CD Reviews
A-E | F-J | K-O | P-T | U-Z
Reviews K-O
K
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K. Page and Sleepwalker’s
Parade - Green City
K-OS - Atlantis: Hymns for Disco
Kara Keith -
EP
KAREN DALTON - In My
Own Time
Keller Williams - Dream
Kevin
Phillips and the it men - Big Chop Suey
Khan -
Who Never Rests
Kick in
the Eye - Red Army Overdrive
Kim Barlow -
Champ
Kimya Dawson - Remember That I Love You
King
Sunshine -
Second Movement
Kingsway and the Counterrevolutionaries - Brand New
Golden Oldies
Koffin Kats - Straying from the Pack
Kollage - At This Time
The Kooks - Inside In Inside Out
Kool Cas - Backpack
Korn -
Untitled
Kudu - Death of the Party
L
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Laibach - Volk
Laura Barrett - Earth Sciences
Laurent
Garnier - Restrospective 94.06
Lee Scratch Perry - Panic In Babylon
The Legendary Pink Dots
Les Savy Fav - After the Balls Drop
Leviride - Night of the Drive-by
Liam Singer - Our Secret Lies Beneath The Creek
LIARS - Liars
LIARS - Liars
The Liars - Drum’s Not Dead
Lily Frost - Cine-Magique
Lindstrom
- It’s A Feedelity Affair
The Lions Rampant
Lisa Gerrard -
The Best of Lisa Gerrard
Live - Songs From The Black Mountain
Los
Campesinos! - Sticking Fingers into Sockets
Lovedrug - Everything
Starts Where it Ends
LoveLikeFire -
An Ocean In The Air
The Low Frequency in Stereo - The Last Temptation of…
Luca - Sick of Love
Luke Doucet - Blood’s Too Rich
LUZ ATOMICA - self titled
Lycaon Pictus - Personal Disaster
M
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M83 - Digital Shades (vol. 1)
M83 -
Digital Shades Vol. 1 (2)
M83 - Saturdays = Youth
Machete Avenue - First Cuts
The Magnetic
Fields -
Distortion
Man Man - Rabbit Habits
Mando Diao -
Ode to Ochracy
Manteca - Onward!
Maps - We Can Create
The Marble Index - Watch Your Candles, Watch Your Knives
Martha Berner - This Side of Yesterday
Maserati - Inventions for the New Season
Massive Attack - Collected
Matisyahu - Youth
Matthew Dear - Asa Breed
Mayday Parade
- Tales Told by Dead Friends
MC Lars - The Graduate
Measles and Mumps Rubella - Fantastic Success
Mecca Normal - The Observer
Men Woman and Children - Self-titled
Michael Brennan - Cautious Man
Mick Harvey -
Two of Diamonds
Microwaves - Contagion
Heuristic
Michael T. Fournier -
Double Nickels on the Dime
Million Dollar Marxists - Zero Culture
Minus Story - No Rest For Ghosts
Minus Story - My Ion Truss
Miracle Fortress -
Five Roses
Miracle Fortress - Five Roses #2
Mitch
Easter - Dynamico
Mlle Caro & Frank Garcia - Pain Disappears
Mocean Worker -
Cinco de Mowo!I
The
Mohawk Lodge - Wildfires
Mon Electric Bijou - Bullets in the Penguin
Morcheeba -
Dive Deep
Morningwood - Self-titled
Morrisey - Ringleader of the Tormentors
Moses Mayes - Second Ring
The Motherlode - Self-titled
mr. Gnome - Deliver This Creature
Muffler Crunch - Ol' Sparky's Revenge
Muscles - Guns Babes Lemonade
MV & EE with The Bummer Road - Mother of Thousands
N
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Naked Eyes -
Fumbling With The Covers
Nathan Lawr and the Minotaurs -
A Sea of Tiny Lights
The National
Parcs -
Timbervision
The Nein
- Luxury
New
Model Army - BD3 EP
New Skin - New Skin
New Young Pony Club
-
Fantastic Playroom
Nick Cave and Warren Ellis - The Proposition – Original Soundtrack
Nightwish - Highest Hopes
Nizlopi - Half These Songs Are About You...
Nobody Like
You: Inside the Turbulent Life, Times, and Music of Green Day
North of Summer - Broken Telephone
Northern State - Can I Keep This Pen?
O
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Octoberman -
Run From Safety
Oh Susanna - Short Stories
Ok Go - Oh No
The
Old Soul - Self-titled
The Old Haunts - Fuel on Fire
One Night Band - Way Back Home
Orange -
Escape from L.A.
Our Mercury - From Below
Ox - American Low Fi
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K. Page and
Sleepwalker’s Parade
Green City
RealPolitik
Rekords
This is an album I’d love to listen to with some friend while having a drink. This is the first time I’ve heard of this band but after listening to it I was completely hooked. Right from the beginning, Green City creates one of those nice, smooth, classy atmospheres that make you feel extravagant.
To me, K. Page and Sleepwalker’s Parade can be compared to a fusion of Imogen Heap, Bjork, and Canada’s own Leslie Feist. Tracks that really jump out are “The More Loving One”, “Naked and Naïve” (which is prog-like), and “Sleepwalker”. Most of the songs have wonderfully crafted lyrics that are both meaningful and dreamlike.
This album is well composed, from K. Page’s vocals to the smooth instrumentals. If there is any more room for these kinds of bands in the industry, I really hope this one becomes the next big thing. I see a lot of potential in these guys with their first album. This is a whole new mood. Check them online at www.sleepwalkersparade.com.
-Sean Chin
K-OS
Atlantis:
Hymns for Disco
Virgin /
EMI
Everyone wants to be the first person to discover a new artist before they make it big. Then you can say “I knew them when…” But, there are those people that consider an artist a sellout once they reach that next level of fame, and stop listening to them. Whitby’s K-OS is the perfect example. For years he had a huge following as a T.O. underground hip-hop artist, but now that he is getting radio-play and media coverage a lot of those former fans have turned their backs. The question then becomes: Were they ever in it for the music, or was it always about the exclusivity?
Those that have given up on K-OS are missing out on some of his best material on his new record Atlantis. Following up on the incredible success of his sophomore album Joyful Rebellion, K-OS has started to really grow as an artist. As well as being lyrically more introspective than his previous 2 albums, he experiments with different genres more than ever before on his third outing.
From the electro beats on “Sunday Morning” to the rock riffs on “The Equalizer” and “Born to Run” to ballads “The Rain” and “Highway 7”, K-OS is obviously comfortable trying new things. That said he also knows his bread and butter. The jazzy beats on “Flypaper” clearly come from the same place as Joyful Rebellion’s “Crabbucket”, and “CatDiesel” has the same feel as his breakout hit “B-Boy Stance”.
The first time I listened to this record I wasn’t so sure about it. But after a few more spins it has really grown on me. Although it’s hard to measure up to the quality of his first two releases, this is a solid record for anyone who is a fan of conscious hip-hop and quality music.
