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Check out
this week’s
online CD reviews by our
music staff |
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JT Donaldson/ Lance De Sardi
San Francisco Sessions Volume 5
(Om Records)
A-
Website: www.omrecords.com
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A lot of creepy things
emerge from Texas — people with chainsaws, loudmouths, and
hats that are way too big. Underground house deejays Lance DeSardi
and JT Donaldson swap their Stetsons for turntables on their Om
Records label debut. Born in Dallas, the boys founded Hazy Daze
Collective in 1997 and have been producing and spinning ever since.
On the first CD of the 2-disc set, DeSardi’s tech-house
sound is unmistakable, especially on the whiny Nurse by Grey Love
and Cajmere’s Midnight. The excitement really starts with
Donaldson’s set, featured on disc 2. It’s jazzy house
gold with sample surprises throughout the disc and plenty of piano
and horns. Best tracks include Eastbound’s Madou and Brown
and Louder’s super housey So Confused. Unlike those cowboy
boots you bought last season, San Francisco Sessions 5 will bring
years of enjoyment.
Shannon Ander |
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Elton John
Peachtree Road
(Mercury Records)
B-
Website: www.eltonjohn.com
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On his latest album, EJ
is in a decidedly backward-looking groove. Opening track Weight
of the World is a mellow and introspective gem in the tradition
of his ’70s golden age, and that holds true for most of
Peachtree Road. The formerly flamboyant showman, partier and publicity
junkie shows his personal side on this record and it works for
the most part. Tracks such as Turn The Lights Out When You Leave,
My Elusive Drug and Freaks in Love deal with the singer’s
newfound self-control and with old lyric-writing sidekick Bernie
Taupin and players Davey Johnstone and Nigel Olsson back onside,
this album may bring some of John’s old fans back into the
record stores. After about the seventh track this all starts to
sound the same, unfortunately, as if John has run out of ways
to tell the world he has repented. A pleasant yet slightly unremarkable
road to travel.
Jeff Monk |
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Yourcodename is: Milo
All Roads to Fault
(Fiction/Beggars Group)
A
Website: www.yourcodenameismilo.com |
With heavy bass and flying
guitars, Yourcodenameis:milo hit your ears like a breath of clean,
new-aged air on this EP. The band from Britain kicks serious ass
with Choke-esque, post-hardcore, feedback noise.With a hint of
Billy Talent prodding, frantic hollow screaming fills their songs
up like a good headbanging session after a long day at work. Using
the same producer as Nine Inch Nails and Depeche Mode, this band
has a foundation of putting out good albums. After All Roads to
Fault, YCNIM is releasing another this spring called Ignoto that
already has hype written all over it. If you liked Mars Volta
and the unique status of their music then you’ll enjoy bobbing
your head to the flavourful sound that is Yourcodenameis:milo.
Erin Chatelain |
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Playgroup
Reproduction
(Peacefrog Records)
A
Website: www.peacefrog.com
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Wanna feel sexy? Skip
the playgroup with the kids and listen to this disc instead. Better
yet, forget about having kids altogether and spend the money on
CDs. In his latest venture, Playgroup’s mastermind, Trevor
Jackson, remixes new and retro hits in traditional Playgroup mash-up
style. The opening track, Nylon Pylon’s Pushin’ sets
the scene with images of sweaty bodies dancing in slow motion
in the club and speeds things up with Radio 4’s Dance to
the Underground. Only Peaches would feel at home with Louis Austin’s
Grab My Shaft. And, as if things couldn’t get any better,
disc 2 is equally as awesome. Trash Palaces Sex on the Beach is
for adults only and the VCR’s Get It is full of bongo excitement
and screaming. Yeah, it’s crazy. The disc ends on a moody
note with a fresh re-working of Andrea Doria’s Bucci Bag
and Yello’s Soul on Ice.
