Loretta Lynn
Van Lear Rose (Interscope/Universal)
Jack White from the White Stripes is producing here and, though he does a killer job, nothing can steal the spotlight from this coalminer's daughter. White lets the amps buzz and cranks up the treble on the lap steel, but as soon as you hear Lynn's velvet croon it's plain that this is a heartfelt country record, as real as it gets. She concentrates on ballads here, though she does muster up her best Wanda Jackson holler on "Have Mercy" and her "Mad Mrs. Leroy Brown" has all the needles in the red and sounds not unlike the Detroit Cobras. When White duets with Lynn on "Portland Oregon," his helium-voiced Lee Hazlewood routine is perfect, but when Lynn sings about incarceration in "Women's Prison," you'll be reduced to a puddle. 9/10 (Johnson Cummins)
The World Provider Enabler (Ta-Da/Outside)
There's no question that Montreal's one-man circus of sight and sound, Malcolm Fraser, provides a world of entertainment when working the stage, what with his delightful dance moves and wardrobe wackiness. But can his budgetronic ditties hold their own on CD, minus the distracting spectacle? And how! As richly realized as the hilarious jacket photo, the tunes here (transistor punk from the tickle trunk, Hallmark-card heavy metal, support-group bubblegum and a Casio cowboy lament) not only keep one's toes tapping, they triangulate the forces of funny, sad and fucking cool. 8/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) With Peaches and Young Heart Attack at Club Soda, Tues., May 4, 8:30pm, $20, all ages
Young Heart Attack
Mouthful of Love (XL/Select)
The flying V guitar in their logo is already a clue, but I think this wailin' party-metal powerhouse from Austin, TX - admired by the Darkness and Lemmy himself - is possibly best explained with this simple graphic image: 7.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) With Peaches and the World Provider at Club Soda, Tues., May 4, 8:30pm, $20, all ages
Division of Laura Lee Dasnotcompute (Epitaph)
Epitaph could be accused of lagging a little behind lately, but they might be catching up with this one. This Swedish quartet layer a dense soundscape over driving rock, with singer Per Stalberg laying down some sass, but the band manages to steer clear of cliché throughout. Borrowing from '70s glam, '80s new wave, the current crop of Swedish psych-pop and an ample amount of punk's energy, DOLL really hit a mark here. The tone swings from Joy Division bleakness to Beach Boys innocence, sometimes within the same song, which'll have your mood ring turning every colour of the rainbow. Even production ranges from lo-fi to overdone, resulting in a great bipolar record. 7.5/10 (Johnson Cummins)
Ambulance Ltd.
LP (TVT/Universal)
Pop-rock guitars have generally slimmed down since the late '90s, when new wave, no wave, roots and sad-bastard influences hushed the then-ubiquitous distortion pedal. Perhaps that's why so many new bands with remotely voluptuous six-strings are wrongly written up as shoegazing revivalists. This Brooklyn quartet is the latest such case, unfurling occasional guitar waves that sound more stoned than searing. Several songs wade through slick grey patches recalling '70s session-musicianship, and an uncalled-for, anti-climactic cover of VU's "Ocean" doesn't help their cause, yet moments of brilliance like "Heavy Lifting" lift spirits somewhat. 6.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)
Prototypes
Tout le monde cherche quelque chose à faire (Boxson/Universal)
Some of you might remember a French band from the late '90s called Bosco, an experimental indie-pop duo with heads firmly planted up asses. Said heads have been extracted. Stéphane Bodin and François Marché found themselves a frontperson in singer Isabelle Le Doussal and their bag now is (mostly) straight-up synth rock, tailor made for anyone who was at the recent Plastic Bertrand show here. The clincher is Le Doussal's delivery, in a grand French tradition going back before new wave to les gamines of '60s yé-yé - bratty, pouting, tuneless and so damn cute. "Danse sur la merde" better be a quick club hit or I suspect someone will have a sexy lil' tantrum. 7.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
Alpha Stargazing (Special Edition) (Nettwerk/Warner)
Bristol's Andy Jenks and Corin Dingley have always sought the sensual, soulful side of trip hop, an antidote to Portishead's chilling coo and the sinister mutterings of Massive Attack (whose Melankolic label released Alpha's 1997 debut). Dotted with the alternating, all-sublime vocals of Martin Barnard, Wendy Stubbs, Helen White and Kelvin Swaybe, the duo's tremulous bedroom ballads and groovy instrumentals weave and flower like vines along a lush wall of gauzy, symphonic strings and peek-a-boo samples and beats. If sultry was a sound, Alpha could easily capture it. 8/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)
Various
Definitive Jux Presents III (Definitive Jux/Outside)
