New Music

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This article was published 10/12/2011 (5377 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

AMY WINEHOUSE

Lioness: Hidden Treasures (Universal)

AMY Winehouse fans looking for flashes of genius that proved her followup to her masterpiece Back to Black will only get a brief glimpse of it on the posthumous collection, Lioness: Hidden Treasures, a medley of new songs, alternate versions, demos and unreleased tracks.

Of the 12 songs on the album, only two were written for potential inclusion for her next album, the album highlight Between the Cheats, a retro doo-wop ditty presumably about her ex-husband Blake Civil-Fielder and Up in Smoke, an uncompleted number featuring two verses by her friend Nas, whose raps stick out and blast away the sultry vibe.

The new songs were recorded in 2008, but there are a couple of latter recordings, including her duet with Tony Bennett on the 1930s standard Body and Soul — the last song she ever recorded before dying in July — and a stark, mumbled version of Leon Russell’s A Song For You, made famous by Donny Hathaway whom she talks about in the final seconds of the album, comparing him to Marvin Gaye.

There are alternate versions of Tears Dry, sped up to give it a Motown feel on Back to Black, a minimalist one-take version of Wake up Alone, a less-produced cover of the Zutons’ Valerie and the soul-lounge of Best Friends, Right, which served as her live opening number in her early days. Other covers like Our Day Will Come, Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow and The Girl From Ipanema don’t add anything to Winehouse’s legacy other than show off her interpretation skills.

There is no indication in the liner notes of how many songs producer Salaam Remi had to choose from, but it appears the well should be dry after this too sparse collection that only hints at what might have been if Winehouse had got it together enough to record another album. For fans, Lioness is a bittersweet, frustrating listen. Three stars

— Rob Williams

 

BLACK KEYS

El Camino (Nonsuch/Warner)

MOVING from Akron, Ohio, to Nashville has had a noticeable effect on the sound of the Black Keys. The minimalist blues-punk of their early albums has been expanded on to include a joyful amalgamation of soul, funk, classic rock and dance music that makes El Camino a party album that rock fans can dance to and dance fans can rock to.

Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney have teamed up again with producer Danger Mouse who adds colourful touches to the ramshackle fuzz-pop the duo crank out with ease, adding female backing vocals to the infectious first single Lonely Boy and throwing in some handclaps to the hip-shaking Dead and Gone. The spirit of Led Zeppelin runs through Little Black Submarines, they get their garage rock kicks on Gold on the Ceiling and bring the funk on Sister.

It’s a wild, fun ride filled with twists and turns, that even extends to the album cover: a photo of an old Chevy van, not an El Camino. Four stars

— RW

 

ROBIN THICKE

Love After War (Universal)

THE born into privilege, blue-eyed soul phenomenon Robin Thicke has exactly what it takes to continue his already massive success in the so-called R&B music movement.

By the time the airbrushed Californian had reached the tender age of 21, he had either written or produced songs on over 20 enormous-selling albums by Michael Jackson, Pink, Christina Aguilera and others. Apparently there is no stopping this nouveau George Michael, and that is part of the problem with Love After War, his fifth solo album. The common denominator in this kind of inconsequential pop music is a kind of vacancy that is palpable. Thicke sings of the finer things in life that only a very few will ever experience. His love matches happen in the most exotic and practically unreachable of places, and when things don’t go exactly as planned, he warbles something like Tears On My Tuxedo.

The word “humble” passes by this guy like a turbo jet screaming over a tattered dirigible. At 20 tracks of this dreck (on the deluxe edition) it’s a tough slog, but an embarrassment of riches for fans. Two and a half stars

— Jeff Monk

 

THE ROOTS

Undun (Universal)

CONFESSION: I’m not a big fan of the concept album, and so I greeted with apprehension the news that my fave Philly hip-hop outfit’s latest is a theme-piece about the life of one Redford Stephens (1974-1999). The big idea does indeed get in the way of the songs, but the album impresses nonetheless.

