The Gazette from Montreal, Quebec, Canada • 54

D2 0 i THE GAZETTE, MONTREAL, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2002 KW ln HEW RELEASES Here are the releases scheduled for Tuesday. Dates are subject to change and, while release dates are checked with the record labels as much as possible, some albums might not be available in Montreal. Also, some are available only on import. Information is sup NEWLY RELEASED COMPACT DISCS Instant Classic Wonderful Worth the money RATINGS Borrow from a friend Don't bother Not if they paid you Hip-hop heads, take note Buck 65 makes his major label debut with Square, waxing poetic, prolific and philosophical, Buck 65 Square Buck 65Warner There is no one like him in Canadian hip-hop. Or hip-hop at all, for that matter.

Halifax strange genius Buck 65 plays from his own book of rules, always has. Working independently for the past decade, he makes his major label debut without batting an eye, and hits an understated home run. Song titles are out the window. The CD is divided in four parts four anonymous, multi-textured, ambulant movements in which Buck waxes poetic, prolific and philosophical. His lyrical creativity thrives within the simple verse structure that is his trademark.

Hip-hop heads of all stripes should take note and take notes. And anyone with an interest in language (Buck 65 actually calls this the Language Arts series) and open-ended music should take a chance. T'CHA DUNLEVY Yohimbe Brothers Front end Lifter RopeadopeRykodisc Add another album to your collection of freaky team-ups and wacko experiments. Former Living Colour guitarist Vernon Reid and Medeski Martin Wood collaborator Logic board the post-millennial mother ship and land in a world of punk-funk sound clashes and ridiculous mischief. Amazingly, it works.

These boys are having big fun, and there's nothing tired, staid or boring about it. T'CHA DUNLEVY Thievery Corporation The Richest Man in Babylon Eighteenth Street Lounge Washington, D.C., down-tempo duo Thievery Corporation comes as advertised on its latest, with more dubby, soulful, laid-back electronic vibes. Very pretty, very groovy- not particularly shocking or exciting, but that's not really the point, is it? This is easy-rider mood music for when you don't want to think, work or move too fast. T'CHA DUNLEVY Amon Tobin Out From Out Where Ninja Tune Another trip into the wild, warped mind of Ninja Tune's premier aural dramatist. Darkness and light play against each other constantly Rampant experimentation is always anchored by a killer beat or playful melody Tobin's environments are rich, his sense of timing powerful, and his imagination vast.

Somewhere between subtlety and sensory overload lies his secret. T'CHA DUNLEVY Bon Jovi Bounce IslandUniversal I know Bruce is out there somewhere, laying down the humanist line on Sept. 11; and Steve Earle made the dissenter's statement in Jerusalem. Someone was going to write the Giants Stadium anthems, and that someone is the New Jersey cat with the bleached haircut and the bounce-back career Jon Bon gets away with Undivided (the 9-11 one) and a few other chugging rink-rockers, and leans very, very heavily on the Livin'-On-Prayer sentiments, which is fine he wrote that cliche, after alL However, when he's picking up titles from Jerry McGuire (You Had Me From Hello), images from Bruce by way of Eddie Money (The Distance) and writing ballads like an Elton Johnnabe, one looks to the liner notes. And there it is, the mark of the demon child -producer and song doctor Desmond Child.

We'll assume Des got paid, and Bounce will make the payments. I was prepared to cut JBJ some slack for his survivalism, but he plays his hand too hard. Enough with the cowboys and the late-night drives to the Golf of Texaco Bounce beats like a big arena heart, but eventually bounces like a cheque MARK LEPAGE Mary Lee's Corvette Blood On The Tracks Arlene Grocery NYC Bar None The love game not always in your best interests, as many have known and of which more still have written. Most of plied by Gazette research. VA is short for Various Artists; OS1 stands for Original Soundtrack.

POP ROCK NEW RELEASES Adema. Insomniac's Dream (Arista). Richard Ashcroft. Human Conditions (Virgin). Assemblage 23.

Defiance (Metropolis). Ray Charles. Sings for Amenca (Knino). Coollo. El Cool Magnifico (Riviera).

Shawn Desman. Shawn Desman (Vik). The Donnas. Spend the Night (Atlantic). Finch.

