After more than 35 years of career, the Australian rock ‘n’ roll band AC/DC seems to want to avoid at all costs presenting us an anthology worthy of this name which would include only the best they did. A compilation of quality, which would certainly have to be a double album, is awaited by their fans since the 1980s, but the group still presents live recordings, rarities, video compilations on DVD, and so on, without ever offering the best studio recordings of the band. The soundtrack of Iron Man 2 is the closest they were to have succeeded in offering a compilation of their greatest hits with 15 tracks extending on their entire career. But, don’t get excited too quickly, because some of their classics can be heard (“Shoot to Thrill”, “Back in Black”, “Thunderstruck”, “Highway to Hell”), but they are surrounded by album tracks and other less impressive songs (“Cold Hearted Man”, “Evil Walks”, “Rock 'n' Roll Damnation”). In fact, the goal of this CD is to accompany the film filled of explosions and testosterone which is Iron Man 2. For the testosterone, you won’t have to seek a lot in the repertory of the band to find all that it is necessary. On the other hand, the choice of the music of AC/DC to accompany this movie for teenagers of the rising generation can be largely debatable. They perhaps wanted to attract their father with them… To conclude, once again, we cannot regard this AC/DC compilation as an anthology and it will be necessary to continue to wait patiently. (July 2010)

Videos: « Highway to Hell » - « Thunderstruck »

After the excellent Back to Basics in 2006, the pressure was huge on the frail shoulders of the pop singer from New York City. This is perhaps explaining the delay before the release of Bionic. Whereas for the previous album she was rather presenting a retro style of pop music, this time she looks in front with a futuristic electronic pop. On the other hand, she doesn’t go so far from the styles which made her become famous as R&B and ballads. I appreciate a lot more Christina since she left the incessant voice effects she was using at her debut and I particularly like the electronics which are introduced on this album with a great production. You will find enough thrilling pop pieces to please her fans who are also lovers of dance floors ("Not Myself Tonight", "Desnudate", "Glam"). In the end, Bionic is a varied album with an excellent mix of compelling and introspective moments. This is a good record well of his time which will help the diva to cope effectively with the turn of the new decade. (August 2010)

Video: « Not Myself Tonight »

After a career of more than 50 years, singer and pianist Mose Allison is back on record, even if he seemed retired for the last 12 years. He returns on the Anti- label, well known for the creativity of the albums it releases. Moreover, Allison can count on the troubadour of great talent Joe Henry for the production. It’s besides Henry who convinced him to get locked up again in a studio. Mose Allison thus offers 12 tracks including 5 covers and adding up 35 minutes. Faithful to himself, he sails once again between jazz and blues. It’s besides what brought him the most criticisms throughout his career because he was ignored by fans of both genres. On The Way of the World, Allison didn’t lose any energy behind a piano, in spite of his 82 years of age. The album begins strongly with “My Brain”, a rewriting of “My Babe” of Willie Dixon. You will discover solid tracks throughout the CD until the finale, “This New Situation” of Buddy Johnson, on which Allison presents a superb duet with his daughter Amy. Here is an album of an impressive effectiveness by a true living legend… (June 2010)

After having presented an exceptional album in 2004 with Funeral, the band from Montreal Arcade Fire must try to progress with a whole challenge on its arms, to resume offering a record of such quality. Neon Bible brought us completely elsewhere with a dark album, often difficult of access. For its 3rd opus, the group returns to a very “suburban” melancholy, with simple, but so effective melodies. While listening to the title-song, one can hear an obvious influence of the 1960s. 1970s pop also comes to our mind on several occasions with David Bowie never hiding well far behind the influences of the band. Not surprising that Bowie is their number one fan. A little less theatrical than the previous records, The Suburbs presents less great orchestral moments to concentrate on more sober recordings, centered on guitars and melodies. In spite of the great melancholy which furnishes the 64-minute album, the unit remains luminous, much less dark than Neon Bible. In that sense, one can a little more easily compare it with their masterpiece of 2004. On the other hand, the 16 tracks are not all at the same level and they could have cut off some to give even more power to the CD. We can hear anyway a good number of great songs like “Ready to Start”, “Suburban War”, “Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)”, magnificently interpreted by Régine Chassagne, and of course the title-song in opening with a reprise in conclusion. The group explores genres we never really knew about them until now: rock 'n' roll (“Month of May”) and folk (“Wasted Hours”). This 3rd recording by Arcade Fire constitutes once again a very great success and it will appear undoubtedly among the best albums of the year, especially after several additional listens. (September 2010 Featured Review)

Video: « Ready to Start »

Former bass player for Hole and the Smashing Pumpkins, Montrealer Melissa Auf der Maur is back with a 2nd album, 6 years after her first test in solo. At the time, she presented a passably heavy sound which went regularly to draw in classic metal. For this one, she explores various music textures which can also be rather heavy, but most of the time more inspired. Out of Our Minds is a concept album, but it goes even further belonging to a multiplatform project, OOOM, integrating a short film, a comic strip, a video game, a website, and so on. Melissa thus lets her creative spirit go loose completely in this project of a great creativity. Musically, the album presents very solid tracks like the title-song (the first single), “Follow the Map”, “22 Below” and “Meet Me On the Dark Side”. The dark “Father's Grave” is also to mention, especially because of the duet Melissa is offering us with Glenn Danzig, the legendary singer of the Misfits and Danzig. The creativity of Out of Our Minds exceeds certainly the one on her previous record. The fans of the tall red-hair musician are extremely likely to think she’s a genius… (May 2010)

Video: « Out of Our Minds »

Following the death of their drummer James Sullivan in 2009, Avenged Sevenfold required the help of Dream Theater’s Mike Portnoy for the recording of its 5th album. The band continues in the same direction as on its previous recordings, integrating its British metal influences into its emo style. The album begins with the title-song, a thrash metal track of a great effectiveness with a riff recalling Megadeth. In spite of the many variations of styles throughout the CD, the compositions are not all very creative and disappointing moments will make you go to the following track. “Buried Alive” is straightforwardly a pastiche of Metallica’s “One” meeting Pantera’s “Cemetary Gates”, before embarking on another riff in the Megadeth style. As for “Victim”, it’s a ballad which brings us straight towards Queensrÿche. But, there’s still a strong point about Avenged Sevenfold: M. Shadows’ singing and the musicians’ playing are once again irreproachable and don't have anything to envy to the great musicians who inspired them in the past. Moreover, the ultra fast introduction of “Natural Born Killer” requires a talent which can’t be found easily, even among the bands that are speed metal specialists. The album is concluded with a solid 11-minute track, “Save Me”, a kind of tribute to their young missing companion. Even if the 67 minutes of the CD can seem unequal to you, there are sufficient strong points on Nightmare to preserve the interest of their fans. But, as it was the case for their previous albums, Avenged Sevenfold doesn’t revolutionize anything yet. (October 2010)

