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All reviews by Cal Koat

Check out other 2004 Album Reviews

Hexstatic - Master View (Ninja) - This DVD/ CD tour de force takes its concept from those wonderful old viewmasters while it takes the concept of music videos into the realm of 3D. British electronica artists, Stuart Warren Hill and Robin Brunson, better known as Hexstatic, have been experimenting with audio –visual projects for almost ten years. After returning from a holiday in Brazil’s Salvador de Bahia, they painstakingly cut images out of the film footage they shot on location, to make a montage called Salvador that can be viewed in 3D, complete with the authentic sounds of the berimbau and samba drums. The package even provides you a pair of those blue and red cardboard glasses which work to varying degree depending on the resolution of your TV. While in Brazil, Hill and Brunson dropped by a bird sanctuary, which inspired one of Master View’s most compelling tracks.Featuring the soaring vocals of Japanese singer Miki Tanabe and one remarkable lip-synching or should I say, beak synching parrot, Perfect Bird is weird and wonderful as is most of the rest of the 11 beat-driven clips on Master View.

Various - Trinidad & Tobago Carnival 2K4 Exposed (Advance Dynamics) - Carnival time in Trinidad and Tobago is a sight to behold. Of course, if you’re not lucky enough to attend this outrageous pre-lent party in person, you’ll just have to take that on good faith. But hang on … now thanks to a new award-winning DVD collection, everyone can experience a little of the colour, music and energy of one of the greatest shows on earth. There are Carnival celebrations around the world but Trinidad and Tobago claim bragging rights to one of the wildest. Each January for two days before Ash Wednesday pandemonium appears to reign in the streets of Port of Prince. But, in fact the revelry is carefully planned and choreographed weeks in advance to make the spectacle even more dazzling and outrageous.Carnival T’n T-style is about a culture celebrating itself in unity while the raucous parties or fetes pay head to a simple human need to play and make believe. Trinidad & Tobago Carnival 2K4 Exposed captures all the colour and pageantry with quality production values and frenetic soca soundtracks. Despite the pressing throng of humanity, Trinidad and Tobago Carnival is said to be an individual experience. For those willing to take the plunge, it’s an opportunity to learn about joy and the art of living.

The Planet Smashers - 10 (Stomp Records) - The Planet Smashers have a taste for both simple ska and elaborate libations.They celebrate their 10^th anniversary together as Montreal’s Kings of Ska, with a commemorative DVD. And, one of their favorite ways to celebrate is with a visit to an authentic Tiki Bar like Jardin’s, a Montreal landmark. Maybe it’s those paper parasols or maybe it’s the exotic drink names but something keeps these boys ordering more rounds. The boys debate the finer points of mixology over a few rounds in one of the interview segments as part of the '10' DVD package. What will attract most viewers however are the 12 light-hearted and clever video clips. They've recorded some inspired and satirical tunes over the decade including Surfin' In Tofino and I Wish I Were American. Oh, and there's a complete animated feature called Catman, which may not have Halle Berry's delectable body in dom gear like Hollywood's overblown Catwoman fiasco, but the story doesn't suck either.

Cesaria Evora - Live D'Amor (BMG) - There aren’t many singers past sixty years of age who still find their careers spiraling upwards. But then, there are few singers like Cape Verde’s gift to the world, the incomparable Cesaria Evora who seems to have boundless energy. Her latest studio CD, Voz D’Amor was recorded in Paris during breaks in her busy touring schedule. Cize as she’s known to her friends, takes the pace in stride remarking, “Since there always seems to be so little time, over the years I have found this the best way to do a recording.” In Paris she’s also found a large and loyal fan base and as a treat to them, she performed a special concert of new material at the city’s oldest and largest movie theatre. Live D'Amor captures this performance at the Le Grand Rex. Bonus material includes a backstage chat, a look at the Voz d'Amor recording sessions and a charming video clip called Mar de canal, dedicated to the World Food Program, a charitable organization working in schools to address child hunger. Cesaria Evora has become a darling of the world stage but she still calls Sao Vicente home, the capital of the remote island nation of Cape Verde. The acclaimed diva performs barefoot as a symbol of solidarity with the ordinary folk of Cape Verde, whose hard work is celebrated on this new DVD release.