What It IsTo Burn (MCA). Fbo Fighters. One by One (RCA). Michel Fugaln. Fais Comme I'Oiseau (Sony).

FunkerVogt. Survivor (Metropolis). Kenny G. Wishes (Arista). Adam Green.

Garfield (Sanctuary). Headstones. The Oracle of Hi-Fi (Maple Music). Hooverphonlc. Jackie Cane (Sony).

Andy Hunter. Exodus (Nettwerk). Las Ketchup. Hijas DelTomate (Columbia). Melody.

Muevete (Sony). Youssou N'Dour. Nothing's in Vain (English and French versions) (Nonesuch). Northstar. IsThis Thing Loaded? (Triple Crown).

PIG. Genuine American Monster (Metropolis). Plus One. Christmas (Atlantic). Marky Ramone and the Speed Kings.

Legends Bleed (Thirsty Ear). Chris Robinson. New Earth Mud (Redline). Kelly Rowland. Simply Deep (Columbia).

Santana. Shaman (Arista). Brian Setzer Orchestra. Boogie Woogie Christmas (Surfdog). Michael W.

Smith. Worship Again (Zom- baJive). SR-71. Tomorrow (RCA). Rod Stewart.

It Had to Be You: The Great American Songbook(J Records). Sugarcult. Start Static (Sony). 3LW. A Girl Can Mack (Sony).

Thursday. Five Stories Falling (Victory). KathyTroccoll.The Heart of Me (Zom-baJive). W.C. Ghetto Heisman (Def Jam).

The Whltlams. Torch the Moon (Warner International). Kathryn Williams. Old Low Light (Warner International). Jason Yates.

Angelemos (Sanctuary). OST. Cirque du Soleil: Varekai (CDS). OST. Jackass (Island).

OST. The Truth About Charlie (Sony). VA. Allstars 2003 (Popular). VA.

Cafe des Artistes (Milan). VA. A Cellarful of Motown (Motown). VA. City on a Hill: It's Christmas Time (ZombaJive).

VA. Dance Mix NYC, Vol. 2 (Sony). VA. VH1 Divas Las Vegas (Epic).

VA. Planet Pop 70s (Ariola). VA. Planet Pop '80s (Ariola). VA.Red Hot and Riot (MCA).

VA Southern Rock Christmas (Sanctuaiy). POP ROCK FROM THE VAULTS The Association. The Essentials (Rhino). David Bowie. Best of (EMI).

The Carpenters. Best of Chicago. XXV (Rhino). Leonard Cohen. The Essential (Columbia).

Heavy and the Boyz. 20th Century Masters (MCA). Don Ho. The Essentials (Rhino). INXS.

Best of; Kick; Welcome to Wherever You Are; (Rhino). Queen. Platinum Collection (Hollywood). Lou Reed. Transformer (BMG Heritage).

Renaud. Les Talents du Siecle No. 1 (Universal). The Rolling Stones. Aftermath; Aftermath (U.K.); Beggars Banquet; Between the Buttons; Between the Buttons (U.K.); Big Hits: High Tide and Green Grass; December's Children; Rowers; GetYerYa-Ya's Out; Got Uve If You Want It! Hot Rocks; Let It Bleed; Metamorphosis; More Hot Rocks; Out of Our Heads; Out of Our Heads (U.K.); The Rolling Stones; Singles Collection; Their Satanic Majesties Request; Through the Past Darkly (Greatest Hits, Vol.

2); 12 5 (ABKCO). Demis Roussos.Tne Golden Years (Mercury). Sam and Dave. The Essentials (Rhino). Santana.

The Essential (Sony). Scarface. Greatest Hits (Virgin). Percy Sledge. The Essentials (Rhino).

Sly and the Family Stone. The Essential (Columbia). Sonny and Cher. The Essentials (Rhino). Wang Chung.

20th Century Masters (Geffen). FOLK NEW RELEASES Bert Jansch. Edge of a Dream (Sanctuary BLUES FOLK FROM THE VAULTS Stevle Ray Vaughan.The Essential (Sony). David Wilcox. Rockin'the Boogie: Best of Blues and Boogie (Stony Plain).

