Armand Van Helden
New York: A Mix Odyssey (Southern Fried)
Zing! Did you hear that? That's the sound of Armand Van Helden dodging a bullet. After two rather crap-tacular albums, it seems that AVH has once again tapped into the sound of the New York City nightlife and is back in raw, energetic, risk-taking form. Taking listeners from the dingy bars of classic Lower East Side disco punk (Blondie) to downtown warehouses (Klonhertz, Jess and Crabbe) to Williamsburg electro clubs (Felix Da Housecat, Soft Cell, Company B) to indie rock basement parties (Ram Jam, the Romantics and yes, even Yes), Van Helden seems to have come out of the bubble many superstar DJs get lost in, returning to his rough mix roots. 8.5/10 (Raf Katigbak)

Morrissey
You Are the Quarry (Sanctuary/EMI)
The cult of Monsignor Melancholy has only grown over the past seven years, a hiatus that's come to a close with his best album since Vauxhall and I. As sardonic and self-deprecating as ever, with faithful collaborators Alan Whyte and Boz Boorer at his side, Morrissey forgives Jesus, glorifies gangs, bashes/mashes America and longs for attention. Despite a few plodding tracks in the pack, the fresh bite of "Irish Blood, English Heart" and "The First of the Gang to Die" and the classic whimsy that colours his lyrics will surely satisfy longtime Morrissey fans, if not encourage new ones. 7.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)

Ween
Live in Chicago (Sanctuary/EMI)
Whatever on the live CD, which only covers two-thirds of the sprawling two-hour gig at Chicago's Vic Theatre last November. The whole thing's on the bonus DVD, sharply shot but free of corny production tricks, just good lighting, clear shots, tons of dry ice and great fucking sound. The bug-eyed (and svelte!) Gener and grinning Deaner deliver loads of their latter-day greats, dipping into The Mollusk (my fave) for the opener "Buckingham Green," a fun "Ocean Man" and the rousing closer "The Blarney Stone." There's a rippin' "I'll Be Your Jonny On th' Spot" halfway through, and "You Fucked Up" leads perfectly into a climactic "Doctor Rock." Fucking Ween, man! 8.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

Auf der Maur
self-titled (Capitol/EMI)
If making your very own rock album is a substantial step towards personal fulfillment, then bravo, Melissa Auf der Maur. Anyone can make a record these days, but MADM's spreading this vanity project wide, her past with Hole and the Smashing Pumpkins guaranteeing name collaborators (Josh Homme, James Iha etc.), high production values and a major label push. Units will move despite the gaping maw of lame that sucks at every juvenile lyric, weak vocal and dated goth-rock progression the LP has to offer, and it has plenty. But it's still easier on the ears than that Courtney record. 4/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) With the Offspring and the Start at Metropolis, Tues., May 25, 7:30pm, $35, all ages

Lenny Kravitz
Baptism (Virgin/EMI)
A not so clever thief, Kravitz has built a career ripping off Beatles, Zeppelin and Hendrix riffs almost note for note. The only thing saving him is his namechecking his influences, but his head is so far up his ass on this, it's just embarrassing. Check out the chorus to "Minister of Rock 'n' Roll" (egads, man!), or to "I Don't Want to Be a Star," where he's on about how he drank with Dylan and got high with Jagger but now he's tired of "acting the clown" (yowza!). The egomaniacal liner notes state that he produced, arranged, wrote and performed every song, and provide assorted shots of him looking very pensive, leaning over each instrument on the record. What a douchebag. 4/10 (Johnson Cummins)

Various
Rock Against Bush Vol. 1 (Fat Wreck Chords)
Care of Fat Mike and company comes this barrage of concentrated Bush-bashing - a veritable Junior Dissident's Slimefighting kit. The CD's got "inspirational" numbers by punks old (Jello Biafra, Ministry, NOFX) and new (Sum 41, Get Up Kids, Denali), some unreleased, most unremarkable. The DVD's the prize with a David Cross bit, docs about Enron, Iraq and the 2000 election, videos and the best of those Bush in 30 Seconds ads. Sadly absent: the DoD Dissemblance Decoder Ring and the Dick Cheney ventriloquism handbook. 7.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

Amen
Death Before Musick (Columbia/Sony)
Headed up by raging lunatic Casey Chaos, Amen continue to wed metal riffage with punk rock attitude. The metal sludge and teeth-grinding speed is all good, but it's Chaos's over the top, John Lydon/Jello Biafra delivery that really makes this stand out. His partner in crime is Rich Jones (ex-Black Halos) whose Thunders-meets-Hetfield guitar riffing provides the perfect backdrop to the frontman's ranting. Maybe not the best punk release this year but definitely the best one on a major right now. 8.5/10 (Johnson Cummins)

Tamlon 12 Inch
Let's Suffer (Ersatz Audio)
This debut LP smoulders like a twisted heap of eerie, psychedelic, gothic-electro-metal noise. Lyrically, the Detroit trio's female lead Kerry Biernott wails through several dark, nursery-rhyme tunes that cross Kate Bush's creepiness and the Slits' booming delivery. Despite their cacophonous sound, Tamlon are quite minimal and selective in which kind of bleepy, metallic dissonance offsets their sparse guitar melodies and wonky analog beats. While not as rigid or formulated as Adult., Tamlon retains a certain rugged, defiant voice (albeit a more spine-tingling one). 8/10 (Raf Katigbak)

