Various
Sun Ra Dedication: The Myth Lives On (Kindred Spirits)
Since Sun Ra first visited that very special plane of alternative existence, jazz has never quite been the same. Since his final departure from this earthly realm, many artists have been moved to follow in his path of extraterrestrial composition, foregoing the boundaries of conventional thought and embracing the beyond. This double album assembles a talented roster to reinterpret the work of this space-travelling musical icon with a deeply moving spectrum of music. Everyone from Madlib and Yesterday's New Quintet to King Britt, Theo Parrish, Jimi Tenor, Recloose and the Outerzone Band contribute to this 15-track star trek into the undiscovered country. Start here and work backwards, because Sun Ra would have liked it that way. 9/10 (Scott C)
Zeke
'Til the Livin' End (Relapse/Koch)
Now that the Dwarves have totally (pop) punked out, where will the unwashed masses with a need for speed go? Have no fear, Zeke is back together and although the one-minute songs are rare (they're up to two minutes now), this is an unrelenting shitstorm of a record. Blind Marky Felchtone's vocals have never been more abrasive and the "really don't give a fuck" 'tude has never been more in force - though they take the leadfoot off the gas long enough to stomp out '70s grooves on the killer title track, "Ever Onward" and "Ride to Live." Although Zeke's true brilliance lies in being dumber than a bag of hammers, you have to give them extra cool points for the über-wicked song title "Dolphin Wolf." How cool is that?! 9/10 (Johnson Cummins)
Blondie
The Curse of Blondie (Sanctuary/EMI)
Apparently, "the curse of Blondie" is a long-standing in-joke, a cover for all the band's misfortunes, like the disappearance of this album's master tapes. Whether it was the curse or fate giving them a nudge, their eighth LP's out, and it's got one genuine gem in "Good Boys," a shimmering disco-pop anthem recently remixed by Giorgio Moroder. Otherwise, the album's littered with embarrassing rap-rock, dated techno flutter, gross vocal treatments, unwise "free jazz" and dull re-writes of their own classics. At times, however, the vocal and melodic magic of Blondie dispels the curse, elevating awkward tangents above the mediocre mark. 6.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)
Blonde Redhead
Misery Is a Butterfly (4AD/Select)
Lush strings and keys weave their way into this LP like florid vines, enveloping the songs in a way that's both beautiful and overwhelming. The album isn't over-produced, but the dramatic swivel away from the band's angular no-wave-isms toward a skewed soft focus is unsettling, and it's bound to alienate some fans. However, the effect only bolsters the tension between the sinister and the romantic, an undercurrent recalling medieval music and its stately formation dancing. The album's title, and the band's switch from Touch and Go to 4AD, says it all. 8/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) With the Unicorns at Club Soda tonight, Thurs., April 8, 8pm, $20, all ages
Ativin
Night Mute (Secretly Canadian/Sonic Unyon)
This trio of two guitars and drums scores well on the post-rock checklist - the Albini drum sound, the angular hooks of Polvo, the whispered vocals of Bitch Magnet, Keiji Haino feedback ("Endless"), Slint's time signatures and even a Love and Rockets cover ("The Game") to hide their tracks. Thing is, they've made a record that would've been considered revolutionary… 10 years ago. When the whispers and guitar plinking end and the band gets into attack mode, like on the killer instrumentals "Scout" and "Blood," things do pick up. But overall the record lulls away too much. Hardly exciting, but I can guarantee that the myopic knapsack set are going to be wetting their Underoos over this. 7/10 (Johnson Cummins)
Li'l Andy & Karaoke Cowboy
Tombstones & Arcades (Querin)
There's that old joke about "tear in your beer" country, and this band of local yokels falls square into that category, with savvy sense of humour and classic country stylings seamlessly fused with newfangled electric instruments, including DJ Pharm Boy's turntable. If there's any cheese, it's there for flavour - Li'l Andy, whose every quip and clever putdown rings out crystal-clear, tackles the likes of Paul Simon, Nostradamus, Oprah, Trudeau and popular Quebec pastimes like video poker, video games, TV, drinking and, uh, souping up your wheelchair. Twang, bang, thank you ma'am. 8/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) With Weeping Buffalo at le Swimming, Fri., April 16, 10pm, $7
Superpitcher
Here Comes Love (Kompakt)
Certainly one of the most highly anticipated techno full-lengths of the year, Here Comes Love doesn't disappoint. Germany's Aksel Schaufler first turned heads with a killer remix of Contriva's "Stuck" in 2001 and followed that with two minimal pop gems ("Heroin" and "Yesterday") and an unsane version of Brian Eno's "Baby's on Fire." While his debut album has its low points in the middle, the rest is so brilliantly clever and infectiously poppy that you'll soon forget his cover of the jazz standard "Fever" (about an 11 on the Cringe-o-meter). Aloofly delivered tongue-in-cheek lyrics and futuristic shuffle beats make me think of what T-Rex would have been like if he was based out of current-day Cologne. 9/10 (Raf Katigbak)
Toots & the Maytals
True Love (V2/BMG)
