Soul Movement) Nice ode to parents who just don't understand, and an ill B-side in the soulful "Choked Up." 8 (SC)

Jimmie Dale Gilmore Don't Look for a Heartache (Hightone) Fans of Townes Van Zant and Joe Ely, who produces some tracks here, take note. 8 (JC)

The Ukrainians Istoriya (Omnium) Finally, a best-of from this Slavic Wedding Present spin-off, complete with those Smiths, Sex Pistols and VU covers. Nazdarovya to that! 8 (LC)

Nellie McKay Get Away From Me (Columbia/Sony) Genres and jokes collide on this jazz/pop/hip hop/etc. debut, creating a bit more crash than splash. 6.5 (LC)

Various Nag Nag Nag (React) Two CDs covering new stuff (Tiga, Radio 4, T.Raumschmiere) and old stuff (Gina X, Fad Gadget, Devo), but not enough good stuff to be really worth picking up. 6.5 (RK)

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