Sixtoo
Chewing on Glass and Other Miracle Cures (Ninja Tune/Outside)
Building on the brooding instrumental introversion that he's been crafting over his most recent releases, Sixtoo locks into the Ninja Tune vein with a moody, largely organic sound that goes far beyond beat-based sampling and sequencing. Rather than give yourself a headache trying to classify the sometimes euphoric wash of psych-rock and raps, sit back and digest. This record immediately reminds me of the soundtrack to La Planète Sauvage by Alain Goraguer, where a haunting, visual quality and depth to the score creates imaginative characters and landscapes all its own. The music of Sixtoo is proud and unashamed of its uncertainty, and this LP marks a brave new turn for the seasoned producer. 8/10 (Scott C)

Head-Roc
The Return of Black Broadway (Dara)
If I hear one more person say they don't listen to hip hop anymore because there's no longer any militant, political rappers, I'm gonna bust. Here comes Head-Roc, straight out of Washington, D.C., with a hit list that covers everybody from Bush and Cheney to Al Sharpton. This MC has absolutely no problem articulating his way around the internal questions of black identity, systemic racism in the U.S., American foreign policy, the media and all the other shit that makes up the great sinkhole to the south of us. He flows clear and concise about stuff that makes him mad and frustrated, but also has a knack for vivid storytelling and introspective rhymes. 7.5/10 (Scott C)

Carl Thomas
Let's Talk About It (Universal)
Four years after his debut Emotional, which included the superbly emotive track "I Wish," this Chicago-based singer returns with an uneven disc that features some bright spots in an overall average set list. Thomas has a good but indistinct voice, which means the material makes or breaks him. When he has good material (the retro-sounding "The Baby Maker," the hope-filled "A Promise") he shines, with music that deftly compliments his sturdy falsetto. But those same vocals get buried under too much generic R&B ("My First Love," "Work It Out"). Guest spots by LL Cool J and poet Malik Yusef add some needed spice to the mix. 7/10 (Gerard Dee)

Wayne McGhie & the Sounds of Joy
self-titled (Light in the Attic/Outside)
This 1970 obscurity might kick off on a magnificent cover of Steam's "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye," a tune inseparable from the Habs, but it's actually Hogtown product. Awkward as the term "classic Toronto funk" might sound, Jamaican émigré McGhie and his loosely assembled band - featuring early reggae notables Alton Ellis and (at least by rumour, he's uncredited) Jackie Mittoo - make it work. While the opening rink rocker is a high point, so are McGhie's own self-explanatory "Dirty Funk," the grand, effervescent "Fire (She Need Water)" and the sweet rock steady of "Cool It," confirming the Kingston connection. 7.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra
Tribute to a Generation (Smithsonian Folkways/Koch)
Subtitled A Salute to the Big Bands of the WWII Era, this CD has 17 tracks originally done by the likes of Ellington, Goodman and Shaw including "Sepia Panorama," "Mission to Moscow," "Rain Check" and "Back Bay Shuffle." Gunther Schuller and Dave Baker conduct and first-rate soloists include Loren Schoenberg, Gary Smulyan, Greg Gisbert, Roland Hanna, Michael Weiss, Steve Wilson and James Chirillo. Our own Charles Ellison shows up in the trumpet section. Includes a most informative booklet on the music and the era. A must for big band fans! 9/10 (Len Dobbin)

Mini CD Reviews

Common Resurrection Instrumentals (White) Been waiting for this forever. This is No I.D. at his best, and you can hear exactly what he was up to back then. 10 (SC)

Fila Brazillia The Life and Times of Phoebus Brumal (Twentythree/Fusion III) If Basement Jaxx switched to decaf, their stuff might sound like the electro-funky folk-rock-aoke of Fila's latest. 8.5 (RB)

Pete Malinverni The Tempest (Reservoir) A most interesting and (at times) quirky outing of mostly standards by this pianist joined by Dennis Irwin and Leroy Williams. 8.5 (LD)

Craig Richards Fabric 15: Tyrant (Fabric/Fusion III) Never mind the fact that this series has some of the nicest packaging around. How about a double CD of the best minimalist electro and microhouse around? You know you want it! 8.5 (RK)

The Magnetic Fields I (Nonesuch/Warner) Synth-free and free for anything fancy, Stephen Merritt ties up another round of theatrical songsmithing. 8 (LC)

Dexter Romweber Blues That Defy My Soul (Yep Roc/Outside) Flat Duo Jets member Romweber gets closer to his rockabilly roots. 8 (JC)

Surcharge Rock 'n' Roll Motherfuckers (Balmoral/Local) Uh, I think you can figure this one out from the title. 8 (JC)

Dragosh Where You Dream (Tox/Dep) The silky, trip-notic mystery pop of this Montreal trio arrives with the cloudy clarity of a really good/sexy/weird/confounding dream. 7 (RB)

Alanis Morissette So-called Chaos (Maverick/Warner) Another even year, another round of mewling, masturbatory anthems from Al-anus. 4 (LC)

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