CD REVIEWS
Nov 1, 2005 12:00 PM
DAVID BANNER
Certified (SRC/Universal)
Your bum is freed, and your mind will indeed follow
Turn up David Banner's Certified, and try to sit still. It's damn near impossible. The bounce will get to you because Banner brings undeniable charisma to the board on his third album. The bluesy guitar intro on “Lost Souls” launches into a ravaging journey of a Southern sound gone worldwide. Banner embodies everything grand about a Dirty South perspective: Mississippi pride; alpha-male aggression; and plenty of body-rockin' raw lyrics in his deep, seductive drawl.
For Southern flow, try the A/C-cool beats of “Play,” produced by Mr. Collipark of Ying Yang Twins fame. For tongue-tied lyrical feats, Dead Prez and Talib Kweli lend rhyme skills on “Ridin,'” and Twista brings the dizzy pace with “On Everything.” Banner produces most tracks, and the tough-guy drums and dramatic breaks in his loops keep things moving right along, particularly when he dabbles with electric guitars on the anthemic “Crossroads”: “This is where the young folks are born and the old people die / We're just trying to get by.” And with freaky guest spots by Too Short, Jazze Pha and Bun B. on “Take Your” to Jagged Edge's suggestive schemes on “Two Fingers,” Banner bangs on. — Tamara Warren
ANIMAL COLLECTIVE
Feels (Fat Cat)
Feels like pills and liquor
With energy akin to a toddler riding a Sweet Tarts high, AC's seventh foray into jubilant psyche pop offsets the mostly acoustic efforts on 2004's Sung Tongs, helped by more members and electric elements. Feels swims in AC's rarely satiated yearning to raise the bar and gets a sprinting start in the dreamy vocal calls and speedy jump-off of “Did You See the Words,” a pressing number that grows louder with each pounding floor tom. The distant glockenspiels of “Lock Raven” steady the beast within, though, and the fuller sound of AC gets another puzzling, wonderful chapter in Feels. — Dominic Umile
ANDY BELL
Electric Blue (Sanctuary)
The voice of Erasure goes solo
Erasure fans know that Andy Bell and Vince Clarke go together like peanut butter and jelly — a sandwich simply wouldn't be the same without both. Fortunately, Bell's solo album could pass as a “lost” Erasure album. Although sans Clarke's production touch, Electric Blue is catchy and well-written, thanks to Bell's collaboration with writing-and-recording team Manhattan Clique (Philip Larsen and Chris Smith). One standout is an old-meets-new moment when Bell and Scissor Sisters' Jake Shears duet on “I Thought It Was You,” just one of many great rides on Electric Blue. — Justin Kleinfeld
BREAKESTRA
Hit the Floor (Ubiquity)
The resurrection of live funk
Multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Miles Tackett was so influenced by old-school DJ culture that he turned to analog to re-create the club-ready funk sounds of his youth. Little surprise, then, that “Stand Up” has a serious Jimmy Castor Bunch feel. All 14 tracks capture the vintage vibe, and the bass is prominent without being overpowering. The energetic level of “Got to Let Me Know” and “Family Rap” (featuring California neighbors Jurassic 5) keeps the fist-pumping Marvin Gaye “Who's the Man?” jams intact. Hit the Floor is destined to hit breaks-sampling DJs in the sweet spot. — Derek Beres
BROADCAST
Tender Buttons (Warp)
Contemplative dream pop
Underneath its crystalline pop melodies and electronic flourishes, Tender Buttons teems with nostalgia. On the surface, it's charming and quirky, awash with psychedelia and topped by front woman Trish Keenan's repeated lyrical phrases. Her vocal delivery is more suggestive than explicit (though it can sound tepid at times), interwoven into a flexible framework of synths and snares. The pared-down sound suits the restructured Broadcast nicely. Minus the rambling excess of previous works, Broadcast sounds like a latter-day Stereolab with a bit more mystery in the mix. — Christine Hsieh