-Matthew Gorman
Kara Keith, formerly the frontwoman of Falconhawk, is a singer/songwriter/ keyboardist from Calgary who is clearly aiming to fit in with the indie-pop crowd on her new EP, and perhaps a little too much so. Her attempt is at an every-indie-rusty-throated-female-singer sound, but her unexceptional voice just leaves this record lacking in originality. This is apparent, also, in the melodies and lyrics, which are catchy but quite cliched and not in an "it's ok, it's pop" way. The rusty-throat-piano combo doesn't nearly pull off the Amy Millan-Regina Spektor thing she's going for. Instead, this EP feels a bit like a school Christmas pageant with its chorusy-piano feel: it's cute, but not commendable.
http://www.myspace.com/karacopsout
- Aurora Prelevic
KAREN DALTONIn My Own Time
Light in the Attic Records
This is the second and final album that Karen Dalton released and for many, the one she will be remembered by. Released in 1971, it has taken until now to receive the top notch digital treatment that Light in the Attic Records has delivered. Up to this point you may have had to pay around 70 dollars on eBay to get your hands on this obscure gem of an album. It has been said that Karen is one of the great blues singers of our time. It has also been said that her voice was an instrument itself, similar in sound to a muted trumpet. Quite recently while speaking about this, somebody else compared her to an old vacuum that takes a couple of seconds to start after you’ve pushed the ‘on’ button. It’s this final comparison that struck me, and just about summed up my favourite thing about her singing style. Each word is forced out, and she gets as much feeling into those words as she can. On notes that are slightly outside of her range she isn’t afraid to let her voice crack to get there, or to hold the note a little bit longer. The amount of feeling she puts into these songs is literally breathtaking, and it results in her sometimes being off time, or behind by a beat. It is this off time style of singing that separates her from so many of her peers. Dalton can also sing in a more traditional manner, as she does on the bluesy track ‘Take Me,’ which justifies all the comparisons to Billie Holiday. Much of the album however has her singing in a very warbly way, similar to newer artists like Joanna Newsom or Devendra Banhart who are clear descendants of her sound. Unlike these new artists though, there are no frills in the production, instead Dalton relies upon her pure and earthy voice.
While Karen Dalton did not write any of the material on this album, when she sings it the ownership seems to be transferred to her. Even the song, “When a Man Loves a Woman,” which has been played so often as to warrant comedic status, sounds as genuine and true as when Percy Sledge first sang it. It took me about eight listens before I could hear Dalton’s version without expecting it to follow the same patterns as the original. Eventually however, any other version of these songs sounds like a cover of her material, but with less substance. In the opening track she almost warrants tears of understanding just by singing the phrase, “There’s something on my mind,” and there are many more similar moments on ‘In My Own Time.’ It can take some effort getting to the point where one becomes truly fond of this album, or of Dalton’s voice for that matter. This is folksy blues music with such intense honesty that it could be embarrassing for some people’s ears. While initially her style may sound unnatural, with subsequent rotations the listener will realize Dalton is authentic, and at this point the album becomes wonderfully rewarding.
Keller Williams
Dream
Sci Fidelity Records
I turn off the lights, close my tired eyes and slip into a Dream starring Keller Williams—one man band with hippy appeal. He has been referred to as: singer/songwriter, percussionist, 10-string guitarist (two strings removed from a twelve stringed guitar), and trombone dabbler known for his diverse skills, but not necessarily for his strong musicianship. With punk infused opener, “Play This”, I can’t decide if I will be led into a nightmare, but corny lyrics indicate a potential bumpy road. “Grind your teeth/Dye your hair/Pierce your ass I don’t care” are delivered without aggressive conviction when really the only thing to save those words is a sex driven, raw killer voice. Then follows songs, “Celebrate Your Youth” and “Cadillac”, and again follows more corniness in monotone vocals.
What does make this 16-track album unique, in a schizophrenic way, is the switching of genres from song to song. “Sing for my dinner” sounds like a country jingle, “Ninja of Love” a reggae groove, “Lil’ Sexy Blues” a little twangy and “Cookies” very acoustic grass. But I am now left to wonder if Williams knows who he is.
Unsurprisingly “Cookies” is my only dessert of choice on this album, as there are no lyrics, only pretty, melodic guitar plucking. Dream worthy. But just like most great dreams, they are fleeting.
Williams is known for his live improvisational presence and has toured with The String Cheese Incident and Dave Matthews. He takes to the stage with his looped sounds of digital recording to render possible his one-man-does-it-all performance. The alarm rings and I don’t press snooze; overall I would not want to slip back into this place, but I do appreciate the guitar riffs.
Dare to dream.
*cAthy Lee
Kevin Phillips and the
it men
Big Chop
Suey
Speak Music
When I first heard of a blues band called ‘The It Men’ it seemed a little bit odd. I would think this would be the last thing a true blues band would call themselves. ‘The Downtrodden Men’ or the ‘Melancholy Men’ would seem more appropriate. Once I read that the group was formed at Mississauga’s ‘It Lounge’ it made a lot more sense.
Not that this made me any more optimistic about the album. I struggle to think of anything good that has ever come out of Mississauga, not to mention music. Luckily Big Chop Suey’s old-school blues sounds as if it could just have easily come out of the New Orleans or Chicago blues scenes.
There isn’t that much originality to this record, but I don’t think that’s what the blues are really about. The blues are about skilled musical craftsmanship and universal timeless themes, which this record has in droves. With a good mix of mellow piano driven tracks like “Gravy Train” & “Couch Potato” and funkier upbeat organ driven tracks like “New Shoes” & “Kick Ass”, the self proclaimed ‘local super-group’ has put together a quality record that both the blues enthusiast and the novice blues fan can appreciate.
If you are either of those of those types of blues fan, you can check out the CD Release Party at Lula Lounge on Tuesday October 3rd.
www.kevinphillipsandtheitmen.com
-Matthew Gorman
Khan is cited as “A torch singer from the depths of hell. A hot-blooded man with contradiction in his soul.” Is that enough to make you walk away? He’s got a little bit of Damon Albarn, and a little bit of Michael Hutchence in him, and the whole thing has a little bit of glam flavour. Most prominent though is the mid eighties INXS feel, only it comes closer to parody than tribute. Khan sounds like he was one of the rejected contestants on the show that gave INXS a new vocalist. He sounds like he might have gotten knocked out pretty early actually. This album is very difficult to take seriously, and one hopes that it is not meant to be. On the first track “Excommunication” Khan sings the title lyric in the same manner that Adam Sandler’s Cajun Man might: “Ex-communica-shawn.” Later on he drops the Sandler feel and takes on a more rocking sound, but when it comes to the lyrics they are just laugh-out-loud hilarious! On, “Strip Down”, he woos some lucky partner by singing the following lyric in a staccato fashion: “All stripped down/To your big toe.” This gets repeated, over, and over, and over, and it gets funnier each time! And what’s with the James Bond Theme thrown into, “You Like to Party?”; I really don’t know what to make of this. If it’s a joke, it’s neither funny nor ironic enough to warrant a full listen, and if it’s not a joke, then it’s exactly the kind of thing that makes you feel guilty just listening to it. I can’t help feeling just a little embarrassed for the fella. His vocals do come close to Mike Patton’s “pop” territory on a few songs. This causes the listener to feel like they are enjoying themselves. You might catch yourself bobbing your head for a second, but you will shortly realize you hate Khan. I guess it comes down to that old Spinal Tap quote: “It’s such a fine line between stupid and clever.” Listen to it once for a ‘so bad it’s good laugh’ and then discard it.