The Def Jux roster weighs in like a lean and wiry middleweight southpaw, ready to square off against the reigning champ with underdog style and finesse. That they've made it this far is exactly the point, with its artists delivering gritty, intelligent hip hop made to go round for round with the norm. Aesop Rock contributes a couple of tracks as well as producing the Murs gem "You're Dead to Me," while the Perceptionists' "Medical Aid" provides some food for thought. C-Rayz Walz keeps it tight with "Jello" while label head El-P shines on both "WMR" with Camo Tao and "Oxycontin Part 2" with Cage. Kudos to recent Toronto-based signee 4th Pyramid, whose song "Aquatic" shows that you get in where you fit in. 8/10 (Scott C) Perceptionists, SA Smash and 4th Pyramid at Cabaret tonight, Thurs., April 29, 8:30pm, $16
Various
DJ Kayslay: The Streetsweeper Vol 2. (Sony/Columbia)
How many times has Christopher Walken's famous speech from King of New York been used for skits? Here it is again, starting off Kayslay's second Streetsweeper mix. Ghostface runs things on "Face Off" with Scarface to start off, but then you have to wait through G Unit, Sauce Money, Memphis Bleek, Eminem, Obie Trice, Lil Flip, Lil Mo and E40 before LL Cool J rips a memorable verse on "The Truth." Three 6 Mafia takes repping your city to new heights on "Who Gives a Fuck Where You From," and Kayslay introduces his protégé Papoose, who proceeds to flex a stinky alphabet rap on "Alphabetical Slaughter." Raekwon, Prodigy, AZ, Diplomats, Twista, Jaheim, Nore and Fat Joe also appear, though D12 gets the gold with "Census Bureau," probably the best song on this inconsistent mix. 7/10 (Scott C)
Jason Forrest
The Unrelenting Songs of the 1979 Post Disco Crash (Sonig)
Forget the blips, bleeps and clicky cuts of minimalism, this album is balls-out, full-on, spill-yer-beer-'cause-you're-rockin'-so-hard maximalist mayhem. While musical brother Kid 606 craftily mines his ragga-jungle-rave past for inspiration, Jason Forrest (aka Donna Summer) digs into the classic rock and disco discount bin of the record store and emerges with 43 minutes of anthemic breakcore filled with blistering guitar solos, Keith Moon-style programmed drum solos and more than a few other musical surprises (Styx fans take note). So what if his blatant sampling would cause any major label copyright lawyer to start salivating uncontrollably? That's not your concern. Your mission here is A) turn it up loud and B) bring an extra pair of underpants. 8.5/10 (Raf Katigbak)
Van Hunt
self-titled (Capitol/EMI)
No doubt Atlanta-based soul singer Van Hunt aspires to be something of a Prince for his generation. This singer/musician (he plays nearly all the instruments on his debut) certainly resembles the Purple One in musical versatility, spicing his soulful delivery with elements of rock, funk, folk and even some blues. He also displays lyrical skill, showcasing his twisted wit on "Down Here in Hell (With You)," where he praises a bad relationship. Meanwhile, "Seconds of Pleasure" shows a knack for musical detail, while "Precious" is as lush a ballad as anything His Purpleness has ever written. Maybe Hunt has a little Prince in him after all. 8/10 (Gerard Dee)
Joe Carter
2 For 2 (Empathy)
Nick Cuda
The Guitar In the Window (Cuda)
Russell Malone
Playground (MaxJazz)
Harry Manx
West Eats Meet (Dog My Cat)
Four guitarists - Carter and Cuda will appeal to those whose tastes lean towards Brazil. The former is abetted by the wonderful Nilson Matta on bass, with Jobim and Baden Powell represented. The latter, a gifted guitarist based in Ontario, does 12 originals in the same vein. Andrew Downing, Ben Riley and the piano and accordion of John Lettieri are bonuses. Malone is the best known of the four and this outing adds Joe Locke and Gary Bartz on a pair of selections. Manx is a marvel from the Canadian West Coast who can be startling, whether playing six-string banjo, lap slide guitar or the sitar-like mohan veena. He also sings and plays harmonica on this release in the folk-blues genre. Manx 8.5/10, Others 8/10 (Len Dobbin)
Mini CD Reviews
Head-Roc The Return of Black Broadway (ILR/Dara) Who says political rap is dead? HR runs it down like a nightly-news pundit with skills. 8.5 (SC)
Johanne Blouin & Vic Vogel Big Band Until I Met You (Justin Time/Fusion III) If a singer with power and a roaring big band are up your alley, this is for you. For subway riders, "Besame Mucho" is among the 15 tracks. 8 (LD)
Iron & Wine Our Endless Numbered Days (Sub Pop) Unearthing beauty in the simplest tunes and subtlest blues and country flourishes, Florida's Sam Beam and friends offer a sophomore hit of delicate, intimate folk. 8 (LC)
Konk The Sound of Konk (Soul Jazz/Fusion III) Fine, forgotten funk-punk from '80s NYC, for those who dig Pigbag, Bush Tetras, Liquid Liquid and such. 8 (RB)
Jordan Knight Performs NKOTB (Universal) Although sub-par, "updated" Timbaland-style beats combined with Knight's painful falsetto are a sign of the apocalypse, this CD made my roommates jump up and down on the couch, singing along at the top of their lungs till 5 a.m. I shit you not. 5 (RK)
Snow Patrol Final Straw (Polydor/Universal) Gary Lightbody (of the far superior Reindeer Section) brings us repressed indie rock-lite, now with no aftertaste. 5 (LC)
Various Spin the Bottle: An All Star Tribute to Kiss (Mirror Nouveau/Koch) I lost my count of Kiss tribute CDs after the first five. How much green does Gene need? 5 (JC)
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