Various
Rio Baile Funk: Favela Booty Beats (Essay/Fusion III)
Oh man, the next level of excellence in get-stupid music has been reached. This is hardly the rawest, nastiest shit coming out of the hillside slums around Rio de Janeiro. But it's still an outstanding intro to the sound of funk - that funk, the bastard Brazilian booty ruling the sound systems of Rio's baile parties. With its electro-batacuda beats and bits jacked from '80s hip hop, its samples of accordions, livestock and ringtones and, above all, its shamelessly ham-fisted raps, funk's got the makings of party-time perfection. There are duds here (Cidinho & Doca's "Cidade de Deus": rent the movie instead), but numbers like Paty's "Cavalo de Pau," Mc Serghino's absurd "Pocotocopo" and Bonde Do Tiagro's punchy "O Baile Todo" can't be beat. 9/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

David Thomas & Two Pale Boys
18 Monkeys on a Dead Man's Chest (Smog Veil)
If Iggy Pop is the godfather of punk, surely David Thomas (the man behind the mic for seminal bands Rocket From the Tombs and Pere Ubu) would be the godfather of alternative rock. With no drums behind him, Thomas strips down the sound and lets pulsing bass and noise guitar keep the beat. Andy Diagram's electronically treated trumpets provide some serious competition for Thomas's voice in terms of irritability and provocation (if you've heard Thomas sing, you know what I'm talking about). On "Little Sister," Thomas actually gets down to some cocktail crooning as a Theremin hovers overhead, while opus closer "Prepare for the End" is a real stunner that proves the man is not resting on the laurels. 9/10 (Johnson Cummins)

The Mooney Suzuki
Alive & Amplified (Columbia/Sony)
Fresh from abetting the death of Liz Phair's credibility, the Matrix strikes again. You'd think the infamous production team's soulless sterility would be too emasculating for these macho rock 'n' rollers, but maybe cutting your own balls off is the new groupie gang-bang. But despite the hard-candy mix, the band is equally to blame for this sophomore bore. Not only has their MC5-esque bristle been sanded down to the stump, the tunes are measly and the lyrics are so rife with inane, ribald clichés that they make the Stones' "Brown Sugar" sound like a thoughtful dissertation on black emancipation. 6/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)

Spiderbait
Tonight Alright (Universal)
Riding the coattails of the Australian rock invasion (D4, the Datsuns, Jet), Spiderbait get their foot in the door just before the expiration date, but are guaranteed to burn brightly with their Mudhoney-meets-'70s-bubblegum sound. Their take on Leadbelly's "Black Betty" is a to-the-letter version like that done by '70s one-hit wonders Ram Jam, but it's quite evident that Brian Enos, these Aussies ain't. Spiderbait know that the secret to all truly great rock bands is that they're all dumber than a bag of hammers, which is why they hatched the song title "Fucken Awesome" (sic). You've heard it all done before and more than likely a lot better, but Spiderbait don't care. They just wanna rock! 7.5/10 (Johnson Cummins)

Guided By Voices
Half Smiles of the Decomposed (Matador/Select)
That's all, folks. This is the swan song for the Midwestern branch of the USA's indie-rock vanguard, a little death despite singer Robert Pollard's inevitable solo onslaught. Bursting with succulent comfort hooks and wrapped in warm security riffs, the LP is more varied in tone than their recent releases, taking reflective, melancholy paths without slipping into pretension. No one will remember this as the cream of GBV's crop, but it's a worthy addition to the canon, and I dare diehard fans to remain composed during the finale, which fades out on one of Pollard's shambolically stirring refrains. 7.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter)

Mr. Matt et la Caravane du Bonheur
Veo Dios en ti (Indica/Outside)
The Mr. Matt in question is Matt Lipscombe, former Me Mom & Morgentaler bassist. His new project's mélange, not only of funk, folk, reggae, Latin and pop-rock flavours but of three languages, reflects his old band's directions. But where the triple M delivered large-scale party action, la Caravane du Bonheur rolls through with lower-case good vibes, more pup tent than beer tent. Hell, three tunes are specifically intended for children. Even the moodier tunes spill sunlight and fresh air - scowling death-metal fans, take a pass or risk an aneurysm. 7.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) CD launch at Petit Campus, Fri., Aug. 27, 9 p.m., $5

Prodigy
Always Outnumbered Never Outgunned (XL/Select)
After a seven-year hiatus (not including 2002's cringe-worthy single "Baby's Got a Temper"), Always Outnumbered is Prodigy producer Liam Howlett's attempt to get back to his purported hip hop and punk roots. This time he's bounced the demonically coiffed frontman Keith in favour of big names like Liam Gallagher, Twista, Kool Keith and Juliette Lewis (who actually does a great job on album opener "Spitfire"). But big names does not a good album make. While a few gems, like the grimy Timbaland-esque "Memphis Bells" rekindle enough raw, angry energy to propel another five years' worth of sportscar commercials, seven of 12 songs fall pretty flat (in a recent interview, Howlett even referred to one song as being "just filler"). 7/10 (Raf Katigbak)