COCOROSIE
Noah's Ark (Touch and Go)
Sacred meets profane
Here's more sibling sorcery from CocoRosie, though this time, it's in the dark and delicate urban shanties of Noah's Ark, the follow-up to 2004's exquisite La Maison de Mon Rêve. Reviewers often assume that the Casady sisters take their cues from torchy female vocalists like Billie Holiday and Björk, but the sisters say rap — with its emphasis on storytelling — inspires them most, and the influence is clear, as is an exceptional gift for imagery. Highlights include the sensual prison ballad “Beautiful Boyz” (with Devendra Banhart) and sullied lullaby “K-hole,” with understated beatboxing by Spleen. — Shannon Coulter
DR. ISRAEL
Dreadtone International: Patterns of War (ROIR)
Brooklyn Rasta in jungle-dub style
Dr. Israel's reggae falls within the widest definitions. He's collaborated with hard rockers Sepultura and Rancid and infuses trinkets of rock and dancehall in his minimalist electronics. In the center of Patterns of War reside intensely heartfelt lyrics painted over a soundscape of deep dub and jungle beats. Joined by Lady K on “Counting out Stones” and Chemda on “Tetze,” the seesawing of Israel's poetry against strong femininity makes this War as playful as it is serious. But make no mistake: Serious this doctor is, and he's got the medicine to prove it. — Derek Beres
PAUL VAN DYK
The Politics of Dancing 2 (Mute)
After all these years, it's still all about the trance
Despite changing trends in the music industry, Paul van Dyk has pretty much kept it real since he started DJing back in the early '90s. While other DJs move with the trends, this German DJ still brings those 4/4 beats and uplifting breakdowns that fans know to expect when he hits the stage. As a producer, van Dyk is up there with acts such as the Chemical Brothers, Fatboy Slim and Underworld: crucial to the development of contemporary dance music. In fact, his signature “For an Angel” is still considered one of the genre's most important tracks.
The sequel to his 2001 mix CD, Politics of Dancing, doesn't move far from the original: tracks with lots of synth lines, breakdowns, buildups, female vocals and those thrusting 4/4 beats. Standout tracks on CD 1 of Dancing 2 include Shiloh's “Dream On,” Filo and Peri's “Closer Now,” Lolo's “Why” and the manic “Adrenalin” from Purple Haze. CD 2 launches with van Dyk's new single, “The Other Side,” and continues the momentum with Jose Amnesia's “Second Day Vandit,” Yellow Blackbird's “Superfly” and James Holden's “Nothing.” Packed with 32 banging trance and progressive tracks, this CD is a vital piece of material for any van Dyk fan. — Justin Kleinfeld
J-LIVE
The Hear After (Penalty)
Brooklyn, Philly — still killin' it
In four years, Brooklyn-bred MC J-Live has built up quite a reputation without much radio airplay or a major label. Now, with a recent relocation to Philadelphia, J comes back — reliable as ever — with his fourth album, The Hear After. Although this record isn't a departure, it's evident that the City of Brotherly Love has had its influence on him (“Coming Home,” with Dwele). But the boom-bap (“Fire Water”) and thoughtful politics (“Weather the Storm”) are still here, and J seems to be in a position to show the world what true heads have known for years: that he's one of the finest MCs out there. — Aaron Schultz
GRAVENHURST
Fires in Distant Buildings (Warp)
Graves, guitars and ghastliness