Video: « Nightmare »

2010 marks the 30th anniversary of the Californian punk band and what a good moment to offer its 15th album. The production is again between the hands of Joe Barresi (Tool, Queens of the Stone Age) which also worked on New Maps of Hell, their previous album including some aggressive moments. This time, they incorporate several mid-tempo tracks like the first single “The Devil in Stitches”. It’s thus to some extent an evolution for the band, even if their sound remains easily recognizable from the first moments. Few titles succeed in truly catching our attention and, in spite of the obvious effort to present different compositions from those of the past, the magic of 20 years ago is not there anymore. The Dissent of Man is an honest album which will shameless enable them to go on tour, but it will quite simply not make history. (December 2010)

Video: « The Devil in Stitches (live) »

Since the excellent Baduizm issued in 1997, no album of Erykah Badu had truly succeeded in catching my attention until New Amerykah Part 1: 4th World War in 2008. Two years later, the soul/R&B singer from Texas is back with the follower. The essence of Return of the Ankh was recorded during the sessions for the previous album. Erykah skillfully uses sampling on various occasions, which adds a beautiful musical richness to the album. It’s the case among others in the excellent “Turn Me Away (Get Munny)”, which uses “You Can't Turn Me Away” of Sylvia Striplin and “Get Money” of Junior M.A.F.I.A. In “Gone Baby, Don’t Be Long”, she uses “Arrow Through Me” of Paul McCartney. For the nostalgic ones of Baduizm, “Window Seat” is probably the one which is approaching the most the sound of your favorite album. The CD is ending in a rather spectacular way with “Out My Mind, Just In Time”, a track of more than 10 minutes in 3 movements which carefully begins, with piano, before transforming into a soul/jazz psychedelic sound. When everything is over, we think that Erykah Badu once again succeeds in renewing herself to present an album full of creativity. Without equaling the part 1, Return of the Ankh is an album of great quality, not always easy to access, but very interesting anyway. (July 2010)

Video: « Window Seat »

Band of Horses is an alternative rock group from Seattle which was formed in 2004. They generally present a mid-tempo rock sound which is inspired by The Flaming Lips and REM. Moreover, the atmospheric effects that are at the center of the first track, “Factory”, remind us easily The Flaming Lips. Infinite Arms is their 3rd album and it possibly presents an assembly of the best elements the band can offer. The change of personnel has also probably something to do with the evolution of the band, as the only original member still here is Ben Bridwell. The elements of folk remain present, but the record is exploring much more the pop rock genre with an accessible sound. The quality of the melodies is very remarkable on Infinite Arms, and it’s probably on that that the group appears to be at the top of its game. It’s not so far from the universe of Brian Wilson. So, here is a sunny album which will bring a little heat in your cold winter evenings. (November 2010)

Videos: « Laredo » - « Blue Beard »

The young Ontarian was discovered by Usher and recorded his first album last year when he was only 15 years old. Quickly the new sensation of Canadian pop, Bieber is already back with his 2nd CD, only a few months later. In fact, as his first CD lasted only 25 minutes, My World 2.0 serves as the 2nd part of it to form a whole of a little more than 60 minutes. It offers light teen pop music, but largely effective with excellent beats with R&B influences and unforgettable melodies. Some more adult ballads seem much less relevant when we remember it’s only a 16-year old boy who interprets them. On the other hand, the danceable pop moments are of great quality, as in the excellent “Eenie Meenie” featuring Sean Kingston. (June 2010)

Videos: « Baby » - « Never Let You Go » - « Eenie Meenie »

It will have taken a few years for this Outkast member to produce his true first album. A change of label and many leaked tracks indeed delayed all the process. But here is finally the so much awaited record for fans of rap. Sir Lucious Left Foot… presents an extremely creative rap with short tracks of a great effectiveness. It’s very varied and particularly rich musically with a good mixture of hip hop and R&B. “Turns Me One” quickly seduces us before the excellent hits “Follow Us” and “Shutterbugg”. The unique beat of “Tangerine” makes of it also one of our favorite ones and it has everything necessary to become a great hit. Big Boi gives us an intelligent and entertaining album at the same time, probably the best rap album of the year until now. Don’t hesitate a second! (September 2010 Featured New Artist)

Videos: « Follow Us » - « Shutterbugg » - « Shine Blockas »

Brothers is already the 6th album by the minimalist duet The Black Keys, which however exists since less than 10 years. After their weakest album with Attack & Release in 2008 (possibly their only moment of weakness to date), here is that the duet returns at the top of its art. The Black Keys somewhat leave aside their psychedelic tendencies to concentrate on the blues influences which made their trademark at their debut. We cannot even talk about a return to the sources since they take another step ahead. This time, they go in a direction a little more accessible and they present us finally a true hit in “Tighten Up”, largely helped by a TV ad. In addition to several titles influenced by the 1960s like “Unknown Brother”, the duet covers the Jerry Butler song “Never Gonna Give You Up”. On Brothers, The Black Keys succeed in amalgamating perfectly influences of the past with a modern sound of a great creativity. It only remains to applaud… (September 2010)

Video: « Tighten Up »

James Di Salvio and his band are back on record, 3 years after Rosé. The collective remains in well known territories with a fusion of hip hop and ambient electronics. The melodies remain effective and people with bad intentions will be able to affirm that the group doesn’t have truly advanced since its success of the end of the 1990s. In spite of an excellent album with Rosé, Bran Van failed to obtain success, and bet that it will be the same with The Garden. All the elements of a good album by Bran Van 3000 are joined together, even a potential hit with the excellent “Grace”. On the other hand, it cannot be compared with the worldwide hit “Drinking in L.A.”. The group succeeds in creating a superb environment throughout the CD of 15 titles adding up over 60 minutes. It’s a light and charming atmosphere, so pleasant that we don’t have any choice but smiling at one moment or another. Bran Van 3000 doesn’t break any convention with The Garden, but it offers a good record once again. A deluxe edition includes a 2nd CD presenting all the tracks of the album in an instrumental version. (December 2010)

