MUSIC REVIEWS

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JF ROBITAILLE
Calendar
(Blue Cardinal)
It’s been a long five years since the last release by this local singer-songwriter (frontman for the long defunct Social Register). A deal with a label in NYC, a promising EP, a shelved record, a return to Montreal and a personal life (presumably?) in flux—all this has been fodder for a stellar folk-pop record, its classic melodies, structures and balance of raw and polished finish recalling such 60s and 70s greats as Cohen, Dylan, Lennon, even a touch of the Temptations. 8/10 Trial Track: “The New Girl” (Lorraine Carpenter) With Sea Oleena at Divan Orange, Tues., June 21, 10 p.m.

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FOSTER THE PEOPLE
Torches
(Columbia/Sony)
If you’ve ever had to tighten your belt, chances are it required making the demoralizing switch from brand name cereal to the cheaper no-name equivalent. The downgrade seems insignificant at first, but once those flaky forgeries hit milk and mollify into inedible mushy clumps, it’s a harsh lesson learned. Torches’ impetuous electro-pop similarly dupes with a familiar superficiality that loses its crunch under increased scrutiny. 5/10 Trial Track: “Houdini” (Erik Leijon) With Gardens and Villa at le National, Fri., June 17, 8 p.m., $15, all ages

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OWL CITY
All Things Bright and Beautiful
(Universal Republic)
There’s no empirical evidence to suggest vacuously quixotic Owl City mastermind Adam Young grew up sequestered from the hardships of modern life, but the electro-balladeering bubble boy’s third attempt at over-enunciating credulous pillow talk has me hoping that just once, the poor kid’s make-believe cardboard rocket ship lands in the proverbial wrong place at the wrong time. If only to build some character. 0/10 Trial Track: n/a (Erik Leijon) With Mat Kearney, Unwed Sailor at l’Olympia, Mon., June 20, 7 p.m., $28.75, all ages

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BLACK LIPS
Arabia Mountain
(Vice)
The snottiest garage band alive is back with their trademark stomp still intact, but they’ve miraculously managed to step it up in the songwriting department without sacrificing an ounce of spunk. With the current crop of bands plundering their Pebbles compilations and the early In the Red roster, the Black Lips still manage to bring something new to the table. 7/10 Trial Track: “Mad Dog” (Johnson Cummins)

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JOSH REICHMANN
After Live
(Hand Drawn Dracula)
You may know this Toronto singer/songwriter/musician from his early-aughts band Tangiers, his previous solo guises (Jewish Legend/Oracle Band) or as half of Bad Tits, with Sebastien Grainger. But this LP is all about synthetic, folkloric, body-horror-rocking strangeness—imagine 30 minutes on mushrooms with loops of Leonard Cohen’s “The Future” in one ear, elec­tro remixes of Bauhaus’ “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” in the other and eyes glued to Bob Dylan’s Don’t Look Back on a blood-soaked screen. 7/10 Trial Track: “After Live” (Lorraine Carpenter)

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SEBASTIAN
Total
(Ed Banger)
For Ed Banger fans with a short attention span, the first-ever LP by French producer Sebastian is jammed with good half-ideas. Among its 22 tracks—most of them brief, top-heavy funk/disco jams with distorted samples and shuddering bass—are cameos by Mayer Hawthorne (“Love in Motion,” a highlight) and M.I.A., whose “C.T.F.O.” beats everything on her last record. This is alright, but let’s have some remixes (and that new Justice record) please. 7/10 Trial Track: “C.T.F.O.” (Lorraine Carpenter)

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CAM’RON & VADO
Gunz N’ Butta
(E One)
Okay, first off, why does it sound like the theme from Knight Rider is playing on repeat in the background all the way through this half-assed offering from the Dipset clique? Sometimes, mixtapes can be cool precisely because they are rough drafts, but when album time comes, it would be nice to hear something concrete. Killa Cam, Vado and producer araabMUZIK could have given way more. This is slingshots and margarine, at best. 4.5/10 Trial Track: “Breathe” (Darcy MacDonald)

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SKYZOO
The Great Debater
(independent)
There’s no doubt in the world that Brooklyn lyricist extraordinaire Skyzoo deserves his on a platter. Self-comparisons to Jigga and LeBron aren’t gratuitous, but in fact necessary for one whose trajec­tory in the game has him edging closer and closer to the peaks of greatness with every release, this time with a near-album-quality street tape that features the likes of 9th Wonder, Best Kept Secret and Oh No. If you haven’t heard yet, he’s your next favourite rapper. 8/10 Trial Track: “Rap Like Me” (Darcy MacDonald)

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KIRK FRANKLIN
Hello Fear
(Sony)
Since his self-titled debut in 1993, Frank-lin’s music has always been theme-based, and on his 10th, release he takes on his old nemesis, fear. As usual, top-notch production and stellar vocal harmonies translate into inspirational gospel of the highest order, where feel-good tracks like “I Am” and infectious lead-single “I Smile” make it difficult to feel any­thing but joy. 8/10 Trial Track: “Before I Die” (Gerard Dee)

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FARMERS BY NATURE
Out of this World’s Distortions
(AUM Fidelity)
This second release from the improv trio of Gerald Cleaver (drums), William Parker (bass) and Craig Taborn (piano) was recorded the day following Fred Anderson’s passing last summer. Appropriately, it begins with a heartfelt elegy to the Chicago saxophonist, but the tenor is elevated as “Tait’s Traced Traits” and “Mud, Mapped” trance their way up to a cerebral and spiritual ecstasy. Despite roots in downtown Detroit and NYC, the Farmers’ music remains pastoral and organic. 9/10 Trial Track:  “Mud, Mapped” (Lawrence Joseph) At la Sala Rossa, Tues., June 21, 8 p.m., $24

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MINI REVIEWS

DOUG STANHOPE Oslo: Burning the Bridge to Nowhere (Roadrunner/Warner) As far as the current state of stand up comedy goes Stanhope is truly in a league of his own. Fans of the late, great Bill Hicks take note. 9 (JC)

SEAN NICHOLAS SAVAGE/KOOL MUSIC Won Ton Jaz EP (Arbutus) The bulgy-eyed bard of the Mile End adds a dash of white reggae to his rapidly expanding catalogue of quirky lamentations; Kool Music’s abstruse instrumentals hiss and crackle with mystery. 7.5 (EL) Sean Nicholas Savage at Parc des Amériques (St-Laurent & Rachel), Sun., June 19, 8 p.m., free

A DEVIL’S DIN One Day All This Will Be Yours (Island Dive) Rock ’n’ roll on the timeless precipice of psychedelic, progressive, transgressive danger. Be warned. 6.66 (LC) Album launch at Sound Central (4486 Coloniale), Sun., June 19, 3 p.m.

CASINO Sainte Rose EP (BTR) Rock group from Laval goes for Kill- ers’-type big money anthems on their self-produced EP, and don’t quite break the bank. 6 (EL) Album launch at Studio théâtre de la salle André-Mathieu (Laval) tonight, Thurs., June 16, 8 p.m., $15

MATTHEW GOOD Lights of Endangered Species (Universal) Good’s reliable songwriting enlivened with more interesting arrangements. 6 (EL)

VARIOUS Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark (Mercury/Universal) Though not as epically disastrous as the show is said to be, U2’s soundtrack is in the tune of failure. 3 (LC)

 

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