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Check out
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around Winnipeg tonight! |
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Check out
this week’s
online CD reviews by our
music staff |
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Carl
Cox
Back to Mine
(DMC Publishing Ltd.)
C+
Website: www.dmcworld.com
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Carl Cox calls his Back
to Mine compilation “a personal collection for after-hours
grooving.” Many people would find it difficult to critique
other’s personal choices — but not me. Maybe that’s
why I have no friends. Although Carl has fairly good taste when
it comes to music, some of these tracks are just plain boring
for a full release and should have stayed on his personal mix
tape. It’s a lacklustre collection of ’70s disco (Diana
Ross’ No One Gets the Prize), R&B (Jodeci’s You
Got It) and house (Groove Armada’s Dan Solo), as well as
the token track (Give me Your Love) from the big man himself.
With Back to Mine it’s more likely that you’ll be
after-hours snoozing instead of grooving. Where’s my pillow?
It’s time for a nap.
Shannon Ander |
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Various
Artists
Back Roads to Cold Mountain
(Smithsonian Folkways Recordings)
A
Website: www.folkways.si.edu
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Smithsonian Folkways don’t
release music CDs — they set historical documents free.
Back Roads to Cold Mountain uses the obvious name recognition
of the recent, big-budget Hollywood film of the same name (and
the novel from which it came) as the base for an examination of
American folk music from the mid-1800s. This lovely little compendium
does more than scratch the surface of Appalachian music —
it peels back the layers of personal experience to reveal the
real roots of these mostly traditional songs. Many of the tracks
come from very old recordings and as such require a certain level
of patience to fully enjoy. These haven’t been prettied
up save the reduction of surface noise, and the results are sublime.
The highly informative booklet provides exacting information on
the history of each track. The Smithsonian is the caretaker of
a wonderfully rich musical heritage, and it has once again shown
how much there is to savour.
Jeff Monk |
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Jorane
The You and the Now
(Aquarius)
B+
Website: www.jorane.com |
Jorane is a classically
trained Quebecois cellist who has been exploring the experimental/improvisational
and pop idioms for more than five years. The You and the Now is
her first English release and is a phenomenal sonic journey. Producer
Michael Brook (who made a masterpiece with Mary Margaret O’Hara
in the late ’80s) beautifully matches Jorane’s elegant
melodies and ethereal harmonies with just the right amount of
rhythmic accompaniment to ensure that these songs swing and sway
as well as gently roll along. Toronto’s Simon Wilcox is
a co-writer of six of 11 tunes (Lisa Germano and Daniel Lanois
also drop by to help out) and she helps shape a mood that is gently
New Agey and esoterically pop without being overadorned. The world
could live without the Donna Summer cover, however.
John Kendle |
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The
Goodie Mob
One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show
(Koch)
B-
Website: www.goodiemob.net
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It seems, on their fourth
album, that the Goodies have acquired some much-needed assistance
from Mikey the chimpanzee, a replacement, it would seem, for the
missing Ceelo Green. So now there are only three gorillas running
this show, and this remaining trio tears the roof off the sucka
something terrible. With the infamous Dungeon family behind them
(and numerous others), the new Goodies make an album based on
tradition — which involves givin’ fans more bomb-ass
joints to vibe to. Bigg Gipp, Khujo and T-Mo Goodie deliver like
FedEx all through this prolific effort, especially on In Da Streets
or 1, 2, 3 Goodie. You could get your wig split just from standing
too close to the speakers. Let’s just say there is no safe
place to hide, so accept the fact you’re going to be feeling
this. OK? Now let’s move on.
Horace Carrington |
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Kimberley Rew
Essex Hideaway
(Bongo Beat)
A
Website: www.bongobeat.com
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Former ‘Wave’
(as in Katrina and the...) and Soft Boy Kimberley Rew is now four
albums into his so-called solo career and shows every sign of
creating a nearly essential body of work. On the dozen-track Essex
Hideaway both the cheeky Brit-boy songwriter and flash guitarist
are in full evidence. There is more than a slight hint of patchouli
drifting through what can only be called Rew’s more exotic
sonic travels on this disc. The Ballad of the Lone Guitarist rumbles
along quite nicely until about mid-song, when Rew excuses himself
and his guitar to examine some decidedly ambient sonic domain.