Shannon Ander |
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Various
Artists
Rewind!4
(Ubiquity)
A
Website: www.ubiquityrecords.com
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These “no remixing-no
re-editing” compilations courtesy of the funky and soulful
folks at Ubiquity Records keep hitting the mark as fresh re-imaginings
of classic tracks. The premise is to offer new versions of old-school,
funk and soul standards as laid down by the young lions of the
genre and it really works on Vol. 4 in a big way. Beginning of
the End’s Funky Nassau by Orgone and Sly and the Family
Stone’s Just Like a Baby by Sa-Ra Creative Partners make
this set a winner on their own. If you never thought you would
ever hear a crunky throwdown version of Woody Guthrie’s
This Land or a juicy take on Joni Mitchell’s Help Me then
it’s time to check that box. Also features great workings
of tracks originally by Burt Bacharach, The White Stripes, Nick
Drake and Cameo. Real and fohnk-ay!
Jeff Monk |
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Smith & Mighty
Retrospective
(!K7)
B+
Website: www.k7.com
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The dynamic duo of Rob
Smith and Ray Mighty have compiled some of their better and brighter
trip-hop tracks on this sweet compilation. The Bristol, England
pair have a knack for fusing neat beats into smooth reggae and
easy-rolling pop vocal stylings laid down by some charming vocalists.
Tracks Come On Back by Carlton and Down In Rwanda with Andy Scholes
show these cool cats know the path to successfully linking rootsy,
patois-laden, dub style vocals on quirky dance beats. Some of
the more obscure names on this 11-tracker may not ring bell one
with most folks and that only adds to the overall obscure goodness.
The album flows nicely by delivering the kind of mood turns that
easily shift from background jive to more prominent hip-shakers.
Sweet and dandy and even unique enough to bear the weight of repeated
listenings. Recommended.
Jeff Monk
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Various
Artists
How Soon is Now?: The songs of The Smiths
(Rykodisc)
A+
Website: www.rykodisc.com
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I can’t tell you
how happy I was with this particular assignment. How Soon is Now?
is 12 great bands doing Smiths covers! I couldn’t even believe
my ears when some group called Million Dead sang a punk version
of Girlfriend in a Coma. We all remember the Smiths from those
days of sitting around messy bedrooms being emo before emo was
even invented. These bands show their appreciation For The Smiths
with paragraph after paragraph of Morrissey ass-kissing stories.
But, really, redoing the songs is acknowledgement enough that
The Smiths were one of the greatest bands of the ’80s to
a lot of loyal people. Yourcodenameis:milo do a very soothing
rendition of Death of a Disco Dancer, which adds a lot of punch
to the original. Actually, every band on this compilation rocks
out with such ease that I might be slap on How Soon is Now? before
playing an actual Smiths album.
Erin Chatelain |
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The
Stepbrothers
Baby It’s Over
(Licorice Tree)
B+
Website: www.screamingpeach.com
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The Stepbrothers are a
new quintet of hardened garage rawk greaseballs delivered straight
from the good hearts at the new Austin indie Screaming Peach Media.
The only known quantity in the group is former-Raunch Hand guitarist
Mike Miraconda but the gang of uglies he’s thrown in with
deliver the kind of dumb, rollicking rockin’ ruin that makes
you want re-learn the Frug. Baby It’s Over is one of those
fashionably under-produced gems that beg the volume knob gets
really turned over as the record progresses. Miraconda’s
rich twangulations come through effervescently on a few tracks
but wisely shy away from falling over the cliff into the pure
roots-rock ravine. There may be dozens of combos out there grazing
on the bountiful green grass of the garage rock revival but only
a few, like the Stepbrothers, know when to leave the field and
head to the barn to kick out the jams. File under quite good.
Jeff Monk |
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Ursula 1000
Ursadelica
(ESL Music)
A
Website: www.eslmusic.com
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Every antique store
in the city has its hi-hi half-tuned to stations playing dull
love songs from the ’50s. Now, I’m always in the
mood to spend but slow, sad songs encourage me to run away as
fast as my vintage shoes can take me. The solution — Ursula
1000’s latest mix of vintage-inspired tracks for fabulous
girls with hula hoops and cool guys in leisure suits. Alex Gimeno,
the hot nerd hiding behind the turntables, enjoys the Powerpuff
Girls, Shag, and Winnipeg’s Vav Jungle — so he must
be cool. Like other favourites from the ESL music label, Ursadelica
goes well with cocktail shakers and shag rugs. Turn up Nasty
Tales’ Come On A My House and Gaijin a Go Go’s Tempura
Mental for some serious hip shaking. There may be no hope for
antique shops, but if you keep this disc handy, at least your
next garage sale will be a swinging success.
Shannon Ander |
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