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January 21, 2010
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2010-01-21 
Reviews - CD
WOODPIGEON
Die Stadt Muzikanten
(Boompa)

A-

WOODPIGEON

Die Stadt Muzikanten, the third album from Calgary's Woodpigeon, is a whimsical collection of low-profile, heart-on-sleeve folk-rock tunes - but while the tracks here might seem quiet and unassuming upon first listen, further examination reveals dense, layered and richly textured mini-epics. Punctuated with ethereal boy/girl vocals (see: the lovely, melancholy Morningside) and lush, orchestral arrangements crafted from guitars, harpsichord, handclaps and bells (album centrepiece Such a Lucky Girl boasts some seriously cinematic dynamics), Die Stadt Muzikanten serves as a prime example of just how powerful subtlety can be. Primary songwriter and singer Mark Hamilton's delicate vocals hold the whole thing together, perfectly serving his romantic, rosy-cheeked lyrics. Lose yourself in this one.
— Jen Zoratti
JOSS STONE
Colour Me Free!
(Virgin)

C+

JOSS STONE

Joss Stone can sing, there is no doubt about that. This big ol' voice comes out of this little body. But even with those massive pipes, her fourth studio album could use a little polish to make it shine. Despite many guests, including Sheila E and Jeff Beck (Parallel Lines), Nas (Governmentalist), and saxophonist David Sanborn (I Believe It To My Soul), the album still lacks focus. Free Me and I Believe It To My Soul stand out as gems, but many of the other tracks come off as being mediocre. Colour Me Free could be a much better album if more time was taken and there were more high-calibre songs. The record's greatest feature is that it doesn't sound over-produced (it's refreshing to see that not everyone in the biz feels the need to use Auto-Tune).
— Robin Dudgeon
ANVIL
This is Thirteen
(VH1 Classic Records)

B

ANVIL

If you viewed the Anvil documentary movie (or read their new autobiography) you understand what this Old Wave Of Canadian Heavy Metal band is all about, and how it has risen phoenix-like its own ashes to again make a stab at wider musical notoriety. This Is Thirteen is full of classic, heavy music sounds and can be lovingly compared to any early metal masterpiece. Singer (Lips) Kudlow stays well away from the screeching holler of many of his old wave contemporaries and, as a guitarist, he is pretty fearless in his use of the chugga. Drummer Robb Reiner wallops away at his gigantic sounding kit and current bassist Glenn Five models his plodding pound righteously after Geezer Butler. As honest as salt and even comes complete with bonus track Thumb Hang!
— Jeff Monk
THE BLACK SEEDS
Solid Ground
(Easy Star)

B

THE BLACK SEEDS

New Zealand is not the first place that comes to mind when you think of reggae. But The Black Seeds - an eight-piece band from Wellington, New Zealand - delivers some serious reggae and old school funk on their first North American release. Singer Barnaby Weir may not sing with a Jamaican accent, but the way he sits back on the beat during the reggae numbers, and the way the horns blare bright and snarky on some tracks make me wonder why it took the Seeds so long to make it to this hemisphere. Check this out.
— Robin Dudgeon
ALEX CUBA
Alex Cuba
(Caracol)

B

ALEX CUBA

On his third disc, Cuban-Canadian Alex Cuba offers up an eclectic mix of songs inspired by different genres, including Latin music, soul and R&B. Of the 13 tracks, all are in his native tongue except for If You Give Me Love. For those of us who don't speak Spanish, translations are offered in the liner notes. If you were to read the translations you would notice that Cuba is a real charmer. He sings nothing but romantic songs - girls, you'll swoon - in a voice that is sweet and clear. And he's multi-talented, too. Not only did he write and sing the songs but he also played guitar, bass, shaker and cowbell.
— Robin Dudgeon
THE AGGROLITES
IV
(Hellcat)

B

THE AGGROLITES

The Aggrolites are peddling something they call dirty reggae: a fusion of soul and reggae. Think '70s soul with an island beat. Imagine organ with guitar solos and shouted choruses. Vocalist Jesse Wagner sings in Firecracker that he's Jekyll and Hyde and it's true: sometimes his voice is soulful and soft, other times his vocals can be snarly and tough (see: The Sufferer and Firecracker respectively to see what I mean). Makes for a good summer soundtrack.
— Robin Dudgeon
FLORENCE + THE MACHINE
Lungs
(Universal)

A

FLORENCE + THE MACHINE

Disc of the Week
Hopefully South London's Florence Welch won't exist only in memory as a "hit" in 2009 and then disappear. We're still waiting for that next, great Amy Winehouse album after all. Ms. Welch has the pipes necessary to get some solid fan attention and with her first album, the boiling Lungs, she delivers a set of tracks that should stand the test of time. The thin white chanteuse has the kind of vocal control that makes mere mortals weep with envy and she can swoop, holler and then whisper with the very best. Lyrically Ms. Welch keeps things mysterious - comparing a fist with a kiss; detailing a liaison with a girl with one eye and a boyfriend that builds coffins - all in a way that actually doesn't come off as precious or overwrought with weird emotion. A soul-baring, hurricane-voiced, indie-rock powerhouse to watch.
— Jeff Monk
MR. SOMETHING SOMETHING
Shine Your Face
(World Records)

B+

MR. SOMETHING SOMETHING

This Toronto quintet is one of Canada's best-loved afro-beat combos and now four albums into its career comes the fabulous Shine Your Face, which will most assuredly please fans of the genre. With heaven-sent horn arrangements and topical lyrics the band holds true to the estimable track laid by early originators like Fela Kuti. The standard, low rumbling percussive Afro-beat rhythms are in full flow right from the opening track The Antidote and it only gets better from there. Singer Johan Hultqvist's voice is as sweet as molasses and at times it almost seems that it could stand a bit more gravitas to sound completely convincing for this music. Jazz fans will enjoy the bands ability to shift tempo and mix up the arrangements in a super creative way. Proof positive that high school music programs in this country deliver some awesome horn players if nothing else. Definitely worth a listen.
— Jeff Monk
GRAND ARCHIVES
Keep in Mind Frankenstein
(Sub Pop)

A

GRAND ARCHIVES

Grand Archives brought everything but the kitchen sink in to record their second album, Keep in Mind Frankenstein. Cello, accordion, piano, ukelele, pedal steel, glass harp, and theremin, are laid overtop of the standard guitar-bass-drums foundation. The best part of this album is the haunting harmonies provided by Jenn Ghetto and Sera Cahoone on tracks such as Oslo Novelist and Siren Echo Valley (Pt. 1). The harmonies compliment singer-guitarist Mat Brooke's gentle vocals perfectly. The Grand Archives are capable of creating beautiful, haunting soundscapes that deserve a second (and third) listen.
— Robin Dudgeon
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