Gravenhurst's spooky rendition of The Kinks' drone-driven “See My Friends” mirrors the original's vocal melody only, and the closer's reverb-heavy improv is most appropriate for all of the noodling on Fires. Although the acid-guitar freakouts in “Down River” and “Songs From Under the Arches” are undeniably sinister, they're too long. On Fires' stronger moments, Gravenhurst's Nick Talbot uses successfully chilling imagery in “Animals” to speculate on his own murder and calls on Barrett-era Floyd in the folky organ and minor-key acoustic stomp of “Cities Beneath the Sea.” — Dominic Umile
MATTHEW HERBERT
Plat du Jour (Accidental)
Organic in more ways than one
Matthew Herbert's politicized samplemania has spread to the sinister side of food production, consumption and marketing, and the resulting album is anxious yet also deeply humorous. Pieced-together field recordings taken from a Scottish salmon farm, a chicken hatchery and sewers, to name a few, Plat du Jour is an intriguing listen that spins from the head-nodding, bass-heavy “The Truncated Life of Modern Industrialised Chicken” to the chugging, technoid fury of “Sugar,” a song made by “playing” a Coke can. This is brilliantly oddball stuff and all the more poignant for its message. — Christine Hsieh
LES NUBIANS
Echos, Chapter One (Triloka/Artemis)
French siblings' slam-poetry world
Grammy-winning sisters Helene and Celia Faussart revealed their mettle on 1999's Princesses Nubiennes, combining Afro soul with super French pop. Echos goes further, melding panglobal poetry to a storyline inspired by a journey to Nubia in southern Egypt. Featuring an international cast, Echos blends hip-hop, reggae, pop and subtle electronics with inspired verbal riffing. Les Nubians' “Solide” is simmering exotic pop; Queen GodIs' “Freedom” scats urban poetry over jazz accompaniment; and John Banzai's “Prose Électrique Part 2” is swirling downtempo deluxe. — Ken Micallef
MIGUEL MIGS
Get Salted, Volume I (Salted)
More salt, less flesh
Associated with Naked Music more than any other entity, Miguel Migs is renowned for his soulful and sultry touch with house music. For the first in this series, however, Migs reaches into the vaults of his own Salted imprint. As much about the dancefloor as it is about listening, Get Salted doesn't aim strictly at keeping you moving. The thoughtful selections range from classic song-oriented (Swag remix of “So Hot” by Sean Dimitrie featuring Tim Fuller) to club-oriented (Joey Negro's remix of Sunburst Band's “Turn You On”) to a fusion of the two, as on The Realm and V's “One Chance.” — Lily Moayeri
MR. OIZO
Moustache (Half a Scissor) (Mute)
Best for puppets and ads
Mr. Oizo, the Frenchman who charmed the Western world with his puppet creation Flat Eric and his theme song, “Flat Beat” (used in the infamous Levi's commercials), is back for his first album in five years. Although Moustache feeds into Oizo's penchant for dirty analog sounds; quirky meanderings; and rough, distorted breaks, it's easy to get the sense of utter dormancy from this new album. Tracks such as “Scum Hotel” and “1$44” are gimmicky yet don't offer the listener much besides two minutes of analog putterings — lovely for car commercials but a dead end in the living room. — Aaron Schultz
SOUND TRIBE SECTOR 9
Artifact: Perspectives (1320)
Electronic-music wizards do STS9 more justice
Following years of developing a futuristic sound that unites jazz and funk sensibilities with precise electronic-minded production, Sound Tribe Sector 9 finally broke out with Artifact. With no break to the group's progression during the past several years, Artifact was the result of maturation, musical experimentation and an unwavering creative atmosphere. With this remix CD, Artifact: Perspectives, STS9 has once again outperformed its expectations.