Video: « Grace (Love On the Block) »

One of the most popular R&B singers of the 1990s, Toni Braxton is back with a quality album, 5 years after Libra. It should be said that the release of Pulse was delayed for over a year due to leaked material over the Internet which forced her to go back into the studio to record several new pieces. Collaborations with well known artists were also rejected for the final version of the album. So, the possibility to hear a solid album was not very good with missing recordings like this. However, Toni has possibly issued her most effective record of the last 10 years. Pulse starts strongly with the breakup ballad “Yesterday”, with lyrics full of truth in a straightforwardly unforgettable melody. Thereafter, we can hear a total change of style with a danceable song quite as effective, “Make My Heart”, which enables us to appreciate all the possibilities of her powerful and warm voice. The album presents anyway some ballads with lyrics missing creativity and falling quickly into clichés. On the other hand, the unit remains coherent, mature and professional and it offers tracks of great quality. For our greater pleasure, they were able to avoid the so much anticipated disaster… (July 2010)

Video: « Yesterday »

After the very good Suicide Season issued 2 years ago that made the band to become known on both sides of the Atlantic, the British hardcore metal band is back with a never ending title (as you can read). The group returns again with its creative blend of black metal and screamo. It managed to combine perfectly harcore punk with the precise technique of metal to make a creative sound that manages to go beyond anything we have heard over the last 30 years as aggressive music. The subtle arrangements in the studio, as well as the addition of violins and a religious choir bring an additional wealth to their music which is much less one-dimensional than it was at their debut. With There Is a Hell…, Bring Me The Horizon reached a new peak. The band will succeed not only to satisfy its fans but also to catch the attention of metal fans in general. (January 2011)

Videos: « It Never Ends » - « Anthem »

Broken Bells is a duo formed by the famous James Mercer, singer and guitarist of The Shins, and Brian Burton, producer and one-man band better known under the name of Danger Mouse (Beck, Gorillaz, Gnarls Barkley, and so on). The pair started to collaborate together in 2004, but it’s in 2008 that they really began the writing and recording of their music. On the contrary to his previous projects, Burton leaves aside samplings to concentrate on live instruments. On his part, Mercer uses possibilities of his voice he probably never thought he had until now. The duo generally presents an indie rock sound, but it also explores without embarrassment pop music, as for example on the excellent “The Ghost Inside” which can remind us of what Burton did with Gnarls Barkley. The fusion between the two men is not completely natural and we can hear it a little too much on this 1st album which goes in various directions. Certain tracks seem to carry us towards something brilliant, but we often get lost on the way. With still a little more united work, the pair is extremely likely to offer us this brilliant record hoped so much at the time of its next album. To check out closely… (June 2010)

Video: « The High Road »

Stephane Carreau was Stef in Bet.e and Stef, the famous jazz/bossa nova duet from Montreal which separated too much prematurely in 2003. They had just presented their best album in career, Day by Day. Carreau releases now his first solo album as a songwriter, guitarist, singer and even producer and sound engineer. Trained jazz guitarist, his music still lets show influences of bossa nova, but it presents several other influences: soul, electro, acoustic rock, and so on. Musically, he creates at the same time an intimate and rich universe which enables us to discover more than ever his voice. Carreau wrote 9 of the 12 tracks offered, the 3 others presenting personal interpretations of songs from various repertories: “Protection” of Massive Attack, “Berimbau-Consolaçao” of Sergio Mendes and “Est-ce ainsi que les hommes vivent” of Léo Ferré. In end of line, In From the Cold is an album we appreciate easily because it’s listenable in any circumstances. A very good work! (July 2010 Featured New Artist)

Celtic Woman is a band made up of 5 superb young women with angel voices. But, the creative force behind the group is in fact producer and arranger David Downes who is keeping these women together in spite of the frequent changes of personnel. Songs From the Heart is their 5th album presenting again a mixture of adult contemporary pop songs and traditional Celtic songs accompanied by instruments of that time, a choir, contemporary musicians and a full classical orchestra. As soon as at the opening track, Sting’s classic “Fields of Gold”, the album sounds promising. On the other hand, when we hear the first notes of the superb “Amazing Grace”, we feel discordance and the 5 singers are unable to do justice to this so powerful traditional song. The discordance between the various tracks will continue until the end, in spite of a few other interesting moments (Phil Collins’ “You'll Be In My Heart”). In fact, there is rather the feeling to hear a joining of unequal covers, as we could hear in a super stage production, a kind of a soundtrack of a concert on Broadway or in Vegas. The annoying moments are too annoying to manage to appreciate the rest of it. So, here is an unequal album, overproduced and with extremely licked arrangements. Fans of Enya will surely find something interesting, but for the others, don’t waste your time… (November 2010)

Videos: « Fields of Gold (live) » - « Amazing Grace (live) »

Bill Charlap and Renee Rosnes married in 2007. The 2 jazz pianists often played together in the past and here comes the time to set their performances down for posterity. These artists of great talent prove here that their chemistry is not limited to their couple. They are also in symbiosis when they blend their pianos. Nothing seems difficult and their performance is incomparably natural. Charlap and Rosnes interpret several jazz classics, starting with Gershwin’s “My Man's Gone Now”. Their arrangement of Lyle Mays’ “Chorinho” is really solid to open the album and it gives the tone to the rest of it which will carry you in a magical universe. We can also possibly hear one of the most beautiful compositions by Renee Rosnes, “The Saros Cycle”. Finally, Double Portrait is ending ironically with “Never Will I Marry” for this couple presenting a fusion album of great quality. This album is impossible to ignore for any fan of instrumental and smooth jazz, and it’s certainly one of the best albums of the year in that genre. (November 2010)