It’s all so ’70s, man. The touch of cabaret on a couple
of tracks will have you picturing Rew giddily entertaining the
neighbours from the wooden porch of the very Essex hideaway he
lovingly describes in the title track. A great listen.
Jeff Monk |
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Infinite Livez
Bush Meat
(Big Dada Recordings)
B+
Website: www.infinitelivez.com
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Oi, pass me a pint, will
ya? London’s definitely in da house. And with this explosive
new album it seems as if these young blokes plan to be around
awhile. These guys can definitely dish it out, starting with the
hilarious single Worcestershire Sauce, a humorous account of the
singer’s interactions with the opposite sex and full of
loads of senseless trivia. Bush Meat will have you laughing, screaming
and even cheering for the duration of its 19 tracks of pure hip
hop satisfaction — legal contraband guaranteed to put a
smile on your silly mug and make you feel like you pulled a runner
without paying for goods and services attained. Do yourself a
favour then, mate, fork over a few bob and cop this disc today.
Bush Meat is an amazing presentation of new British ingenuity.
Horace Carrington
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Husky Rescue
Country Falls
(Catskills Records)
B
Website: www.catskillsrecords.com
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Husky Rescue is a Finnish
tribe of hip, neo-psychedelic, euro-groovers that lays down an
exquisite song cycle on Country Falls. This album gently wafts
through the speakers and is suitable as a soundtrack to begin
those drowsy Sunday mornings when you absolutely can’t fathom
doing anything but lazing exotically between the thick, warm sheets.
The band plays quite organically and filters in shimmering threads
of electronics and strings, making them sound intense as well
as sexy. Singers Reeta-Leena Korhola and Emma Salokoski sound
like angels whispering their exhortations from beyond the clouds
just outside your window. A few tracks, especially Summertime
Cowboy, manage to tilt toward a sort of glacier-paced pop sway,
making this disc an extensively pretty listen. Absolutely worth
searching out as a stress-reducing agent when facing another minus-ridiculous
day of braving the elements.
Jeff Monk |
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Jimmy Chamberlin Complex
Life Begins Again
(Sanctuary)
C
Website: www.jimmychamberlincomplex.com
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Smashing Pumpkins fans
will no doubt snap this disc up because it contains the work of
former SP drummer Jimmy Chamberlin. Then there’s the fact
Billy Corgan makes an appearance on one track. Nevertheless, there’s
a reason why solo, mostly instrumental projects from drummers
seldom make a splash in the music world. Much of the angular,
rock-oriented Life Begins Again sounds like elevator music, relies
too heavily on rhythms — and tends to fall into the vanity
project category. If you’re looking to rekindle some magic
with Loki Cat (featuring Corgan’s nasal vocals), you will
be sadly disappointed — this resurrection lacks direction,
and vigour. The best track here is the title cut, a focused yet
dreamy tune featuring the vocals of Rob Dickinson. Drummers and
bassists might get a kick out of this, but Pumpkins fans should
stick to the Pumpkins.
Mike Warkentin |
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Jazzy
Jeff
In the House
(Defected)
B
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Wow, look at this,
a three-CD set! That must mean it’s a great buy, right?
Nope. I used to get roped into the multiple disc sets but being
slightly older and much wiser I know that, as with shoes, you
must pay more for quality, no matter what your worse half says.
The tracks are decent, but the mixing on the first disc is horrifying
and the third disc includes a special mix of the first two CDs.
Seriously, who falls for this stuff? Bad things aside, there
are some cool ’70s tunes by some old-school favorites
such as The Temptations, Barry White, and Booker T and the MGs.
I’m not going to fully endorse this CD but it’s
easier to throw this in the player than to haul out your parents’
vinyl collection to listen to classic house.
Shannon Ander |
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