COUNTRY NEW RELEASES Tammy Cochran. Life Happened (Sony). Alan Jackson. Let it Be Christmas (Arista). Open Road.

Cold Wind (Rounder). COUNTRY FROM THE VAULTS George Jones. 20th Century Masters (MCA Nashville). JAZZ WORLD NEW RELEASES Chris Botti. December (Sony).

Jane BunnetL Cuban Odyssey (EMI). Joe Zawlnul. Dialects (Sony). JAZZ FROM THE VAULTS Cannonball Adderley.The Definitive Series (Blue Note). Chet Baker.The Definitive Series (Blue Note).

Nat King Cole. The Definitive Series (Blue Note). Paul Desmond. Cool Imagination (Bluebird). Duke Ellington.

Jazz Caravan (Bluebird). Benny Goodman. The Legendary Smalt Groups (Bluebird). Billie Holiday. 20th Century Masters (Hip-0).

Chuck Manglone. 20th Century Masters COURTESY OF RED LIQUORICE JAZZ Joshua Redman Elastic Warner Bros. Tenor sax wunderkind Joshua Redman has taken a major shift in this latest outing, featuring a dominant funk beat, organ and keyboards, and some flashy drumming, instead of his two more complex previous quartet outings, Beyond and Passage of Time, with their spiritual explorations. This is a groove-oriented, fun-filled romp with some overdubs and fanciful harmonics. Get past a casual listen and the gritty flavours of the organ, and you hear some pretty amazing saxophone work.

Redman can play hot and fast and the CD is replete with nifty arrangements. Sam Yahel is a bright new voice on Hammond B-3 organ and various keyboards adding a new architecture to Redman's musical edifice, while Brian Blade is varied and inventive on drums. With some catchy, finger-snappers and a few ballads, Redman offers the listener a swinging and sensual sound experience. IRWIN BLOCK CLASSICAL James Ehnes, violin, Eduard Laurel, piano Kreisler miniatures Analekta FL3159 No musician did more to give schmaltz a good name than the Viennese violinist-composer Fritz Kreisler. This compilation by James Ehnes is an interesting mix of hits and semi-hits, superbly played.

For brilliance it would be hard to better the Variations on a Theme of Corelli or the perpetual-motion finale of theSi-cilienne and Rigaudoa The opening movement of the solo Recita-tivo and Scherzo is impressively sustained. Nor is there any shortage of old-world sentiment True, to hear Kreisler himself perform Schon Rosmarin in 1938 is to be mesmerized by the flexible waltz beat and the smoky tone, neither quite giving up its secrets. Ehnes has a lighter sound and more direct style, but a style it surely is, with plenty of rhythmic highlighting and natural expressioa The excellent modern recording (made in the Domaine Forget) brings out the intermittent beauties of the piano part (as expertly played by Eduard Laurel) as the old takes never could. Indeed, the disc ends with the little-known solo-piano Petite Valse as played, not badly by Ehnes! What a shame the booklet notes offer no information about the piece. ARTHUR KAPTAINIS every month.

I'm not sure what's in Cheez Whiz, but he really looks good, except for the other penis." Here, then, is a dead-on representation of Arden in concert, Seinfeld-moment monologues and general screwing-around alternating with the saddest music to ever permeate lite-rock radio. Whereas symphonic pop can be the last refuge of dire songsmiths, Arden doesn't need strings and horns to lend sentimental weight to her music; it's already pure emotion. The orchestra's role here is to remix Ar-den's heartbreakers without sinking them in bombast. Mission accomplished. Next mission: get Arden's booking agents and promoters to stop treating Montreal like no-man's-land.

JORDAN ZIVITZ COUNTRY Faith Hill Cry Warner Bros. A With Cry, Faith Hill completes her journey from the promising young country singer of 1994's Take Me As I Am to the pop diva she's become. Cry is a big, expensive-sounding production full of corporate-written power ballads crafted for light rockmix radio. Layers of keyboards, strings (no fiddles), guitars (no steel or Dobro), programmed percussion and background vocals fill every available track as Hill emotes the standard themes of falling in love, being in love and breaking up. One song, This Is Me, deviates from the theme as she sings about being a flawed human being who tries to love Jesus.