In the summer of 2009, the Cirque du Soleil presented its new creation, OVO, in the Old Port of Montreal, then in Quebec City. They’re presently on tour on the US east coast and they now offer us the album including the soundtrack of the show. The record of 16 tracks adding up 74 minutes was entirely composed by Berna Ceppas, a Brazilian composer and producer who composed the music for several films. He also produced the album with Alain Vinet. For the first time, Cirque du Soleil explores Brazilian sonorities with various beats of samba and electronic sounds. The unit presents a good mixture of energetic and ambient parts. It’s always quite difficult to create original music for a show that still remains coherent by itself without the show. With OVO, in spite of a few moments a little weaker, we find a good direction which succeeds in making the unit passably coherent. Otherwise, the album is certainly more effective for people who already saw the show and who will have the images in mind by listening to the music. (June 2010)

Video: trailer of the show

A question quickly comes to our mind with this first solo album from Clapton in 5 years: why a self-titled album whereas it almost entirely presents covers? Perhaps that it’s in his vocal interpretation that we can find the real Eric Clapton, because he offers one of his best performances for a long time. On the other hand, the guitar is more extinct, often hidden behind arrangements a little too licked. Clapton presents anyway an interpretation filled of simplicity of these blues and country classics which influenced him. Among the guest artists, we can hear Steve Winwood (his colleague from Blind Faith), Allen Toussaint, Wynton Marsalis, Sheryl Crow, Derek Trucks, as well as members of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Without revolutionizing the music, Clapton offers pleasant interpretations, all in softness, which are likely to please many people. (December 2010)

Emo/progressive band Coheed and Cambria presents its 5th album with Year of the Black Rainbow. Their topic remaining always the same around Amory Wars, reported in the science fiction writings of singer-guitarist Claudio Sanchez, we can consider that it’s about the 5th volume of only one concept-album. But, like the 4 previous records of the series, the album can very well be listened by itself, which will reassure those which didn’t hear the previous recordings of the group. Coheed and Cambria possibly reaches the top of its art in its capacity to present an extremely melodic progressive metal, a sound which is not without reminding us of  Queensrÿche. The group is at its best when Sanchez plays guitar harmonies with Travis Stever, in the way of traditional British metal bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. The album begins with a soft introduction leading us directly to the excellent “The Broken”. “Here We Are Juggernaut” is a true anthem with unforgettable melodies as much in the chorus than the verses. The 53-minute CD is concluded with the title-song, a track of more than 7 minutes reaching its climax before the end. What a beautiful way of closing an adventure which will have lasted 8 years through 5 albums. The question which should now be raised, it’s how the band will be able to come back with another original project thereafter. (July 2010)

Videos: « The Broken » - « Here We Are Juggernaut »

With Going Back, Phil Collins wanted to revisit his first influence, the Motown sound. Moreover, he wanted that the final result is comparable with an album of the 1960s. He hired 3 survivors of the Funk Brothers to play with him in a studio in Switzerland and he played almost in identical way classics and less known songs of that era. We can hear 18 of them, 25 in the deluxe version. Their fidelity to the original song makes us go back in the past, the only unique thing to Collins being his voice. The fans of Motown will be happy to hear again these classics in music history. On the other hand, the covers being so similar to the original songs, why not simply play your old records? (December 2010)

With her new album, Sheryl Crow gives us the feeling to buckle the loop with the beginning of her career. It’s that for the first time since her first record, Tuesday Night Music Club, she presents to us a light sound influenced by 1960s and 1970s pop. A little bit of soul and a little bit of reggae decorate this CD with colors of another time, but which benefits of a production well of today. The legendary Keith Richards comes to accompany with his guitar the beautiful American lady on “Eye To Eye”, one of the tracks with reggae accents. She does also a great cover of the classic by Terence Trent D'Arby, “Sign Your Name”, as well as the Jackson 5’s, “I Want You Back”, at the very end. 100 Miles from Memphis is a 60-minute album which is extremely luminous and pleasant to hear, her best record since a long time. (October 2010)

Videos: « Sign Your Name (live) » - « Summer Day »

Miley Cyrus initially became a star in the Disney series Hannah Montana. She’s also the daughter of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus. Now 17 years old, the teenager presents already her 2nd album. Can't Be Tamed marks a renewal for Miley which hopelessly tries to dissociate from her image of innocent girl. So, it’s sexier and more woman than ever that she comes back to us, with a sound which wants to be also more adult. The music remains pop, but a little darker, and it ventures somewhat in rock territories. She covers effectively the Poison classic from 1988 “Every Rose Has Its Thorn”. Unfortunately, this side a little darker removes pleasure while we listen to the album. They are effective pop songs, but it seems that with too much trying to change her style, she loses all her joie de vivre. Potential hits remain numerous and there is sufficient accessible material to preserve a good part of her young female fan base. She also has a solid voice and all the qualities necessary to catch the attention of the public of Ke$ha, Britney or Katy Perry. When she really reaches her so much desired maturity, she will be able to thus aspire to great honors. (September 2010)

Video: « Can’t Be Tamed »

A project presenting music by Danger Mouse in collaboration with Mark Linkous of Sparklehorse and visuals by David Lynch was supposed to come alive in 2009. On the other hand, contractual problems created a delay in the project and Linkous had the time to die during that waiting period. The project is finally real and it presents a kind of a tribute to Linkous, as well as Vic Chesnutt, another one who died and which collaborated to one song of the album. For each track of the record, one finds a guest singer, who also wrote the lyrics. One can thus hear among others Jason Lytle (on 2 songs), James Mercer, Suzanne Vega, Black Francis, Julian Casablancas, Iggy Pop and, of course, Vic Chesnutt. One should not forget either The Flaming Lips who offer the opening track, “Revenge”. Linkous and Lynch also contribute to some lyrics and vocals. Many collaborators of great talent bring an excellent richness to the album which finds its unification point in the music of Danger Mouse and Mark Linkous. It’s thus a very good indie rock album which is offered to us, a deep and dark album at the same time, but presenting also several very luminous moments. (October 2010)

Video: « Revenge (feat. The Flaming Lips) »

Here is the 6th album by California metal band Deftones, a group which has existed for more than 20 years. Nothing from them really succeeded in catching my attention since the excellent White Pony issued 10 years ago. Awaiting thus proved to be rather large towards Diamond Eyes. It will have been necessary to wait 4 long years since their last record, but it should be said that bad luck struck the group during that period. Initially, bass player Chi Cheng underwent severe wounds in a car accident in November 2008, which forced the band to take a hiatus, before continuing the tour with Quicksand bass player, Sergio Vega. They even recorded an almost complete album with him before destroying it. On Diamond Eyes, Deftones explores a little more atmospheric environment, even if it doesn’t leave obviously aside its aggressiveness and its dark side. The more luminous or deep moments come to balance the rough aggressiveness characteristic of the group since the beginning of its career. It’s thus a mature album which brings Deftones elsewhere, in an unexplored territory until there. Even if few titles arise from the batch, the unit is largely satisfactory and it will please fans of intelligent metal music. (September 2010)