Daniel Demois
Kick in the Eye
Red Army
Overdrive
Aftersound
At times this single is so sugary it can be nauseating, in a way that I can only liken to children’s music. Imagine if you will, any kids television program theme, with the same chorus sung over and over again. Kick in the Eye claim that the three song set was inspired by the writing of Naomi Klein and ‘reflects their views on modern society.’ The three track single was released for National Day of Action and the only tie in to this theme is the final song “Gerald Charlie Stomp” which is inspired by Vancouver based Aboriginal musician Gerald Charlie, but the song has zero political comment. It’s about a dance party where Gerald Charlie is playing, and I’m not sure how the mere mention of his name is meant to bring about political awareness. Even if it did, Marian Lochrie’s bubblegum vocals would still drive you to madness. I really find it difficult to see any political motivation to this music, and instead can only recognize the standard relationship drama that has fueled so much derivative pop music. This is straight up pop rock; a modern copycat of fifties boy/girl bands, with predictable instrumentation, vocals, and little emotion. Sorry.
www.kickintheeyemusic.com
-Daniel Demois
Kim Barlow
Champ
Jericho Beach Music
Who says the Canadian music scene has to be centred ’round Montreal and Toronto? With Champ, Yukon-based singer/songwriter Kim Barlow has bucked trends and intuition, releasing an inspired album of mellow, Joni Mitchell-eque ballads that competes with the best of them. And I always though the Yukon was boring. As Barlow makes clear, however, there’s more to the territory than snow and ice, and her sound is surprisingly warm, folkish, comparable to the likes of Beth Orton. Easy rhythms on acoustic guitar, banjo, glockenspiel and various other roots instruments characterize the album and compliment Barlow’s child-like vocals. Stand out tracks include the opener, “Pony Camp”, and “Jake the Sailor”
- James Sandham
Kimya Dawson
Remember That I Love You
K Records
Listening to this album, Dawson’s fifth, and having
no prior listening exposure, I mistake it for a CD meant for children,
what with all the tinkling bells and quaint 4/4 time signatures that
bumble along with the guitar. Except, that on tracks like “my mom”,
“underground”, and well, all of them, Dawson pairs the down-to-earth
folk music, spins it into a punchy rock session that quickly turns her
sound into Polka Dot Door gone wrong; or right, depending on who is
listening.
And I think I have struck lyrical gold when I hear her
magnificently well-put track, “underground” that is beyond
tongue-in-cheek. She gives her family and friends instructions
“…tattooed on my ass/that say don’t ever put this body in a
casket/burn it and put the ashes in a basket/I don’t ever want to be
underground.” As far as I’m concerned, I am with Kimya on that one.
The only good place to be underground is on the indie rock scene.
www.kimyadawson.com
www.myspace.com/kimyadawson
- Jess Shulist
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King Sunshine
Second
Movement
Independent
A burst of energy kicks off King Sunshine’s sophomore album Second Movement. The catchy guitar riffs and strong backing from the horns and percussions sections on “At the Party” gets the groove started and introduces new lead singer Maya Chilton’s impressive pipes.
Toronto’s King Sunshine describe themselves as a House Orchestra, but with this new record they have solidified themselves as leaders in Canada’s Acid Jazz (or Nu-Jazz) scene. They seamlessly fuse elements of jazz, house, dance, disco and funk into their own concoction of dance inciting music that has been keeping clubs across eastern Canada bumping for years.
Special mention needs to be made of “That Rag”, the 1920’s inspired track that conjures thoughts of smoky swing clubs and is a perfect companion piece to the crowd favorite “Bourbon Town” (which is the only song on the album repeated from their self-titled debut). If you like to dance to funky homegrown grooves don’t miss this new offering, and make sure to check them out next time they come to your town.
www.kingshunshine.com
-Matthew Gorman
Kingsway and the Counterrevolutionaries
Brand New Golden Oldies
DDG Records
Kingsway has teamed up with fellow Vancouver rockers the Counterrevolutionaries to create in Brand New Golden Oldies one hell of an album. Its raw, authentic folk rock sound is reminiscent of Ox or Catfish Haven, and is, as the DDG Records website rightly points out, “great-sounding music for you to talk over whilst sipping your beer.” Mellow, lackadaisical, and soulful, there’s really not a bad track on the disc. Country-infused guitar work by Jojo Darling, RC Joseph, and Adam Nation fuse with lazy harmonica and drifting, ethereal vocals. Trumpeting by Shaun Brodie adds some mariachi-inspired flavour to “Car Roof Style” and other tracks. Altogether: very pleasant. Expect it on your college radio station soon, or hear it now at www.myspace.com/kingswaymusic.
- James Sandham
Koffin Kats
Straying From the Pack
Psychobilly U.S./Hairball 8
Some people think psychobilly is ridiculous, with
its sky-high pompadours and the almost comically dark lyrics that
combine paradoxically with the upbeat, toe-tapping slap of the upright
bass. Not helping matters, most psychobilly fans tend to dress like
it’s Halloween in the 1950s every day of the year, and are dead
serious about it. For those who like psychobilly, this brief but
hard-rocking album should be a hit.
In total, the eight tracks clock in at only a little over sixteen
minutes, but in those minutes the Koffin Kats transport the listener on
a whirlwind journey of a hellish, gory, tattooed dreamscape. Vocalist
and electrified upright bassist Vic Victor hauntingly sings of dead
girlfriends, houses of horrors, and working as a hired killer with the
smoothness of a lounge singer who’s been sharpened by a few days’
worth of amphetamines. Standouts include the disturbing yet fun
“Splatterhouse,” and “Graveyard Tree III” which details a
relationship between the narrator and a corpse (and makes you wonder
what transpired in the first two instalments of the song). The album
begins and ends with a wailing singalong that nicely bookends this
too-short parade of the enthusiastically undead.
www.thekoffinkats.com
Jennifer Fabro
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Kollage
“At
This Time”
Timely
Manor
Art Blakey’s legacy is one of superb talent. His excited sympathy as an accompanist had him playing at an early age with the exceptional Mary Lou Williams and later with the untouchable Miles Davis and Thelonius Monk. His hungry energy as a band leader saw his own band, The Jazz Messengers, through 3 decades of artful music. His commitment to inspiring promising young musicians made The Jazz Messengers a first footing ground for some of the biggest names in jazz spanning three generations: Freddie Hubbard, Wayne Shorter, Wynton Marsalis, Terence Blanchard and John Hicks are only a few examples.
Who better than Archie Alleyne, who has also backed legendary names like Billie Holiday, Chet Baker and Nina Simone, who is also passionate about continuing the careers of gifted young musicians through the “Archie Alleyne Scholarship and Bursary Fund” and who - a master of time and rhythm is his own right - inspires an inviting yet urgent sound from his fellow players presented with such ease that that you might briefly think that you could do it too, to lead a tribute to Blakey.
At This Time, a live recording of this tribute by Alleyne and his band Kollage – Canada’s quintessential hard bop band - is a phenomenal testament to the players on the disc. The simple, tight arrangements provide plenty of space to play in and all of it is explored with precision and zeal. The resulting texture is like honey in tea: burning, hot, sweet solos in a perfect warm blend.