The closer, You're Still Here, deviates from the production values with a quiet ballad sung to a piano and orchestral arrangement It comes as sweet relief. MIKE REGENSTREIF NOTED production wrapped around hit or miss songs. MR Selena: Ones (EMI Latin). New twofer from the late Tejano star includes 20 previously released dance hits and a DVD with 13 videos. A money grab.

MARY LAMEY Supreme Beings cf Leisure: Divine Operating System (PalmEMI). Wanna be smooth-movers from LA. attempt to branch out on their second disc and come up with another lightweight trip-flop. TD with its ambisexuality, and you have this old guard Britrock with its glam in a respectable place. MARK LEPAGE Tracy Chapman Let It Rain Elektra Harvard Square's erstwhile favourite guitar strummer gets in touch with her inner busker on this stripped down new disc.

Gone the big folk-pop arrangements of recent outings, replaced by hand claps, talking drum, tambourines and Chapman's own acoustic six-string. She pairs with producer John Parish of Harvey fame, who encourages the singer's natural introspection and cloaks the frayed velvet of her voice in spare settings. He brings tantalizing touches to her sound, like the disembodied chorus and heartbeat drum on In the Dark, but mostly lets Tracy be Tracy That means a fair dose of disillusionment as on Almost. 'Almost saved you and myself. Almost won, but it doesn't count.

And never does." And on Broken, where she strains toward hope. What saves her from being a complete downer is Chapman's shy willingness to lay her heart on the line, as on the syncopated You're the One and closer I am Yours. Here's hoping she and Parish pair up again and push the envelope farther. MARY LAMEY Jann Arden Live With the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra Universal For anyone worried that a symphony orchestra would drain the humour from Jann Ar-den's shows: "(My dad) eats, I'd say, a good gallon of Cheez Whiz BRIEFLY Ben Folds: Live (EpicSony). Solo piano performances from mildly deranged Tin Pan Alley escapee.

The Elton John cover makes perfect sense. JZ Von Freeman: The Improviser (Premonition). The unique Chicago tenor-sax-player Von Freeman, 80, hints at the avant garde in these vivid mainstream sessions. IB John Michael Montgomery: Pictures (Warner A fine country voice and Nashville them expressed it with all the lyric felicity of that last sentence, but Bob Dylan tries harder. Small wonder everyone who straps on a harmonica-holder would lie to have recorded those songs, but Mary Lee Kortes summoned the courage to do it.

The New York singer was urged to follow up on her idea to record a Dylan album track-by-bloody-track and did so in a Lower East Side rock bar. While not quite a "brilliant reworking from a female perspective" she's just a woman singing his lyrics, and there is a difference it does find the joy in his venom, and is a reminder that 1970s Bob was at times very strong Bob. As Mary Lee's version of If You See Her Say Hello winds down, you can hear a car horn sound outside the bar on Stanton SL No wonder Dylan loves it MARK LEPAGE Jeff BuckleyGary Lucas Songs To No One 1991-1992 Knitting Factory Records You can hear much of Jeff Buckley in the demo for Grace, the eventual tide of his sole (hard to believe) official release. These recordings may even predate his gigs in Sine, the St. Mark's Place cubbyhole in Manhattan's East Village where his soaring and very rock-angel voice first had people muttering "the guy's a star." That he was a star, and a vocalist who took chances, are clear from the charging live version of Malign Fiesta (No Soul) and the art-gospel pieces, where Buckley rides the high register into whatever spiritualsexual communion guitarist Gary Lucas (who used to play guitar in Captain Beefheart) recognized long before the singer sank away in the Mississippi River and into family mythology (see, sadly, "Buckley, MARK LEPAGE Suede A New Morning ColumbiaSony S4 Few bands survive the loss of their defining guitarist, and for all intents Suede was yesterday's fashion here in North America where, truth be told, they never much mattered anyway I don't find singer Brett Anderson's notations on the tragic artifice and emptiness of urban lifestyle particularly piquant but his band has put a positive spin on the old diva-drama-and-pills Britrock.

Haircuts are still stylish, but shorter which, when you think about it says it all Imagine an Oasis getting down.