Video: « Diamond Eyes »

The metal band from Chicago Disturbed is back with a 5th album in 10 years. It’s with a soft instrumental that this new record begins, in the purest tradition of Metallica. But, from the title-song, it’s becoming more serious with an effective guitar riff on a heavy and creative rhythm section, everything accompanied by the single voice of David Draiman. The tested style of Disturbed is still quite present on Asylum with an accessible metal sound, sometimes even radio friendly. Some tracks present creative moments that are interesting for a band which is not renowned for its great originality (“Asylum”, “Another Way To Die”, “Never Again”). Then, thanks to an excellent production, we can appreciate the less creative tracks as well, as they are interpreted in a perfect way. The band even takes the risk to do a cover of the U2 classic, “I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For”, which they skillfully hide in an untitled track at the very end of the CD. Asylum is an effective album which their fans will like undoubtedly. (November 2010)

Videos: « Asylum » - « Another Way To Die »

After years of hard work, pop/alternative rock band from Philadelphia, Dr. Dog, can finally count on a production of quality for its first album on Anti. Musically, the band continues despite everything in the direction well established already, refining still a little more its style based on the rock sound of the early 1970s. The addition of an external producer for the first time in Rob Schnapf (Beck, Elliott Smith) helps a lot to polish the very creative music of the group. The vocal harmonies remain a strong point for Dr. Dog which offers beautiful melodies on always creative compositions. For the nostalgic ones of the pop rock sound of the 1970s which have the feeling there is nothing more that is interesting today, here is an album which will make you change opinion. I could not say for the moment if it’s the best album of the band’s career, but with maturation, it could extremely well be that conclusion. An excellent record! (July 2010)

Only 7 months after the excellent Hombre Lobo, Eels is already back with a new record. On End Times, Mark “E” Everett opens completely to us to announce his fear to get old, and to get old alone. Several tracks are interpreted all in simplicity, acoustic guitar on hand (sometimes with piano). But, some songs come nevertheless to add a little energy to this album which could easily be passably depressing. A song as “Gone Man” for example is as sad when we hear the lyrics, but it has at least the advantage of having a good rockabilly beat. With End Times, Everett possibly presents to us his most personal album to date, a CD on which he is abandoning himself completely, in spite of the pain he can get from it. Without being as complete as Hombre Lobo, this new opus by Eels has qualities that many of their fans will like. (March 2010)

Videos: « In My Younger Days » - « End Times » - « Little Bird »

Just a year after Relapse, it was expected a Relapse 2, but it’s not the case. Marshall Mathers rather presents us a somewhat different album from the last two. He returned to the source with a very musical rap, more comparable to his successful albums of the beginning of the last decade. The first thing that is hitting us is that Eminem finally leaves the skits, those small usually unnecessary interludes which were always a part of his albums as well as those of several rappers. On the other hand, he’s still presenting us a long album of 77 minutes counting 17 titles. The first songs make us applaud his decision to return to the sources, particularly with "Talkin' 2 Myself" and its excellent guitar. "Won't Back Down" presents other elements of rock, while P!nk accompanies the rapper, then "Going Through Changes" takes Black Sabbath’s classic "Changes" to make a touching rap as only Mathers can produce. Later, there are weaker moments that unfortunately come to mitigate the effect of the tracks that are so good. It’s a pity that Eminem is still doing too long albums, because if Recovery was a few songs shorter, it could probably stand proudly alongside his best albums in career. It remains that Mathers presents us his best record since The Eminem Show in 2002. (August 2010 Featured Review)

Video: « Not Afraid »

Texan Roky Erickson is especially known for his madness and drug abuses. He got a certain success on the garage rock scene of the 1960s before disappearing for many years. During that period marked by a really abusive consumption of drugs and many obvious signs of psychosis, he spent several years in jail and psychiatric establishments. In the early 2000s, he finally succeeded in getting rid of his demons and dropping drugs. Then he joined again with the most positive elements of his past and went back on stage. For this album, Erickson, accompanied by the band Okkervil River, chose and recorded 12 tracks among about 60 songs previously unreleased, of which several are among the bests he ever wrote. Producer Will Sheff from Okkervil River was really successful in amalgamating these tracks written at various moments, including some in prison, to make a coherent theme of it about the unique life of Erickson. The music was completely rearranged with more powerful orchestrations to make them more dynamic. In end of line, this album could have been a simple collection of rarities without any links, but it’s rather a solid record from the beginning to the end, perhaps the best of his solo career. (August 2010)

Canadian female singer from Jamaica Kellylee Evans is offering her 3rd album, after having created great reactions with her two previous ones. A genuine star in France, the one that is now residing in Ottawa has a single talent when it’s time of singing jazz with a powerful voice which is always emphasizing her personality. On Nina, Kellylee revisits the repertory of the legendary Nina Simone. It’s very necessary in the same way to be courageous to cover the work of an artist as admired as her, knowing that the comparisons will be inevitable. She however succeeds in giving a new breath to the songs, to put them in a style of today, to endorse them. It’s nevertheless a whole exploit to succeed in catching our interest with songs we heard hundreds of times in various versions. The sober musical arrangements are carried out perfectly, and then they leave the entire place to this superb singer with an exceptional talent. So, here is an album paying very well homage to the legend that represents Nina Simone. (November 2010)

A British born from Anglo-Italian parents, Piers Faccini grew up in France. He presents his 3rd album after Leave No Trace (2004) and Tearing Sky (2006). On Two Grains of Sand, he worked as a recluse, whereas he straightforwardly played all the roles during the creation and recording of the album. The recordings were acoustic, almost in a demo version, and he then added the other instruments, always in a discrete way. He asked anyway for the assistance of Renaud Létang to add a little luminosity to the ensemble, but several songs remained close to the stripped original version. It’s thus a folk rock album rather stripped Faccini is offering us, an album putting above all the value of the lyrics. These lyrics are particularly poetic, even if they’re not always completely original. It’s thus preferable to let go to the soft music of Faccini which will bring you in a universe close to a Bob Dylan of the 21st century. (October 2010)