- Sarafina DiFelice
The Kooks
Inside In Inside Outk
Virgin Records
From the beaches of Brighton to the bedrooms of
North America, UK foursome the Kooks have gone global with their debut
LP after being snapped up by Virgin following an incendiary four-song
set at the Brighton Free Butt. Maddeningly young (guitarist Hugh Harris
has only just turned 17, while lead vocalist Luke Pritchard is barely
20), the Kooks are fresh, ambitious, and unwilling to be pigeonholed
with one particular genre. Their sound fuses influences from the first
British invasion – the Kinks, the Beatles – with contemporary British
and North American rock à la Strokes, Hot Hot Heat, Supergrass
and beyond. The result is an upbeat album of catchy tunes that run the
gamut from lazy acoustic strummers such as their standout opening track
“Seaside,” to stand-up hand-clappers like “She Moves in her own
Way” and garage funk numbers like “Matchbox.” Eclectic and
inventive, the Kooks are a fresh reminder of why the British invasion
happened in the first place.
www.thekooks.co.uk
-James Sandham
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This new album opens up with Mr. Bungle-esque circus fare that does show promise, and it’s tough not to get excited that Korn may be entering some interesting new era. After trying the rap rock of another Patton project (Faith No More) they are now taking a stab at his Bungle work. And you know what? It’s not that bad at first. Lyrically, the whole thing is still a little bit heavy handed, for example, “God is gonna take me out!” is the kind of lyric that will make younger audiences thrash around and older audiences unimpressed. And it’s pretty damn amusing when Davis wails out, “It’s EVO-LUTION!” There has been quite a lot of growth musically, with piano being used to good effect on Track 2, which also has a pretty funky low-fi bassline reminiscent of Joy Division. The problem is that they don’t do enough with this. Eventually they fall into the old sound they became popular for, but with more pop flourish and harmony, inspired by any number of 80’s new wave/industrial bands. It’s a step in the right direction, but they’ve got to completely abandon their old sound if Korn wants to continue to have any kind of pull. The quiet/loud/quiet/loud formula is so predictable to anyone who knows the band. Take the growl back a bit, and scale down the screaming guitar a touch. Give us something new and we just might listen. Special note: Terry Bozzio is a guest drummer on several tracks!
-Daniel Demois
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Kool Cas
Appearances by DeeBee, POISON, Tone Xclusive
backpack
Coldswordz Productions / too cold records
Vintage hip hop. Backed by heavy percussions,
ominous strings, and unique samples probably found deep inside dusty
milk crates, Kool Cas brings forth the truth essence of emceeing. With
an old school boom bap style that mixes consciousness, street
experience, and a very reflective nature, listeners are exposed to a
sound probably not heard in over a decade. "Bringing it
back to like 88' as Kool Cas proclaims. Yet the music is fresh and
their sound
is unique. Listeners will be able to relate with Kool Cas' down to
earth
content and warm up to his humble nature and approach on the mic,
atypical
to the egotistical emcees heard most often nowadays. Standout tracks
include "Mr. Work" and "Musica or You" , though I must say this is one
of
the true rarities in music where you can listen from start to finish
without
skipping any tracks. Appropriately entitled, backpack, this album is ideal for
underground heads and hip hop purists.
www.coldswordz.com
LJ
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Kudu
Death of the Party
Nublu Records
This bizarrely cool, and fantastically named album
heralds the next wave of post-punk dance music, perhaps doing for
jungle what M.I.A. did for dancehall. The duo called Kudu produces a
darkly sexy sound that blends jungle, jazz, pop, post-punk, and
electronica. Singer Sylvia Gordon is at times sultry, others screechy,
and at yet others operatic, and her vocals beautifully complement the
skilful layering of sounds orchestrated by Deantoni “D” Parks, the
other half of the group. Throughout the disc, the pulsating beat drives
the listener to movement, which testifies to the power of their live
shows.
Their hip, distinct sound is infectious, especially on tracks
like the goofy “King Kong (Attack of the Egomaniac)”, the sensuous
“Playing House”, and the excellent and strange retooling of “Black
Betty”. Despite the playful variety of well-executed tracks on the
disc, partway through the hour-plus recording, Kudu does get a bit
tiresome. Even so, this arty little collaboration by two New York
scenesters is a fun and innovative sonic landscape.
Though this band’s sound may be a little too of-the-moment to
guarantee any long-term resonance, this fresh, genre-bending disc
deserves its moment in the spotlight.
Jennifer Fabro
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Laibach are a strange band. I was first introduced to them by my brother. He’d picked up a couple of their earlier albums – primarily, I think, because of Laibach’s then pseudo-Nazi inspired style of attire. I think this appealed to him because he was into Ian Curtis at the time, but despite the sartorial similarities, Laibach proved musically to be a rather far cry from Joy Division’s post-punk electro twitch. Which isn’t to say our discovery of Laibach was a disappointment. On the contrary, they turned out to be an intriguing concept group, very political, and always provocative. Their latest album, Volk, set for release on Mute Records for February of 2007, maintains this reputation. Based around the national anthems of 13 countries, plus the “NSK” anthem (NSK is Laibach’s “global state,” a sort of virtual artists’ community without borders, as I understand it), Volk is a controversial and uneasy reinterpretation of the themes of patriotism and nationhood. The sound hovers somewhere between Einstruzende Neubauten, Bjork, and Rammstein – in other words, a fusion of electro-pop and experimental industrial – plus national anthems. The celebratory or empowering sound that comes from the anthems is subtly undermined and perverted, however, by Laibach’s eerie musicianship, transforming the anthems into sinister commentaries on war, nationalism, and “peoplehood” – a rough translation of what the album’s title means (Volk has connotations of ethnic and racial exclusivity). In any case, it’s provocative listening for this day and age.
- James Sandham
Lee Scratch Perry
Panic in Babylon
Narnack Records
Super Producer Lee Scratch (sans quotations) Perry
is crazy – or at least so the majority of his press claims. With
mythical tales of recording studios burning down, Mr. Perry’s output
as a Producer has seemed flawless. His “musical” offerings on the
other hand are a bit more suspect. Panic In Babylon, his latest
offering, provides 13 tracks of variations on the tried and true dub
genre. Trust me, you are familiar with it. Something is always up in
Babylon – it is burning, there are fires, there are lions guarding it.
Perhaps the surprises for me on the album are “I Am A Psychiatrist”
and “Pussy Man” which includes the catchy rhyme I am Dr. Tree/I am
Dr. Tree/I am Dr. Tree/I am Dr.Key. What is even more surprising or
puzzling to me is that Super Producer Lee Scratch Perry has not
produced this album. Those duties were left to P. Brunkow and the
unfortunately named Dj Star*Trek. Gone are the lush textures of
Perry’s older work – where are the voice filters? Why does this album
produce so much treble? Why would anyone use a keyboard sound that
annoying for the all important downbeats?
Fortunately, this is a 2 Cd set with the second Cd containing
remixes by Dave Sitek of TV on the Radio and DJ Spooky. Both of their
reworkings capture Perry’s original spirit with all of the sonic
tricks that a Perry production used to be so well known for.
-Jordan Somers
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Earth Sciences
Laura Barrett
Paper Bag Records
As a member of Henri Fabergé and the Adorables and the Hidden Cameras, Barrett is used to being a member of an ensemble cast but she really makes a name for herself on this solo release. Relying heavily on the kalimba, an African thumb piano, and mixed with witty folk lyrics, the “music box” feel of the album evokes a mystical yet charming sound. Thrown in for good measure is her cover of Weird Al Yankovic’s “Smells Like Nirvana.” Barrett’s unique interpretation makes it feel like it’s one of her own. The remix of “Stop Giving Your Children Standardized Tests” by Joshua Van Tassel (Stop Die Resuscitate) is an interesting tune to hear as it combines Barrett’s original with electronic beats and other effects. Overall, Barrett’s quirky sound makes the album an enjoyable release and a pleasure to listen to.
http://paperbagrecords.com/bands/laura-barrett
- Jon Brazeau
Laurent Garnier
Restrospective 94.06
F
Communications / Mute Records
Ok so I have to admit I have a bias against – actually it’s more like a weakness for French house music. So when I was asked to review Laurent Garnier’s album Retrospective 94.06, I jumped at the chance. The French music producer and DJ has been in the business for quite some time now and this album reflects his progression from techno master to jazz enthusiast. Garnier manages to get a range of musical tastes on the record, from high energy to deep house to some mellow reggae beats. The double disc includes some unreleased tracks such as “Flashback” and a couple of live recordings such as “Acid Eiffel” and “Man With The Red Face.”