The big guns bookend this best-of tribute/collab to/with Toots Hibbert and his Maytals, venerated voices of Jamaican soul. Toots's turns with Clapton, Keef and Jeff Beck are passable, as is the stretch with reggae elders like Ken Boothe, Bunny Wailer and the Skatalites (the kick-off with Willie Nelson makes one squirm a bit). The sweet stuff's in the middle - the dancehall jam "Bam Bam" with Shaggy and Rahzel, exuberant numbers with No Doubt and Trey Anastasio and, with Bootsy and the Roots, a killer "Funky Kingston." Timeless tunes and tonsils, bright and fresh as ever - "Never Grow Old," indeed! 8.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
Kool Keith & Nancy Des Rose White
Label Mix Series Vol. 1 (Gamelock/Fusion III)
While he doesn't rewrite the hip hop handbook this time (paging Dr. Octagon…), the man of a thousand AKAs does offer furious critiques of the rap game, puerile potty-mouthing, loquaciously graphic triple-X rhymes, brainiac oddness and a couple of catchy jams. Moreover, he's found a wicked foil in MC Nancy Des Rose, a cool and collected counterpoint to his sharp, hard rants (he's really got it in for jocks who rap - check "Release"). The record's final third flags and falls apart, but stuff like the Miss Kittin-ish "Hey Mami," the Benatar-biting "Superficial" and the sexy "Sugar," with its kettle drums and piano plink, kick some ass. 7.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) Kool Keith with Jacky Jasper and DJ Deft Sample at Cabaret, Tues., April 13, 8:30pm, $19.50
LAL
Warm Belly High Power (PTR/Outside)
After their solid and gritty downtempo debut Corners, the LAL duo (Rosina Kazi and Nick Murray) have further refined their sound with the aid of several live musicians and influences reaching as far as South Asia, West India, Africa and Latin America. Check the track "Pale" for an example of the typically atypical LAL sound - tabla, ambient strings, jazzy bass, Rhodes keys and dub production that provide the perfect late-night base for Kazi's sweet, velvet voice to deliver her socially conscious lyrics. A wonderfully eclectic, lush album and another deep and soulful success for Toronto's excellent Public Transit Recordings. 8.5/10 (Raf Katigbak) With Dialect, Moonstarr and Scott C at la Sala Rossa, Sun., April 11, 10pm, $10 ($8 w/ metro transfer)
Various
Black to the Future (Five Six/Goya)
Philly busybody King Britt has outdone himself with this collection of future soul (only available in Japan until now), bringing together some of the world's forward thinking producers, vocalists and MCs for a tight compilation. This one flies below the radar but fits right in the pocket of broken soul, hip hop and house. Names like Alma Horton, Ivanna Santilli, Agent K, Wah-cHu-Ku, Jody Watley, Charlie Dark, Dego, Capital A and Rob Life fill this soul platter with everything you need for a new fix. My pick is the beautiful "This Journey In" by the dead-on band Rebirth, but there's much, much more than that on this superb look ahead. 8.5/10 (Scott C)
Usher
Confessions (BMG)
Usher might say his fourth album isn't about his ex (TLC's Chilli), but this is a post-breakup album if I ever heard one. With the notable exception of a few tracks, including crunked-up lead single "Yeah!" and the hard-edged Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis production "Bad Girl," these are some despairing songs. From the guilt-ridden "Confessions Part II" to the remorseful "Throwback" to the sweet & sorrowful "Burn," Usher puts the blues squarely back in R&B. The set gets a bit tedious at times, but this is definitely his most soulful outing yet. I guess confession is good for the soul after all. 7.5/10 (Gerard Dee)
George Schuller
Round 'Bout Now (Playscape)
George is the percussionist son of Gunther and brother of Ed Schuller, and this is a wonderful, edgy release done in 2002 with a quintet featuring Ingrid Jensen, Donny McCaslin, vibraphonist Tom Beckham and bassist Dave Ambrosio, with guest appearances from Sonny Barbato on accordion, Pete McCann on guitar and Matt Darriau on bass clarinet. Eight tracks, five by George plus Miles' "Side Car," "Circle in the Round" and "Filles de Kilimanjaro." Some great voicings and solos, and check out the interplay between Ingrid and Tom. 9.5/10 (Len Dobbin)
Mini CD Reviews
Andy Bey American Song (Savoy/Koch) The jazz vocal CD of 2004. Not to be missed! 10 (LD)
Jerk Appeal "36 Cents" 7" (Sonik's Chicken Shrimp) Three killer tracks from Montreal's greatest punk rock 'n' roll band. 8.5 (JC)
Amp Fiddler "I Believe In You" 12" (Genuine/Pias) Amp gets the Bugz in the Attic treatment, as well as a leg up from Dilla and Madlib. Great improvement on the original! 8 (SC)
Hyper Wired (Thrive/Fusion III) 25-year-old U.K. phenom follows up his excellent Y3K mix with a double CD of futuristic breaks filled with proggy synths and crunchy beats. 7 (RK) With Crystal Method at le Spectrum, Fri., April 9, 8pm, $23.50
Kate Maki Confusion Unlimited (independent) One talented Ontariette folds country and folk into pretty but plaintive ditties. 7.5 (LC)
One Line Drawing The Volunteers (Jade Tree) I think I know somebody who needs a hug. Fans of Xiu Xiu will weep over this one. 7 (JC)
Various Pink Panther's Penthouse Party (Virgin/EMI) Illos by Shag, leftover loungecore from the late '90s, some Latin laziness and surreptitious Mancini remixes (Fischerspooner et al.) as the cartoon cat hits 40. 7 (RB)
Northern State Dying in Stereo (Startime) These three shrill Caucasian college-girl rappers are better heard and not seen, but no cigar. Whack this way. 5 (LC)
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