Bandleader/drummer ?uestlove gives the song cycle a lush sound worthy of repeat listens, while rapper Black Thought and guests portray their protagonist as a conflicted hustler trying to get by. Opener Sleep has an audacious neo-soul vibe; Make My and One Time benefit from shimmering choruses; Stomp boasts an anthemic rock edge; and Lighthouse combines a righteous beat and airy production for an existential rap moment.

Though not as punchy as last year’s How I Got Over, Undun is an evocative album worth exploring. Three and a half stars

— TCha Dunlevy, Postmedia News

 

JAZZ

STEVE AMIRAULT

One Existence (Independent)

MONTREAL pianist Steve Amirault sings in French and English on this very good nine-tune CD of original music.

Amirault, backed by bass and drums, is a splendid, fluid pianist whose singing is new to me. Both talents get the best showcase on the title track, while Poème des Acadiens is another composition with a pleasing mix of piano and vocals. Hold On, Let Go is a great instrumental.

If you’re only familiar with Amirault as an instrumentalist — as good as he is — this disc adds another dimension to the musician’s work. Three and a half stars

— Chris Smith

 

CLASSICAL

THE OREGON SYMPHONY, CARLOS KALMAR; SANFORD SYLVAN, BARITONE

Music for a Time of War (Pentatone)

THE Oregon Symphony recorded this live program last May in Portland just before presenting it at Carnegie Hall. There’s a palpable edge and finish to the performances, the players are superbly prepared and the engineers supply a vivid recording.

Though Vaughan Williams’s Symphony No. 4 has no wartime connection — it was complete well before the outbreak of the Second World War — it has a vehement anger in keeping with the program’s theme. Kalmar’s account is very nearly the equal to the composer’s white hot 1937 benchmark.

Britten’s Sinfonia da Requiem is no less a masterpiece, its clearer wartime imagery giving way to consolation in a gripping score. The music in John Adams’ The Wound Dresser is rather less eventful than Walt Whitman’s graphic Civil War poems used as texts. Baritone Sanford Sylvan takes the spotlight commandingly. Ives’ The Unanswered Question rounds out this quite spectacular release. Four stars

— James Manishen

 

Last month was Take Your Kids to Work Day, so we put some kids to work writing CD reviews for the entertainment department.

 

NEW CITIES

Kill the Lights (Sony)

THIS album has a great variety of songs, perfect for dancing, parties, driving, or even blasting on a stereo while doing chores.

Montreal band the New Cities has a lot to brag about on their sophomore album when it comes to their music, a mixture of pop, techno and rock.

Nearly everyone will get hooked on the fun beats and summery themes of their songs, like Heatwave, the album’s first single. If you are a person who enjoys dance music, you’ll love this, and even if it’s not your thing, it’s an enjoyable listen.

Don’t be surprised if you hear about the New Cities again. And again.

Whether it is from your friends, or on the radio, or elsewhere, it is almost guaranteed that you will be hearing more of them.

Four stars

— Amy Knodel, 13, Grade 9, John Henderson Junior High School

 

SUSAN AGLUKARK

White Sahara (Aglukark Entertainment Inc.)

THREE-TIME Juno Award winner Susan Aglukark has released a new album that mixes the Inuktitu and English languages with contemporary pop and folk music.

White Sahara, her sixth release, tells the stories of her people and where they have come from.

Her words are strong, pure and powerful with a uniqueness you will not hear anywhere else. There is a lot of variety in her material, and each song pulls you in deeper and deeper. She wrote most of the 15 songs herself and every one is different, so it doesn’t feel like you are listening to the same thing over and over again.

The words draw you in, and her morals are very inspiring. Lines like, “We are all the same… learn to be yourself and believe in that person,” reach much further, and touches all people, everywhere.

Four and a half stars

— Keira Hasenack , 14, Grade 9, St. Mary’s Academy