The first disc manages to group together a really good mix of Garnier’s history and evolution as a DJ and producer. The club classic “Crispy Bacon” and his live version of “Man With The Red Face” with Bugge Wesseltoft are a good juxtaposition of his early club/DJ days and his later soulful mixer collaborations.
The second disc plays around with the idea of sound a little more and introduces some organic musings that are perfect for a chill afternoon at a coffeehouse. The opening track “Acid Eiffel” oscillates between the up tempo, electronic beat of dance music to the gentle sounds of live instruments. His remix of DJ Marky’s “Butterfly” showcases his engineering talent while “Astral Dreams” has club kids everywhere shouting for joy.
With all the hats Garnier has to wear – remixer, producer, DJ – it’s a wonder he had the time to decide which tracks would make the final cut. Despite having a hard time choosing the tracks, Garnier has chosen a diverse blend of music that gives a versatile look at his past while giving listeners a peak at his gifted future.
-Antoinette Mercurio
The Legendary Pink Dots
Your Children Placate You From Premature Graves
Massive Music / ROIR
I didn't really think too much of a new TLPDs
release. I'd heard them over the years without ever paying attention to
their vast catalogue and expansive twenty-some year history. So like
this years instant experts on Daniel Johnston, tropicalia, or girl
groups I learned all I needed to know from five minutes of googling .
My assumption that the UK band that formed in 1980 was more or less
industrial in the same vein as Cabaret Voltaire or Nurse With Wound was
quickly assured, and a few (indubitably legal) downloads proved as
much. But Your Children Placate... is far removed from this brand of
dark gothic dance music (thank sweet mercifull Jesus).
TLPDs
newest album has seen the group slow their music down even further than
their previous few releases, to the point that it almost sounds
somewhere between a British gothic Lambchop. Hopefully this melodic,
sparse brand of goth inflected pop will find its place touring beside
some more contemporary indie artists it resembles, like Patrick Wolf or
even the Flaming Lips, all who owe some of their darker sound to these
forefathers of this quiet, menacing alt pop.
Your Children
Placate... thankfully reminds us of a time in industrial music before
Trent Reznor's sound had become the only litmus test, where white noise
and tape manipulation were primary instruments and when UK industrial
music was heavely influenced by Jamaican dub. Even in 2006 TLPDs aren't
afraid to dust off these influences, the results of which still sound
fresh compared to today's sonic wastebin.
On the down side, it
does take a few songs for Your Children Placate... to hit its mark, and
the album does run a little bit long (it could have done without all
the spoken word parts, as even one of the mumbling interludes is too
many). There are also a few instances where synth instruments shouldn't
have masquaraded as real instruments, the result sounding like They
Might Be Giants has crashed some goth party. Despite these
shortcommings, TLPDs have released a worthwhile purchase for those
yearning for the darker, quieter, and more sentimental side of the
eighties, or those fans of the modern alt/indie scene who for whatever
reason are unfamiliar with TLPD. Because you should be. Trust me. I
Googled them. I'm an expert.
www.brainwashed.com/lpd/
-Christopher Langer
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After the Balls Drop
Les Savy Fav
French Kiss Records
Recorded live at New York's Bowery Ballroom during the early hours of New Year's Day, Les Savy Fav roll through a late night, high energy affair on After the Balls Drop. The album features ten Les Savy Fav originals, mostly from their 2007 album Let's Stay Friends, followed by five covers ranging from the influences they wear on their sleeves (the Misfits, Nirvana and the Pixies) to classic rock staples (Creedence Clearwater Revival and Love). Mixing an aggressive, bass-heavy sound with frontman Tim Harrington's howling vocals, the album effectively captures the band in their rawest moments. Nothing is left out here, even Harrington's witty exchanges with the audience during song breaks remain. While these bits are confusing to a listen to and not see, it is a reminder the band is capable of simultaneously rocking out and having fun, making the album feel like a true front-row experience.
- Jon Brazeau
Leviride
Night of the Drive-by
Addictive Records
Sometime recently it got a little uncool to do balls-out, all-emotions-bared rock and roll. Everyone got all coy and ironic instead. It was like being straightforward and exposed was so nineties or something. But whatever: coy irony is for the insecure. Leviride is a band secure in what they’re doing and they’ve said to hell with coy irony, producing instead that elusive rock and roll good, a balls-out, all-emotions-bared album in the spirit of rock and roll’s classic heyday. Which isn’t to say this is a throwback album or anything. It’s got some new and modern stylings to it. But songs like “As I Lay Me Down to Sleep” and “Your Remains,” the album’s first two tracks, anchor it firmly in the tradition of Bruce Springsteen and Meatloaf. It’s a little theatrical at times, but always raw and without pretence, and you can’t help but want to rock out. Seriously. Watch for these bad boys around their hometown of Toronto and perhaps even farther afield; the buzz around Leviride is building. Check ‘em online at www.myspace.com/leviride.
- James Sandham
Liam Singer
Our Secret Lies Beneath The Creek
Tell-All Records
Multi-instrumentalist, Liam Singer, offers up a
beautiful and tragic record filled with violins, piano, vibraphone and
a curious thing called a Theremin. Produced by engineer, Scott Solter,
over the course of 8 days, Singer's recent creations have been compared
to soulful songwriters such as Elliott Smith and Sujan Stevens as
opposed to his usual toned-down piano recitals of yore. And were it not
for his simple philosophical murmurings, this album would fall flat in
its overarching attempt to break away from previous musical styling.
Singer is a natural instrumentalist, clearly demonstrated on "frozen
lake/dog heaven", but the three operatic interludes, dubbed
"Travelogues" and sung by Mae Beatty should have been scrapped. They're
too much for an album that shoots out in so many directions already but
if you get bored easily and need some inspiration, have at it.
www.tellallrecords.com/singer.shtml
-Jessica Shulist
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The fourth and latest release from eclectic California rockers Liars, their self-titled album takes the band once again in a new direction, branching off from the electro-experimentalism of their last release to explore the scuzzy, fuzzy lo-fi garage rock sound. Tracks like “Houseclouds” and “Sailing to Byzantium” are prime examples of the album’s overall sound, droning away - in the best way possible - and taking the listener into a tranced-out, hazy fog of stripped down guitar and reverberating feedback. And while tracks like “Leather Prowler” can be a little grating with its degenerating tornado of noise, it’s all part of the freaked out trip to which this album provides the soundtrack. Check more at www.myspace.com/liarsliarsliars.
- James Sandham
Both geographically and musically, the Liars have been all over the place since their initial days in the Strokes-era scene of New York City. Their sense of adventure has taken them to studios around Europe and produced two interesting albums to follow their 2001 acclaimed debut, They Threw Us All In A Trench And Put A Monument On Top. Besides the tendency towards wordiness, the Liars also have a fondness for the concept album and, in fact, that's probably the only formula their previous albums follow. It's an interesting move: devoting entire albums to themes like the 16th century witch trials (They Were Wrong, So We Drowned, 2004).