Jim Moray - Sweet England (Giraffe Records) - Sweet England is the sweet taste of discovery. You need the patience of a prospector to sift through the music of world. But, when the glint of something golden catches your ear it's more than worthwhile, it's revolutionary.Jim Moray is a 23 year old Brit who's making music for the best reason ... for himself. And, it's filling void that until yet has not been filled. As he puts it, "no one's doing visceral boy's folk music so it's my prerogative to make it (read his enlightening interview with Celt In A Twist host Patricia Fraser in this newsletter). Jim's taken classic English folk melodies (you'll recognize many once you hear them) and, with the help of Simon Emmerson and Mass from the Afro Celts has exploded them with 'Floydian' progressive artistry. Brian Wilson took decades of obsessing to complete the opus, Smile. In Sweet England, Jim Moray reveals an equal production marvel recorded mostly by himself in his home recording studio! The album is like the ring of bell on a foggy evening ... a portent of good or bad. The thrill is in the the chill you'll feel up your spine upon hearing it. Sweet England is a bittersweet flavor that always draws you back for just one more taste.

Solas - Waiting For An Echo (Shanachie) - Solas is making traditional Irish music for those who may never have developed a taste for the stuff in the first place. Really, anyone can appreciate the caliber of the quintet's musicianship or the exquisite musical conversation between these long-associated performers without being a fan of gnarly old Celtic.True to their Gaelic name, Solas are shining a contemporary 'light' on Irish folk music without going so far as to turn it into something it's not.However, each successive Solas album does reflect the band's explorative nature, bringing a new emotion to the fore or fusing a new sound to their assembled voice. There are several good examples on Waiting For An Echo. Seamus Egan drives the band with his instrumental versatility and virtuosity, creating gorgeous guitar textures with Eamon McElholm on tunes like The Coconut Dog and the Hanover Reel. Deirdre Scanlon sings sweetly on The Ploughman (undoubtedly for many the first pick from the album). It's poppy familiarity is unhinged just enough with an Eastern European counterpoint of fiddle and accordion. If Solas are sounding the depths, seeking more converts to their song craft, they should be pleased with the echo that returns.

The Duhks - The Duhks (Sugar Hill) - Why did the duhk cross the border? So the 'Bird' of the Banjo, Bela Fleck could mix their new album of course. Actually I've heard no word that the Winnipeg band is planning to defect south but they are definitely fixing their sites on an expanded market. After many years and albums as Scruj McDuhk and later in their new incarnation as just The Duhks featuring former -Victoria fiddle whiz Tania Elizabeth and new singer Jessica Harvey, the group appears poised to reintroduce themselves in a bigger way. Bela Fleck is a great choice for producer of the new self-titled disc. Head Duhk, Leonard Podolak is a highly imaginative banjo picker himself and probably had Bela pegged for the job in his dreams for quite a while now. While the album is to be filed under 'Folk' their eclectic sound entitles The Duhks to come up with their own, wild terms of classification from "progressive soul-grass" to "kick-ass rock/folk fusion" and ya, there's plenty of Celtic in the mix along with Quebecois and Appalachian influences. This new album may just be their ticket to leaving the nest and taking on the world. Fly away little Duhks and Godspeed.

January 2005 Reviews

Worldbeat Chart Toppers

Flogging Molly - Within A Mile Of Home (SideOneDummy) - Flogging Molly is Speed-Celtic from Southern California. Dave King, the leader of these seven scallywags is an Irish ex-pat who describes Flogging Molly’s sound by saying, “If it didn’t have mandolin, accordion, fiddle and whistle, it would be punk rock, and if it didn’t have guitar, bass and drums, it would be traditional Irish music.” But for all his ferocity on stage and on disc, Dave's a genteel soul, deep thinker and a very smart writer who's musical expression is too large to be wedged into either punk or Irish camps as the new album so brilliantly demonstrates.Within A Mile Of Home has as much to do with King's admiration for the late Johnny Cash as it does with carrying on in the tradition of the likes of Joe Strummer and Shane MacGowan. The songs segue from the deep soul searching of Don't Let Me Die Still Wondering to the historical reminiscence of Factory Girls (a duet with country maven Lucinda Williams) to The Seven Deadly Sins, a thoroughly possessed sea shanty. Veterans of the Vans Warped Tour, Flogging Molly won't soon disappoint their core fans by going all soft and introspective.Through Dave King's refined penmanship and the band's break-neck musicianship there's real substance here for those who wish to find it, all within a mile of home.