KMFDM
WWIII Live 2003 (Sanctuary/EMI)
The live brutality of KMFDM cannot be denied! German taskmasters mix the mosh pits of discontent with lyrics about the economic war waged on the planet's weak and/or overworked! Male and female vocals spew venom all over chaotic techno backed by chugging guitars and back-breaking drum & bass, all performed live! KMFDM has a long relationship with American foreign policy and the Bush family and has no qualms airing dirty laundry! With most songs taken from last year's WWIII, this incarnation of the 20-year-old juggernaut shows no signs of slowing down! The live brutality of KMFDM cannot be denied! 7.5/10 (Lateef Martin)

Sizzla
Jah Knows Best (Ras)
It's tough to demand consistency from a guy who's released over 25 albums in the last 10 years - four this year alone. Jah Knows Best finds Sizzla in a fiery mood, and his lyrics here are pure consciousness. Unfortunately, save for "Real People" and "Girl You Gonna Need My Love," boom tunes both, this record suffers from weak riddims. Phillip "Fatis" Burrell seems a little off recently, but at least he isn't responsible for Sizzla's cover of Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues." We can thank some California hippie for that mistake. I can't complain, really, considering that Sizzla's Stay Focus comes out next week. 7/10 (Erin MacLeod) With Anthony B, B.U. and Korexon at le Medley, Fri., Aug. 27, 10 p.m., $40

Mobb Deep
Amerikaz Nightmare (Jive/BMG)
That's right, Havoc and Prodigy are back once again to prove that the QB can still handle this street business with ease. With Havoc and the Alchemist still manning the boards, the Mobb called in hot kid Lil Jon and second coming of the moment Kanye West for some hit heat. "Got It Twisted" is proper QB drama rolled nicely in a Thomas Dolby loop, making even "She Blinded Me With Science" sound like some gutter block. Prodigy still has lines for days too, making this duo just as raw as they were almost 10 years ago when they first brought it. Jadakiss, Nate Dogg and Twista guest. 7.5/10 (Scott C)

The Beatnuts
Milk Me (Penalty/Outside)
A friend of mine was just pointing out how many hip hop record covers show beautiful black women with milk being poured over them. Leave it to the Nuts to follow suit with yet another one, not to mention a crazy nutbar record that has everybody and their sister in the mix. I don't know what's up with "We Don't Give a Funk" but I love it. A close listen will reveal that the Beatnuts are still dirty bastards at the bottom of it, even if they don't dig quite as hard for samples as they used to. Freeway and Prince Whipper Whip steal the show. 7/10 (Scott C)

Robin Judge
Pattern (Noise Factory)
The opening notes of Pattern lull the listener into an ambient trance that's nice enough, but the question soon arises, where do we go from here? Sadly, the music's answer seems to be, "I'm not sure." While it's obvious that Judge has an interest in contrasting sounds and a penchant for calming melodies, the overall clinical feel and stock minimal audio palette that borrows heavily from Pole and Basic Channel leaves the recording sounding a little too safe. With a bolder curiosity and a few more musical risks, this album could have moved beyond its obvious influences and set itself apart. 6/10 (Raf Katigbak)

Amanda Perez
I Pray (Virgin/EMI)
As with her first two releases, Indianapolis native Amanda Perez wrote and produced the majority of the tracks here. She's still the around-the-way girl singing and rapping about life and love. On the set's most poignant moment, the acoustic "Angel" (featured in two versions), she sings with vulnerability about an intense love affair. But nothing else comes close to that emotive moment. Worse still, the electro beat that underscores most of the album wears thin to the point of redundancy by the time closing track "Get It Girl" rolls around. No doubt Perez is a talented singer-songwriter, but this third time is definitely not the charm. 5.5/10 (Gerard Dee)

Gordie Fleming
According to Gordie (Just A Memory/Fusion III)
The subject of this anthology, the greatest bebop accordionist I ever heard, died on Aug. 31, 2002. This release was lovingly put together by his daughter Heidi with the help of Gordie's many friends. The earliest track has a 16-year-old dedicating "Caravan" to his mom and dad on a Winnipeg radio show. Material by the Canadian All Stars is here, including tracks from a 1953 Chez Paree concert that headlined Charlie Parker. The sidemen heard on these 25 tracks read like a Canadian who's-who: Herbie Spanier, Al Baculis, Yvan Landry, Hal Gaylor, Billy Graham, Michel Donato and Al Penfold are here, as is clarinet giant Buddy DeFranco. An important musical and historical document. 10/10 (Len Dobbin)

Mini CD Reviews

Geri Allen The Life of a Song (Telarc/Universal) The pianist's first CD in six years. A wonderful trio outing with Dave Holland and Jack DeJohnette, well worth the wait. 9 (LD)

O9 Church of the Ghetto PC (Asphodel/Schematic) As dreamy and hypnotic as any classic Detroit techno track but as hard hitting as the raunchiest Dutch gabbercore. 8 (RK)

Carina Round The Disconnection (Weapons of Mass Entertainment/Universal) A strong limb from the folk family tree, sharing a branch with PJ Harvey and Feist. 8 (LC)

GB "80s Ladeez" 12" (Sound In Color) Get this, play it loud, and then play it again... 8 (SC)

Various Je l'ai fait pour toi (Where Are My Records) An essential sampler of Montreal's after-rock specialty. 8 (LC)

Michael Rose Happiness: The Best of Michael Rose (Heartbeat) Sure, this is okay, but why not just listen to Black Uhuru? 7 (EM)

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