The band throws a different sort of curveball with their fourth release, simply titled, Liars. The obvious title is an indication of the band's intention on this record, which was to drop their dramatic concepts, ditch the allegories and get back to simple, more conventional song structures. It sounds like a pretty easy feat given the complicated levels of musicianship that the band had been operating on previously, so it's actually sort of hilarious that they fail miserably.
The songs are unorganized instances of self-indulgence that are difficult to follow and, even worse, mainly boring. Liars is a very mixed bag, ranging from a plainly awful mix of distorted loops and reverb on "Leather Prowler" that drags on for almost four and a half minutes, to the exquisitely melodic album closer "Protection" that sounds like a more accessible version the band's earlier work. It's their inability to work within a predictable course that makes the Liars interesting, and the attempt to walk a straighter line here just never takes off. Hopefully, they'll get a little more lost again on their next album and get back on track.
*Video for Single, "Plaster Casts of Everything": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-r8HWri41s
-Dara Kartz
The Liars
Drum’s Not Dead
Mute Records
The Liars have left New York for Berlin and,
likewise, their sound too has left the familiar for the foreign,
tripping lackadaisical into the land of musical experimentation.
Droning, thumping, numbing noise comprises the majority of this album,
and while it isn’t something you’d likely put on with dinner, it
certainly holds its own strange appeal. Much of the attraction of this
album is it thematic integrity, structured around the Liars’ two
imaginary characters, Drum and Mount Heart Attack. These two are the
subject of most tracks on the disc and, like Ying and Yang, represent
two opposite states, the calm and the frantic respectively. Drum’s Not
Dead is structured as a kind of dialogue or dance between Drum and
Mount Heart Attack, weaving together progressive, structured,
entrancing rhythms with erratic, chaotic, droning synthstrumentals. It
is a game of contrasts with a variety of parallels to contemporary
life, but beyond this the deeper message, if there is one, remains
vague. Whether this album should be seen as an isolated piece of
artistic indulgence or a definitive change of direction for the Liars
is yet to be seen. Bands like Radiohead have pulled off such a
transformation while retaining fans – but will the Liars be so lucky? That’s up to you.
www.liarsliarsliars.com
-James Sandham
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Lily Frost
Cine-Magique
Aporia Records Inc.
Cine-Magique, the fourth solo album from Toronto chanteuse Lily Frost, is true to its apt title. There is a certain something about the mix of dreamy harps that inspire visions of the grandiose studio pictures of the 1950’s, the Montreal jazz style bossa nova rhythm of the flamenco guitar and the vocals that are both pared down and playful that give this album a decidedly French, filmic and fanciful sound.
In fact, Frost and her producer/husband Jose Contreras channel the sounds of a great number of artists for this latest album, covering a wide variety of styles and times. Listen closely and you’ll hear snippets of Astrud Gilberto, The Shirelles, Galaxie 500, PJ Harvey and Tori Amos, but each so fleetingly that it’s impossible to draw concrete comparisons.
With this album the pair really seems to have taken an all encompassing look at their own musical influences and turned them into something uniquely their own. Their choices are surprising in all the right places and gel together to create music that is all at once raw and delicate and, at times, quite strikingly beautiful.
I can picture this disc on a Starbucks counter, resting between the after-coffee cinna-mints and $3 vanilla caramels (despite the down to earth/back to the earth vibe her music gives off which leads you to believe she might think that the prices are outrageous). This album seems as though it was made for coffee drinking patrons on a lazy Sunday afternoon. That or possibly as a way to wrap up a Saturday night when the cranberry juice runs out and there are no more cosmos to go around at your martini party.
- Sarafina DiFelice
Lindstrom
It’s A Feedelity Affair
Feedelity Records
Oh, the Scandinavians. Bless their hearts. Bless their little crossed-out ø's, their cool climates and fair features. And bless their multi-punned album titles, and their slick, sweaty electro house. Lindstrom's It's a Feedelity Affair grinds its way through eleven larger (and sexier) than life tracks of funk-laden electronic instrumentals with the occasional songstress or buzzing guitar, its author’s clever yet subtle composition and pop sensibilities steering the record in a refreshing direction, pushing this release up alongside 2006's stronger electronic offerings.
IAFA tends to dig deep into its 1980s electronics bag. “Arp She Said” is so wonderfully realized and genuine in its love of the decade of shoulder padding and moussed hair that it wouldn't have sounded out of place on the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack. “Further Into the Future” is also a standout throwback track, and overall the wealth of danceable funk on IAFA will no doubt push it onto dance sets and play lists the world over.
Where the album occasionally missteps is where it dabbles in the lounge sounds that were so popular a half-decade ago. “Music (In My Mind)” sounds too much like the Thievery Corporation’s loungery of five years passed, while “Cane It For the Original Whities” also exists in a space that is too far past to be relevant, but too recent to truly pack much retro thump. However, other than this minor complaint, IAFA is a very strong entry into the world of dance music from a truly talented producer and label head. Get your tight pants ready...
-Christopher Langer
I was under
the impression that the garage rock phenomenon, which occurred in the
earlier parts of the decade, were firmly in our past, but the Kentucky
band, The Lions Rampant, and would have us believe otherwise. It
took a few minutes to realize the clever pun that is their name (The
Lyin’s Rampant), which led me to believe that perhaps they’re playing
music for sheer enjoyment and humour, regardless of how noisy or lo-fi
they are on record. I hope that amusement is one of their prime
motivations, as it seems these guys really want to sound a little rough
and unpolished. They pull it off with a certain degree of charm and an
undeniable sense of nostalgia. Alas, most people were enjoying this
particular variety of nostalgia six or seven years ago. These guys are
full of energy and I could imagine them rocking the hell out of a house
party, with their derivative brand of garage rock, but for something
that’s supposed current, it’s really a bit old and tired.
http://www.myspace.com/thelionsrampant
-Jesse Kline
Lisa Gerrard
The Best of Lisa Gerrard
4AD
Records
Lisa Gerrard has been around for quite some time and there isn’t much she hasn’t done. Probably best known as the lead vocalist for Dead Can Dance, Lisa has also sold best- selling soundtracks and scored major films such as Gladiator, Heat and Black Hawk Down, to name a few. Thankfully, 4AD has compiled a best of with fifteen tracks chosen by Lisa herself. The journey begins with her more subtle, yet fluid songs. We get to experience the strength of Ariadne, the ever-meditative Host of Seraphim and the eclectically wild Cantara. She manages to create a mood for any situation. This disc is a must have for any world music lover and for anyone who loves musical inspiration. In other words, by allowing the sounds to encompass you, not only will you find some form of mood, but also experience a state of transcendence without even knowing it.
Find further information on this amazing vocalist at: www.lisagerrard.com or
-Rayna Slobodian
Live
Songs From The Black Mountain
Epic/Red Ink
In 1956 (or was it 1955) English Actor Charles
Laughton directed the notorious noir classic Night of the Hunter. It
was the first movie he directed and it was his last. Not many can
forget Robert Mitchum’s performance as a deranged preacher/child
killer with LOVE and HATE tattooed on his fists. Sometime in the early
90’s (or was it mid 90’s) Live released Throwing Copper which
contained their hit Lightening Crashes – that perennial frosh week
classic that gave you enough time to try and ball the cute co-ed next
to you before the crowd erupted into a middle class mosh. The moral of
this somewhat tragic tale...hit it and quit it. Alas, Live has not quit
it. In fact, due to that guy on American Idol, Live want you to believe
they are in the spring of the love as the track “Get Ready” yearns.