Glengarry Bhoys - Mountain Road (Keltic Cross) - The highland pipes are way loud! If you want to compete, it's best you plug in and crank up. No acoustic instrument stands a chance against these mightiest of wind bags. Maybe that's why Celtic Rock's most potent one-two punch is the marriage of highland pipes and electric guitar. From Glengarry, Ontario, a Scottish stronghold in the New World since the early 1800's, comes the Glengarry Bhoys (the 'h' is from the Scottish Gaelic spelling ... originally pronounced 'voys'). They're three laddies and one lass who honor their highland heritage by blowing up traditional jigs and reels as they hone their own road-tested song craft. The band's making fans the old fashioned way, on tour, playing as many as 200 shows a year. Singer/guitarist Graham Wright says, "our biggest goal is to just keep getting better and better and progress every year. And of course with doing 200 shows a year that’s going to happen." Mountain Road follows smartly on the heels of last year's terrific 'Rhoots', a disc that featured the band's retooling of Big Country's eponymous hit. The new album opens in a hail of pipe and guitar volleys; a Scottish battle cry called 'Donald' which sets a blazing pace for the rest of the disc to follow.

December Reviews

Worldbeat Chart Toppers

Charanga Cakewalk - Loteria de la Cumbia Lounge (Triloka Records) - The Cakewalk originated among southern plantation slave workers in the eighteen hundreds. The dance poked fun at the formal mannerisms of the elite in the ‘master’s house’. Charanga Cakewalk updates the concept with a twist of Latin Lounge atmospheres both real and virtual. Charanga Cakewalk is the brainchild of studio whiz and sideman extraordinaire, Michael Ramos. He’s performed alongside John Mellencamp, Paul Simon, The Bo Deans and The Rembrandts but this project reflects his own, personal vision. Michael describes the new album, Loteria de la Cumbia Lounge as “a pan-Latin American martini made with equal parts traditional instruments and deep, urban grooves.” It's a brilliant piece of global music sophistication that still pokes a little fun at elitism.

Various - Is It Rolling, Bob? Vol.1 (Ras Records) - In 1965 Bob Dylan wrote an ode to a fallen debutante. His stinging chorus asked “How does it feel to be on your own like a rolling stone”. Dylan preferred to save his praise for those who would get up and stand up for their rights. Sound like another Bob you know? Dylan and Marley stood for many of the same principles which may explain why many of Jamaica’s biggest stars jumped at the chance to be a part of an exciting new album project called, “Is It Rolling Bob”, a reggae tribute to the music of Bob Dylan. Amazingly, many of Bob’s songs translate easily into the reggae vibe. Produced by the infamous Dr. Dread, Is It Rolling Bob? features the talents of Toots Hibert, Beres Hammond, Gregory Isaacs, JC Lodge, Michael Rose, The Mighty Diamonds with one of my favorites, Lay, Lady, Lay, and dancehall superstar, Sizzla with a tongue in cheek take on Dylan's stream of consciousness classic. On May 8^thof '65, Dylan released a promotional film for his new single, Subterranean Homesick Blues, which pictured him holding up placards with key words from the lyric. It has the distinction of being THE very first music video. Keep watching world.beats for Sizzla's equally low-budget rendering.

Bossacucanova - Uma Batida Diferente (Six Degrees) - They say to be truly creative you have to think outside of the box. So it stands to reason that those born without boxes never have to waste time learning this. Maybe that's why Bossacucanova's learning curve has been so steep. The trio of DJ, bass and keyboards grew up in the musical scene around Ipanema which is too free and immense to be contained. Their first Six Degrees self titled album reflected three creative souls mixing the Brazilian sounds they heard all around them with the global influences they were increasingly being exposed too. The formula received a further coat of polish and authentic Brazilian soul on their second album recorded with the legendary guitarist/composer, Roberto Menescal. Uma Batida Diferente, their third effort expands on the Menescal experiment, featuring the trio in collaboration with a host of great writers and performers like Celso Fonseca, Marcos Valle, Zuco 103 and once again, Roberto Menescal. Every track benefits from an irresistible union of experienced composition and creative mixology.