Video: « The Wind That Blows »

The Factory is a punk / new wave band from Washington, D.C. which did nothing but pass quickly in the music industry at the end of the 1980s. After tours supporting Iggy Pop, the Ramones, Public Image Ltd. and Johnny Thunders, the band broke up in 1992, without having been able to release an album. Acetate Records president, Rick Ballard, preserved a demo recording of the band for 20 years. Having discovered the group online, he immediately contacted them to discuss the release of an album. Their recordings were thus cleaned up and here it is finally on CD. “Self-Submission” starts the album strongly with an effective rock 'n' roll influenced at the same time by the New York Dolls and the Rolling Stones. We can hear this sound in a couple of occasions like on the very good “Girl That I Want” and “Six Feet Down”, but we also unfortunately find several uninteresting compositions or sometimes sounding a little too much like a demo. For the fans of the 1980s punk only or if you’re curious… (December 2010)

After 6 years of exile outside of Canada, including a good part of it as a merchant of art in the south of Portugal and as singer on cruises, the singer crooner is back with Troubadour. He had left after his disillusion of the musical industry, as well as a broken heart, but he hopes that the things will be different this time. Right at the first notes of this new album, we feel that the tenor didn’t lose anything of his energy and that he’s still as skilful to interpret in his own way classics of the American songbook. Among the most famous, let’s note Leonard Cohen’s “I Came So Far For Beauty” and Bruce Springsteen’s “The Fever”, but one can also hear the excellent “Careless Love” (in duet with Jill Barber), “Cry Me a River” and “22 Steps”. This is a very rich jazz sound which is offered to us here with several instruments coming to accompany perfectly the voice of the crooner. Even if he was eclipsed by Michael Bublé since his exile, Johnny Favourite has as much talent and he presents an album of a great effectiveness. (November 2010)

Very few artists have the courage to attack a classic like The Dark Side of the Moon of Pink Floyd. But if a band can allow it, it’s certainly The Flaming Lips, one of the most respected bands on the US alternative scene. Accompanied by Stardeath and White Dwarfs, as well as Henry Rollins and Peaches, they really make their own this progressive and atmospheric masterpiece of the 1970s. Certain passages are more rock and more raw that the original. We even have the feeling per moments (“Breathe”) they tried to bring The Dark Side of the Moon to the psychedelic era of Pink Floyd in the 1960s when they were leaded by Syd Barrett. Peaches makes “The Great Gig in the Sky” in a unique and a little odd way, whereas the mega hits “Time” and “Money” take a totally different direction. In spite of some completely different versions, the group succeeds in remaining faithful to the original while putting a completely personal key to it. Without being of the same quality than the 1973 classic, this version by The Flaming Lips deserves that we listen to it, at least by curiosity. (August 2010)

With Havana Angels, the talented female singer from Quebec offers the conclusion of her trilogy from Havana magnificently started in 2006 with Bossa Blue and continued in 2008 on La Historia de Lola. For this 3rd studio album, Florence K moved to Havana to record it with young very talented Cuban musicians. Ah yes, it as to be mentioned that it is a Christmas album… On the other hand, far from falling into boring interpretations we can often hear at this time of the year, Florence serves an album of great quality in her usual world beat style, with more than obvious Cuban accents. Among the 13 tracks presented, she offers 5 original compositions including “Havana Light”, a duet with guitarist Jesse Cook, and the only French song, “La lune et la neige” (the moon and snow). She revisits the classics “Blue Christmas” and “Santa Baby”, in addition to writing new arrangements for “I'll Be Home for Christmas”. She gives a new breath to “Ohla Pro Céu” of Tom Jobim in company of Walter Rios, in addition to adapting in a beautiful way “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” in company of Pancho Amat thanks to arrangements of Manual Juan Ceruto. She offers us a very personal version of the love lament of king Henri VIII, “Greensleeves”, without forgetting a song popularized by Mercedes Sosa, “La Peregrinacion”, interpreted with her mother, opera singer Natalie Choquette, and Osvaldo Montes on the guitar, which also coproduced the album with Florence. Finally, she presents “As I Went Down in the River to Pray”, a traditional American gospel song she interprets with Afro-Cuban band Sintesis. So, here is a Christmas album filled with heat (Cuban heat), an album quite different from what we usually hear at this period of the year. In fact, it is perhaps about one of the rare Christmas albums we can allow to play all year long… (December 2010)

Roberto Fonseca is a Cuban virtuoso pianist. Especially known for his work with the legendary Ibrahim Ferrer, he offered us in 2007 the superb Zamazu, a world critically acclaimed album. He comes back now with Akokan, another album of contemporary jazz that is brilliant of maturity. The CD was recorded at the famous Egrem studios in Havana with musicians who have already accompanied him for more than 12 years. One can also hear the guest singers Mayra Andrade and Raul Midon. Even if Fonseca allows itself to sing on various occasions, piano remains at the centre of this unique album enabling us to make a genuine world tour in 55 minutes. The playing of Fonseca is impressive and he succeeds in transmitting perfectly the emotion via his piano keys. The album is closer to contemporary jazz than Latin jazz, but the fusion of cultures we can find here makes in end of line a quite personal sound. Akokan thus constitutes once again a very well done album for Roberto Fonseca, a record that any listener of contemporary piano will like. (October 2010)

For already more than 20 years, Quebecer Angel Forrest impresses crowds with her blues sound and her raucous voice. Especially known to have interpreted Janis Joplin in a musical with great deployment, she then released Angel Sings Janis Live which allowed her to widen her fan base. In 2005, she offered us a first record of original songs in English, Here For You, which got sales of more than 15.000 copies and conquered Canada. She’s back 5 years later with Come Alive, an album presenting a very good mixture of folk rock and pop rock, and which is at the same time accessible to a large audience. The blues is a little less at the heart of this album, but it’s never very far. One can partly compare her with Alannah Myles and Melissa Etheridge. For Come Alive, Angel is surrounded again by guitarists Denis Coulombe and Rob MacDonald who also co-wrote all the songs with her. At the end, here is a very solid 5th CD on behalf of this excellent female singer with a powerful and not too clean voice. (October 2010)