You know what is here – the slick “rock” production, the musical
theatrics, the angst morphing into love. My question is: When did Live
turn into Creed? Or perhaps a better question: Why do I know these
bands?
If only I could find the words to describe the photo on the CD insert to you. If only I had that time and courage.
Nickelback; take a good look at what the future holds.
www.friendsoflive.com
-Jordan Somers
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Los Campesinos!
Sticking
Fingers into Sockets
Arts&Crafts
With this EP from Los Campesinos, Arts&Crafts take a major step. Much of the labels output boasts complex production and technically great music that requires some attention to appreciate. This is fine. With this EP though, we get something else. I mean no disrespect to the band, but this is first and foremost a great deal of fun. It may not be as demanding as a Broken Social Scene album, but it does have immediate appeal. The single, “We Throw Parties, You Through Knives”, has already made a splash in the UK and could possibly be a break-out song here as well. The scope of some of the music, and the size of the group (6 members) may prompt quotes like “A fun version of the Arcade Fire,” and that would not be too far off, but Los Campesinos have listed their influences as Pavement, Bright Eyes, The Cure, The Silver Jews, and songs in the realm of riot grrrl. All of these elements combine to form a supremely satisfying party EP. The second single by these folks, “You! Me! Dancing!” builds like a standard Pavement track but quickly grows into something with bells ringing and “whoo whooing” that will get you moving. If this EP is any indication for what to expect on the album they plan to release in 2008 (after their school time finishes) then Los Campesinos! will probably be one of Arts&Crafts most important signings to date. This EP comes with two nifty animated music videos featuring humans and aliens doing battle, then rebuilding, then doing battle, and so on.
-Daniel Demois
Lovedrug
Everything
Starts Where it Ends
The Militia
Group
“Wake up, you’re alive/We’re on your side,” calls out Lovedrug singer Michael Shepard, on the title-track of the Canton, Ohio band’s latest release Everything Starts where it Ends. And for a few moments you feel like the band is on your side. With a versatile, genre bending track list, the album plays like a collection of musicians trying to find their own voice and sound. In this case the listener is treated to a chocolate box of songs each with an endearing quality.
From deep stadium-worthy indie rock to moody ballads and even a Jan and Dean worthy surf riff “Pushing the Shine” the album covers a lot of ground. At first listen Muse comes to mind but after a few spins, elements of early I Mother Earth and Jimmy Eat World appear. Of course in every box of chocolate are a few duds. Some tracks tend to get dull after one or two listens. But the beauty of living in the digital world is having options to choose which tracks to listen to.
With gritty guitar licks and atmospheric string accompaniment on some tracks, the album is just different enough the what’s out there to make it interesting. After a few listens the album is sure to grow on anyone who is looking to diversify their collection.
- Andrew Seale
LoveLikeFire
An Ocean In The Air
Black Ludella
San Franciscan foursome LoveLikeFire have just released their second EP An Ocean in The Air, producing poppy-post punk sounds. Led by singer/ guitarist/ keyboardist Ann Yu’s sweet-though-strangely-powerful voice, the band comes out with an enjoyable indie rock record. The melodramatic lyrics are belted out to a background of drum-pumping build-up in this uncomplicated endeavour. It is not a dramatic blow-you-out-of-the-water new record, but it’s reliably good. They kind of sound like someone plopped Emily Haines in the middle of a Yeah Yeah Yeahs record—just the right leveling of sweet, edgy, and rockin’ though not remarkably original.
- Aurora Prelevic
The Last Temptation of…
Gigantic Music
Hailing all the way from Haugesund, Norway, The Last Temptation of… is The Low Frequency in Stereo’s fifth and latest album, and continues to advance the lo-fi, psychedelic sound fans across Europe – and now, increasingly, in North America too – have been loving since the band’s droney debut in 2001. A lot of this album has a 60s throw-back sound characterized by jangling, echoing guitars and steady, spaced-out beats from TLFINS’s ubiquitous Wurlitzer organ. It’s poppy and fuzzy, like the Byrds and Jefferson Airplane in some blissed-out Norwegian jam session. Most of the tracks are pretty killer, but particular standouts include “The Challenger” and “Bahamas”. Check ‘em online at www.thelowfrequencyinstereo.com.
- James Sandham
Luca
Luca - Sick of Love
Funzalo Records
As the CD cover proclaims, “Luca is a man, Luca is
a band.” Furthermore Luca is “sick of love.” Well I’m bloody sick
of Luca, and I’ve only had this CD for a week. Although, perhaps it
was the promotional material that came with it – a heightened sense of
self-importance is something I’ve found never complements music. But
ego stroking and promotional tricks aside, in the end, no matter how
many other projects Luca has worked on, no matter how many hip groups
he’s associated with, it’s not going to make his current release any
better - which is not, however, to say Sick of Love is terrible. There
are some tracks that stand out. The catchy “Rosalie,” apparently
drawing on Spirit of the West for influence, is one such example. But
other tracks are less gripping, hovering in sound and style somewhere
(incongruently) between Blink 182 and Matt Good. But generally, while
this album does contain some good songs – the strangely named
“Loosin’ Ground” being another such example – it seems
over-produced. The sound lacks authenticity. In other words, this album
is formulaic. It sounds too close on too many occasions to other
successful acts, often incongruously mixed (the above Blink 182/Matt
Good sound being one such example). But it’s radio-friendly, if
nothing else.
www.nickluca.com
-James Sandham
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Luke Doucet
Blood’s Too Rich
Six Shooter Records
Straight out of our own backyard, Canadian bred musician, Luke Doucet is back with another album, Blood’s Too Rich. The 2008 Six Shooter Records album includes a cover of the 1983 Cure song “The Lovecats.” As soon as I started listening to the album I was curious as to how this cover might go, one of two ways: simply put either good or bad. It’s hard to match the magical voice of Robert Smith but Doucet has his own beautiful tone that can capture a room full of people’s attention. “The Day Rick Danko Died,” is also a great track. It’s an enjoyable but sad tune about him and a stranger bonding over Rick Danko, the day he passed away. His folk’y, bluesy, rocking ways have definitely got him far and will continue to do so with this new album. He has been connected with artists and bands such as Blue Rodeo, Holly McNarland, Sarah McLachlan, Melissa McClelland, Oh Susanna, and many more. If you dig some the music as listed above then I’ll leave the rest up to you to check out www.myspace.com/lukedoucet, www.lukedoucet.com, or www.sixshooterrecords.com to listen to more songs and information on Doucet and his upcoming shows. He will be rocking around Canada this month until the first of March, so keep your eyes peeled for dates around your area.
-Danielle Cowie
LUZ ATOMICA
self titled
Independent
From the depths of a sound crafted in the mid to late 60's psychedelic era emerges one of the coolest sounding bands that have come out of Toronto. After paying their dues for over 2 years on the Toronto music scene, Luz Atomica have stood the cut throat test of staying relevant and important and have finally released their debut self titled album. An interesting combo of Alice Cooper, Pink Floyd and Danzig come to mind when listening to this disc; Luz Atomica definitely takes you on a journey with sonic landscapes from bluesy rockers like One eyed Jack and Steal Baby! to tripped out ballads like Elastic Time and Perfect Glow. This is a perfect driving album for anyone embarking on a long windy road trip.