Various - World 2004 (Wrasse Records) - Global music has expanded tenfold in the past decade and it's a big world indeed. It's encouraging to know that there are so many world music makers on our planet that sometimes opening your ears isn't enough, you have to check in with another's perspective. Thanks to Wrasse Records we in North America can have an annual check up with broadcaster, Charlie Gillett at the BBC and hear what he is being exposed to these days. For 2004, Charlie's assembled an amazingly unpredictable two CD set. He's hand-picked choice cuts from the four corners, much of which has never reached the shores of the new world. The liner notes are a little more anecdotal than factoid which is disappointing for those eager to read about the intriguing artists they're most probably hearing from for the first time. And, every one of the 34 tracks has something going on you'll want to know more about.

Pauline Scanlon - Red Colour Sun (Compass Records) - Oh, those Lunasa boys know how to cherry-pick the best buds from the Black Rose. The band's bassist, Trevor Hutchinson introduced us to the sublime sweetness of Grada, now Lunasa guitarist, Donagh Hennessy opens our ears to another Irish vocal marvel, Pauline Scanlon. To be fair, accordionist, Sharon Shannon has tapped into Pauline's vocal talents for a couple of years now. Stage centre, within the context of her album debut Red Colour Sun, Pauline's voice radiates warmth and emotional intensity without histrionics.Carving out a middle ground somewhere between Sinead O'Connor's crackling yodels and Emer Kenny's 'wafer-thin' whispers, Pauline offers an unaffected Irish voice which is supremely suited to showcasing the strength of the traditional material she's chosen. Apart from some outstanding Irish ballads, Pauline treats us to the song craft of Willie Nelson, Peggy Seeger, even Don McLean (Who knew he wrote anything else besides American Pie?). Production-wise, Hennessy and Co. have taken care to frame neatly without boxing in Pauline's charm.

The Town Pants - Weight Of Words (Savage Pants)- I don't want to spread any nasty rumours but, are The Town Pants getting a little snug around the waist? It appears Vancouver's lean, mean Celtic machine has put on a little girth with the Weight Of Words. Don't get me wrong, a few extra pounds of wit, wisdom and instrumental ornamentation looks good on these girls and boys.Point of fact, I'd have to say they've never been in finer form. Brothers Duane and Dave Keogh, Aaron Chapman and Virginia Schwartz continue to build on a reputation of churning out clever, hook-laden, pub-ready sing-a-longs. Following on the heels of the Hugh McMillan (Spirit Of The West) produced Piston Baroque, Weight Of Words sees the Pants taking the knowledge they learned from that effort back into the studio for their first shot at self-production. Their creative instincts serve them well on the new disc. There's even a killer set of jigs and reels by Virginia titled, 'Diggin' The Grave' segueing neatly into our favorite, 'Mr. Valentine's Dead'. Most uncharacteristic and one of the album's biggest surprises is the 6 minute, album closing opus called 'Ships Made Of Wood' which builds into a mariachi horn and drunken chorus free-for-all with bass and drums to pad out the bottom no less. Weighty indeed but it just means there's more of them to love. Blame it on the Guinness.

Dalla- Hollan Mauy! More Salt! (Dalla Records) - Nothing makes our spirit soar like stumbling on Celtic music from one of the 7 nations which, until now has remained quietly aloof from our grasp. My thanks to Nancy Carlin, an intrepid American promoter of global music who hooked my up for my exposure to the music of Dalla, a talented group from Cornwall. For the geographically-challenged (like myself), Dalla offers this global positioning statement at their website, www.dalla.co.uk "Cornwall is a small Celtic land (roughly the size of Luxembourg or Brunei) jutting out into the Atlantic ocean halfway between Ireland and Brittany. It is a small land with a giant history. A history with its roots firmly in Celtic culture, but also an extremely cosmopolitan history buzzing with a host of other influences, due to ancient maritime links with, and waves of emigration to and from, all parts of the world." Those influences weave throughout the fabric of this band's current release, Hollan Mauy! More Salt! Fiddle, guitar, bouzouki and accordion flavors immediately centre the material within the borders of the Celtic world, but other strong voices, like clarinet and darbuka drum cast a net to the east adding textures of Byzantine and Klezmer. Add the Carnival bluster of trumpets and trombones and a familiar Quebecois feel (a la La Bottine Souriante) becomes apparent. On the album, he group's roster seems to have swelled from the trio indicated on their website including Neil Davey (fiddle, bouzouki, vocals), Hilary Coleman (clarinet, vocals), Simon Lockley (guitars, vocals), Bec Applebee (darbuka, vocals) and Pete Kubrick-Townsend (double bass). More Salt! and pass the Cornish music, please!