The new funk band Galactic is back with a new album very awaited by its fans, 3 years after its previous record, From the Corner to the Block. Once again, the group gives us a fusion between rock, hip hop, jazz and electronics in a funk music integrating a brass section. More than ever on Ya-Ka-May, the band integrates various popular genres in New Orleans in the post-Katrina hurricane era. The hip hop already quite present on the previous CD, gains in importance and we find more lyrics than on their former albums. The guest artists are numerous and come to however add some richness to this already very rich sound. The Galactic music has the characteristic of superimposing several elements, but to succeed anyway in offering simple and remarkable melodies. The album is solid and creates a beautiful atmosphere until the end. In fact, its main defect and what it misses in Galactic to pass to another level, it’s the lack of some potential hits which would pop up of the unit. (May 2010)

The Gaslight Anthem is a band from New Jersey which was formed 5 years ago. The punk band releases its 3rd album which is extremely likely to make their career explode. Strongly influenced by Bruce Springsteen and other rockers with big hearts, The Gaslight Anthem slows down the beat on American Slang, allowing it to approach more than ever its influences. We still hear energetic tracks which will please their first fans, but the album consists most of all of mid-tempo tracks leaving the entire place to singer Brian Fallon, even if he doesn’t have a very great voice. American Slang is an extremely mature album which will finally give the band the recognition it deserves. (October 2010)

Video: « American Slang »

Five long years after Demon Days, the hip hop collective Gorillaz is back on CD for our greatest pleasure. The first virtual hip hop group, directed by Blur’s Damon Albarn, presents a large scale album. It indeed succeeds in bringing its music to another level, with musical richness and a production never heard until then. Albarn is somewhat less present on Plastic Beach to leave the entire place to guest artists of a great reputation who bring the atmosphere to the album. It’s the case for Snoop Dogg, Mos Def, Bobby Womack and Lou Reed, without forgetting De La Soul which are making a comeback after the hit of “Feel Good Inc.” on the previous record. Ambient textures accompany magnificently the effective pop melodies. It thus results perhaps in the best album from the group to accompany a comic strip concept. On the other hand, if we take the album out of the concept of the group, it is undoubtedly weaker than the previous recordings which offered a perfect fusion between hip hop, pop and rock. In conclusion, Plastic Beach constitutes an album that is difficult to identify clearly, an album which has strong elements in terms of execution and production, but which doesn’t have anything to really catch the attention of a large audience, while not having the same overall creativity of the previous recordings. (May 2010 Featured Review)

Video: « Stylo »

Ellie Goulding is a British pop singer who is inspired as much by electro-pop as by alternative music. With Lights, she presents to us her very first full-length album, a 41-minute CD. She co-wrote each of the 11 songs succeeding in integrating all her influences into it, Imogen Heap being probably her most important one. Ellie presents quite good songs throughout the album, including the excellent “Starry Eyed”. Some listeners will be able to detect a lack of coherence throughout the record. On the other hand, when we compare her with other successful pop singers, especially on the American part of the world, Ellie Goulding has a place more than relevant in the music industry. This unique talent offers a refreshing album… (June 2010)

Videos: « Starry Eyed » - « Under the Sheets » - « Guns and Horses »

After a first album in 2007 which did much noise (in all meanings), here is that the parallel project of 4 of the members of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds continues. The project of the first album made it possible for Cave to revisit the noisy music which had made him vibrate in his youth, and it’s in the same direction that this 2nd album is going. We can hear a low bass that, twinned with various experimental sounds and loops, becomes completely hypnotic and forces us to listen to it until the end. However, nothing is accessible once again on this album with purely artistic ambitions. The band counts again on producer Nick Launay who does here an album a little more polished than the previous one. Fortunately, because the unit is even more difficult of approach than the first CD. Fans of Nick Cave and creative experimental music will once more be charmed, even if patience is necessary before managing to really appreciate the album. (December 2010)

Video: « Heathen Child »

The Guilty Brothers Experience is a band from Brussels, Belgium which is offering his very first full-length album. The group presents us a rock sound, sometimes rather heavy, with many moments of experimentation and some Eastern influences. Difficult to describe, their music can be compared with a mixture between Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Radiohead, The Mars Volta and Queens Of The Stone Age. This is an intelligent rock sound and it’s necessary to listen to it attentively to be able to really appreciate. With its 12 songs adding up 58 minutes, TGBE! is a particularly successful first album. (September 2010)

Heartsounds is a duo from San Francisco which was formed from the ashes of melodic death metal band Light This City. Laura Nichol and Ben Murray go back to their first influence, punk rock, with a sound fitting perfectly with California punk sound, particularly Bad Religion. We still find some moments of aggressive metal, but most of the album is rather melodic and accessible, without anything revolutionizing. Lyrics can sometimes seem introspective, even if they come alive through an energetic sound. Few tracks arise from the batch, but the whole of hardly 40 minutes is very listenable until the end. (October 2010 Featured New Artist)

Forty years after his death, they still find new material to offer us on behalf of Jimi Hendrix. In the case of Valleys of Neptune, it is presented to us like nothing less than a new album. It should be said that even the well-known titles included here are in a different version from the one that made them famous. On the other hand, several of these parts have appeared at one moment or another in a box set or on an album of rarities. Very little real new material can be found. The most interesting element of this record is an impeccable mixing by Eddie Kramer who succeeds in bringing this album to a contemporary sound. Some guitar recordings can seem imperfect or incomplete, but they remain extremely effective thanks to the huge talent of Hendrix. He would certainly have preferred to work them over again before presenting them to us, but he’s not there anymore to give his opinion, unfortunately. Finally, even if I didn’t await anything exceptional from this album of rarities, this is about a very good record which is pleasant to discover until the end. A great surprise in the circumstances and a beautiful gift for his fans! (May 2010)

Video: « Valleys of Neptune »

H.I.M. (His Infernal Majesty) is a Finnish band with Gothic influences which has existed for already 15 years. Even if the group takes its influences first from Sisters Of Mercy, it goes in a very accessible pop sound with this 7th recording. H.I.M. can be found somewhere between Evanescence and Fall Out Boy. The entire album turns around the theme of lost loves, a topic that can already be annoying after a couple of tracks, culminating with the ballad “Disarm Me (With Your Loneliness)” at the 5th track. Fans of the band will not certainly have much problems to recognize their favorite band and the commercial possibilities of the album are evident. On the other hand, Screamworks is undoubtedly not their most creative album and it will probably hurt Gothic rock purists. (June 2010)