One might wonder, what the hell these guys are striving for in a market that seems only interested in hip-hop,bubbelgum pop punk and Nickleback, well let me tell you that it's certainly like a breath of fresh air when you hear something so pure and uninterrupted. Luz Atomica love what they do and it shows all over this album, they are not a band of try hards attempting to fit into any trendy scene, they're just doing what they love, and as a result they now have an amazing debut CD to their name which I am sure will be turning some heads in the near future. Check them out at: www.myspace.com/luzatomica
LUZ ATOMICA CD RELEASE: With Daddy Ashes; and Emmett Friedmann & the Winnebagos of Death January 31 2008 at the Cameron House (408 Queen St. W Toronto, Ontario) $5 at the Door www.myspace.com/luzatomica
-Andre Skinner
Lycaon Pictus
Personal Disaster
Avant-God
When I first heard this CD I was going to write something like “the reason New York is still so cool 30 years after its indie music heyday is because it keeps producing bands like Lycaon Pictus,” but that sounded too much like the only standard of music to compare to is our parents’, and plus after I listened to the CD a couple times I realized it’s not that great after all. Which isn’t to say I hasn’t got some killer tracks: the opening cut, “Death Disco,” is catchy as hell, and likewise with the second, “I Give you a Rose.” Both of these tracks have got an infectious beat, rad little glitchy tweaks and distortions, and catchy vocals shouted out like Wolf Parade or Shy Child. I was pretty sure I’d found a really good album after listening to those two. But after that, unfortunately, the album starts to loose steam. The simplistic, minimalist beats starts to get repetitive, the sound begins to sound stubbornly stripped down, and the lyrics drift off into lazy rhyming couplets and odes to drugs. It’s not unbearable, but after the strength of the opening numbers it was kind of disappointing. Check Lycaon Pictus at www.lycaonpictus.net.
- James Sandham
M83
Digital Shades (vol. 1)
Gooom/EMI
Former shoegazer rocker and French electronic artist Anthony Gonzales is back with his most ambient work yet. Anyone familiar with their previous work should be prepared for a considerable shift in style. Gone are the drums and distinguished chorus/verse structures. Immensely soothing cascading waves of electronic sound wash out of the speakers for much of this elongated mostly instrumental ambient piece. Digital Shades (vol. 1) as the name implies, is intended to be the first in a series of several explorative works intended as a divergence from previous M83 material. As the album progresses, it slowly shifts in mood, often dark, while at other times bright and cheerful – complete with the sound of birds chirping. This album is best listened to after a long day of work, or when at rest or reading – it’s really only conducive to inactivity, but when the time is right, that’s a good thing.
-Jesse Kline
M83
Digital Shades Vol. 1
Mute
M83’s Digital Shades Vol. 1 isn’t so much an album as a sea of sounds into which you descend. It slowly washes over you until, eventually, you’re submerged. For that reason, its opening track, “Waves, Waves, Waves” is so aptly named: it’s a hint of what to expect on the rest of the album, an unending series of sonic waves that break and swell as they drift in toward shore. Yes, this is ambient music at its most ambient indeed. But while this can grow repetitive and perhaps even boring at times, energy is clearly not the point of this album. This is a slow building series of sounds capes, each one unique and individually crafted. It’s not for everyone, but it’s soft and experimental and, at times, almost embarrassing in its emotional honesty. That’s another way of saying that it can be powerful.
- James Sandham
Saturdays = Youth
M83
Mute Records
M83 return with their fifth studio album, one which is more conventional than their previous releases. Balancing ambient electronics with pop, the album weaves them together, creating a sound reminiscent of the 1980s synth pop era. The dated feel doesn’t hinder the release though. “Graveyard Girl” is a rather upbeat swirl, despite the name, combining a danceable drum beat with a light guitar riff topped off with breathy vocals from band leader Anthony Gonzalez. “Couleurs” has an infectious dance beat which is complemented nicely with synths. The album still maintains the band’s old roots, prominently featured on the eleven-minute closing track, “Midnight Souls Still Remain,” which features the bare minimum of repetitive synths, which will bore pop fans looking for something upbeat and catchy. While the album doesn’t add much to the retro genre, it’s still a rather enjoyable release.
-Jon Brazeau
Machete Avenue
First Cuts
Underground Operations
Machete Avenue cut you with their first words. Their
knives digging into bleeding regrets that never really scabbed. If you
want to call on those sad, sad memories of when you never kissed that
cute boy or girl and all the opportunities you let fade away, revel
with fuzzy-voiced Chad Michael S. (also on guitar) and Scotty Avenue on
keys.
Frankly, I was not expecting these boys to be Cyndi Lauper fans. Track
four brings a new forlorn hope to the hit "Time After Time."
The guitar playing and vocals bring to mind twinges of harder rock
bands that delved into a quieter sound, when metal and rock were
covering charts. Though not as brash, the sometimes sweet and always
soft acoustic gives a great balance to the vocals. Not surprisingly,
First Cuts brings to mind the similar approach of, Alexisonfire's
Dallas Green's side project, the secluded and quieter City and Colour
and fits well as the opener for the cross-Canada March tour, ending in
Vancouver.
- Heather Rayment
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The Magnetic Fields
Distortion
Nonesuch
Stephen Merrit’s The Magnetic Fields have always done a fine job of avoiding simple categorization. It is very difficult to pigeonhole this group, as they bounce from sixties garage rock to surf, to pure pop and gentle crooning. Despite the various musical styles, the group has been able to make concise albums, in which all genres blend together, creating a wonderfully flowing jukebox mix. On Distortion, their approach does seem a little bit more formulaic than usual. Often opting for a slow/fast/slow/fast approach to the sequencing. That said though, the high points (“Three Way” “Old Friends”) easily match the greatest moments on their magnum opus 69 Love Songs. Unfortunately, there aren’t really enough of these moments to maintain interest. While all of these songs on their own would be great for an iPod playlist, this album as a whole just gets tiring. It seems The Magnetic Fields, instead of expanding on their sound, have gotten a little too comfortable, resulting in an album that ultimately comes off as uninspired.
www.myspace.com/themagneticfields
-Daniel Demoi
Self-proclaimed “torchbearers of the unusual” Man Man release their much anticipated third full length album in five years on April 8th. Rabbit Habits provides the Man Man-requisite number of curious instruments in bizarre orchestration with circus-like songs that whirl you around and around until you aren’t quite sure what’s happened, or if it’s good. You feel dizzy, kinda funny inside. Lead singer Honus Honus’ voice is still booming in your head, his piano leading your mind on an epic unending waltz and as you’re slowing the spin to a halt you stumble out and stand, stunned, wondering: what now? These guys are famous (or infamous) for their exuberant live performances, in which they tirelessly perform non-stop—taking no breaks at all. Ever. No wonder the album is a dumbfounding experience. They are definitely avant-garde in their strangeness but not inaccessible in an overly pretentious way. They’re spontaneously combustible and love taking us along for the ride.
- Aurora Prelevic
Mando Diao
Ode to
Ochracy
Mute
Records
Swedish shoegazer quintet Mando Diao are a hard living bunch of rockers, and Ode to Ochracy, their third LP (and umpteenth release since their debut EP in 2002), is an album in the name of all that: the drugs, the music, the anomie, and the lost love