The band enlisted the help of some of the electronic world's brightest to remix original tracks from Artifact. Ming & FS, Bill Laswell, Richard Devine, Mr. Lif, Bassnectar, Slicker and others offer tightly produced interpretations. In fact, with these collaborations, Perspectives might just be the band's sharpest production and most accessible recording to date. From Sub-id's downright-dirty, speaker-bumping opener, “Better Day Remix,” to Ming & FS' superslick drum 'n' bass reinterpretation of “Tokyo/Better Day Remix” to Mr. Lif's charismatic and conscious poetics on “Possibilities Remix,” there's plenty to appease diehard fans and music lovers in general. — Chris Clark
MÚM
Yesterday Was Dramatic — Today Is OK (Morr)
First time's a charm
On the first U.S. release of Yesterday, Múm's debut plays beautifully. The last epic-run minute of “Smell Memory” boasts piercing tones that follow shrill bursts and beats, but the calm after the storm is in the subsequent chimes-and-bass melody of “There Is a Number of Small Things,” which is augmented by rocking-chair creaks and a sugary coda of lifting vocal harmonies. These often-stunning tapestries of elegant Icelandic songcraft were recorded back in 1999, and they make some of today's electronic music look about as exciting as Rush's “Tom Sawyer.” — Dominic Umile
QUINTRON & MISS PUSSYCAT
Swamp Tech (Tigerbeat6)
New Orleans organ orgy
Quintron and Miss Pussycat begin every gig with a puppet show before launching into a raucous, sweaty set of organ-driven dance-soul that sees Quintron squeal and shout, jump on his gear, tear off his clothes and set fires. Quintron drives all of this (while Pussycat plays maracas and sings backup) with his Hammond and Drum Buddy, a photosensitive, five-oscillator homemade analog synth. In the spirit of those shows, the duo recorded Swamp Tech live through a Neotek board to 2-track with zero multitracking. Feel the heat on “Swamp Buggy Baddass,” “Witch in the Club” and “French Quarter Faggot.” — Erin Hutton
LISA SHAW
Cherry (Naked)
Canadian sings her sweetheart out
If you've slept on dance-music vocalist Lisa Shaw, wake up. Shaw's solo voyage is filled with mystical effects and sultry beats on the dancefloor-cultivated “Hot Skin” and opener “Cherry on Top.” Shaw, a Canadian songbird, entered the Toronto scene in 1994 and is famous for her collaborations, including 2001's “Always” with Naked Music producer Jay Denes, which turns up here. With lilting melodies, airy keyboards and languid drums, Shaw reaffirms, “We can be who we are,” on “Grown Apart” and backs it with distinct flavor over Eric Stamile, David Warrin and Denes' productions. — Tamara Warren
MARTIN SOLVEIG
Hedonist (Defected)
Former choirboy can mix it up
He began with the club track “Heart of Africa,” an ode to fierce percussionists Guem and Camero; then, he went disco with “Rocking Music.” With Hedonist, Martin Solveig brings rock, funk and pop to this feel-good song set. Combining programmed loops with live acoustics and fusing electronic textures with classical instruments, Hedonist is impressive, and chorus lines are potent. With its opening number, “Everybody,” already resonating over clubland, it's no doubt that these tracks will make their way into many a DJ's record case, experience several rebirths and become classics. — Samina Virani
TREVA WHATEVA
Music's Made of Memories (Ninja Tune)
ADD yet unforgettable
As the man behind the greatest Muppet dance-party theme that never was (“Singalong”), it's obvious that Treva Whateva does not set out to expound profound, life-altering truths through his music. Rather, this Manchester-based producer creates bouncy, quirky beats and bass that walk along the same lines of luminary (and Hot Pot radio show co-host) Mr. Scruff. Tracks such as “Havana Ball” and “Dustbowl” are sample-heavy with short attention spans — jumping from chop to chop while remaining cheeky, British and ultimately very listenable. — Aaron Schultz
VARIOUS ARTISTS
Impulsive! (Verve)
Remixers keep jazzing ahead
After three highly successful Verve Remixed projects, the jazz folks at Verve opened their imprint's catalog to reinterpretation. Hearing Wu-Tanger RZA's Jarmusch-ready take on Charles Mingus' “II B.S.” takes the bassist to cinematic, albeit choppy, heights. Unlike its sister records, Impulsive! is not quite as danceable — this is the serene, surreal side of jazz. Still, Gerardo Frisina's lo-fi tweaking of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” and Chief Xcel's funked-up “Attica Blues” will get any floor shaking. Between spurts of cerebral head tunes, there are plenty of grooves to carry the weight. — Derek Beres
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