Video: « Scared To Death »

We had to wait 12 years before hearing a new album by Hole. During that time, Courtney Love tried to embark on a solo career, but without much success. So, it’s probably the reason why she decided to re-use the name of the band which made her famous. More especially as this new album by Hole cannot be regarded as a meeting of the old members because we have to note the absence of Eric Erlandson and Melissa Auf der Maur, two pillars at the sides of the uncontested leader at the time of the most successful years of the band in the 1990s. Nobody's Daughter is thus a new solo project by Courtney without her name on it. She asked anyway for the assistance of faithful collaborators for the songwriting in Linda Perry and Billy Corgan. Courtney seems to want more than ever to put her lyrics in front (which is not so interesting elsewhere) with mid-tempo songs, often rather annoying. On the other hand, when she sings on a rock sound closer to her punk roots, it’s her unbearable yelling voice which comes to sabotage everything. In end of line, what is remaining? A flat album, without substance, without excitation and especially, without inspiration. After all, it’s not that surprising when we realize that all the songwriters who worked on the album were unable to carry on their creativity in the new millennium. (June 2010 Featured Review)

Hollerado is a new Ontarian band, now based in Montreal. But, above all, this is about a true phenomenon. Winner of a contest on a radio show in Ottawa, the band offered their album online for free for months, in addition to selling copies in Ziplocs bags at their concert venues. The group was chosen by Jack White to open for The Dead Weather last summer, and then they invented the “Residence Tour” on which they visited the 7 same cities for the 7 days of the week during 4 weeks. Besides, it was possible to see them at Divan Orange in Montreal on every Saturday of February. Finally, they even made a “half-world” tour visiting China, Brazil and Argentina. Now that we know more about the subject, let’s talk a little about their music since their famous album is now officially on sale. Produced by ex-Me Mom and Morgentaler, Gus Van Go, also producer for Trois Accords, The Stills and Vulgaires Machins, Record in A Bag presents a pop rock sound with dangerously catchy melodies. We can perceive influences of Franz Ferdinand and Weezer, but the creativity of Hollerado’s music makes them difficult to categorize. Let’s say that several of the 12 tracks of the album will stay in your mind for weeks, the most interesting being the first singles “Americanarama” and “Juliette”, as well as “Fake Drugs”, “Got To Lose” and my favorite one, “Walking on the Sea”. Hollerado offers a first album of a little over 40 minutes which will definitely catch your attention. Thus, here is a band it will be necessary to check out very closely, a band which could easily become the new Montreal’s rock sensation. (April 2010 Featured New Artist)

Videos: « Americanarama » - « Juliette »

Infected Mushroom is an Israeli duet established in Los Angeles, California which is presenting to us techno trance underground music since already many years. The Legend of the Black Shawarma constitutes their 7th album indeed. More than ever, the duet returns to its rock and metal influences whereas one can hear Jonathan Davis (Korn) on “Smashing the Opponent” and Perry Farrell (Jane's Addiction, Porno For Pyros) on “Killing Time”. It should be said that their rock influences always had a place of choice in their techno sound, regularly bringing them in the playground of industrial music. Besides, “Can't Stop” presents this energetic style with guitars quite present and electronically worked over voices in the Ministry style. The 78-minute long album concludes with a remix of “Riders on the Storm”, a classic by The Doors. For those who like creative underground electronic music, Infected Mushroom deserves that we pay a detailed attention to them. Fans of industrial music should also listen to this single duet. (September 2010)

Video: « Smashing the Opponent (feat. Jonathan Davis) »

Jaheim Hoagland is an artist with multiple talents. In addition to singing R&B, he was also a rapper, a model and an actor. Raised in a family of musicians (his grandfather, Victor Hoagland, was a member of the Drifters), we can say that Jaheim had the music in blood at a very young age. Another Round is already his 4th album, a CD which obtained much success at its release reaching the first positions of the Billboard 200. We find a few major changes compared to his previous recordings, which will be appreciated anyway by his long time fans. His powerful voice emphasizes perfectly the sensual melodies which accompany this warm music directly inspired by the 1970’s soul. With the listening of “Impossible”, there is straightforwardly the feeling we hear a more modern version of Percy Sledge’s classic, “When a Man Loves a Woman”. On the other hand, it’s in the good beat of “Ain't Leavin' Without You” in opening of the album that we can find the best of Jaheim. We can besides hear a remix of this track at the very end, a version featuring rapper Jadakiss which is immediately becoming a fan favorite. (May 2010)

Video: « Ain’t Leavin’ Without You (feat. Jadakiss) »

The singer from Montreal Jonas Tomalty is introducing his new band, The Massive Attraction. As soon as at the title-song, we cannot prevent comparisons with Nickelback, even if the song offers a great energy and is certainly the most effective of the CD. The references to Nickelback will often come back throughout the album, as much in the energetic songs than in the powerful rock ballads. “Seize the Day” is rather ordinary, even if it’s one of the headlights of this record which is missing clearly of creativity. As for the ballads, most of them are really annoying. There is only “Exit Wound”, an acoustic ballad, which succeeds in catching our attention. Among the tracks that are the most energetic, “What Type o’ Ride Are You” will succeed in entertaining you for only 2 minutes and a half. It’s a pity that the unit doesn’t succeed in presenting more interesting moments, because Jonas has a powerful and unique voice, in addition to being a true stage animal. Why then camp himself in a role of a product under Nickelback? (December 2010)

Video: « Big Slice (live) »

Since the success of her first album in 2002, Norah Jones has been offered numerous collaborations on movie soundtracks and on albums by other artists. …Featuring is actually a collection of 18 of these collaborations recorded between 2001 and 2010 with artists as varied as the Foo Fighters, Outkast, Willie Nelson and Ray Charles. Strangely, even though the styles may look different from one track to another, there is a very good guideline on this CD. And this guideline is Norah Jones herself who managed to give personality to each song offered. The album starts strongly with "Love Me" of Elvis Presley performed by the Little Willies, before continuing with "Virginia Moon" of the Foo Fighters. Her recording of "Take Off Your Cool" with Andre 3000 of Outkast is also one of the highlights of this amazing album. Here is a different way of seeing this singer with a huge talent. An excellent record! (January 2011)

Video: Introduction