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Hear Me OUT April 2005

Martha Wainwright
{ITAL Martha Wainwright
(Zoe/Rounder)}

Martha Wainwright is the daughter of famous folk artists Kate McGarrigle and Loudon Wainwright III and the sister of Rufus. No pressure. Rufus fans are probably already aware of Martha. She's toured with him as an opening act and backup singer and sings on his albums (he returns the favor here on "The Maker"). Others might remember her as the torch singer in the film "The Aviator." However one discovers Martha, it's unlikely they'll forget her. Martha's first solo releases came as a series of EPs, starting with a self-titled CD in 1999 followed by "Factory" and then last year's "BMFA" (the only one still available) which whet appetites for her full length. Unfortunately, "Martha Wainwright" doesn't feel much more cohesive than the EPs did. However, it's still quite good. With a voice evoking Rickie Lee Jones, Kate Bush, and Patty Smith, Martha Wainwright's songs are part folk, part rock, and part pop with some foul language thrown in for good measure. The album's stand out track is "Bloody Mother F****** Asshole," which she wrote about her father. With Martha the gloves are always off and the result is often raw, arresting and, at it's best, conjures up the kind of beauty that hurts.

Golden
Elkland
(Sony)

Who knew that two brothers raised in a devoutly evangelical household would grow up to make some of the best new new-wave in 2005? Elkland, a New York quartet currently on tour with Erasure (sadly there are no Michigan dates), sounds like a happy meeting of New Order, The Smiths, and Joy Division with a touch of modern day retro-rockers like The Killers. "Golden," their debut, is aptly named: there's a certain shimmer to it. "Golden" has a very classic sound which stems from singer Jon Pierce's insistence on using the vintage analog synthesizers and drum machines he's been collecting since his obsession with synthpop began at age 12. In fact, the album's opener, "Put Your Hand Over Mine" was the first song Pierce ever wrote. "It's all about the chorus," Pierce said about his song writing technique. "I'm obsessed with great melodies, great hooks, huge hooks." As a result, Elkland's music is drenched with them. Uptempo songs like "Apart" and "Everybody's Leaving" will stay in your head for days. When the beats slow, however, Elkland tends to get bogged down in earnestness (like on "We Share A Heart"). Elkland is mostly fun, though, even if at times they need to lighten up.

Bleed Like Me
{ITAL Garbage
(Geffen)}

"Bleed Like Me," Garbage's fourth record, gives new meaning to the phrase "ten years later." Not only has the band been together now for a decade, but "Bleed Like Me" took forever to come out. In fact, the band even broke up for a while in the middle of it. Considering their last record, "Beautiful Garbage," came out in 2001, fans have been quite patient for new Garbage. And here it is. Electronic elements are replaced by super cranked guitars, giving "Bleed" an edgier sound than their last two releases. However, for a band named Garbage, there's still not a lot of grit here. It's the same radio-friendly bubble gum rock with big, bright hooks and melodies. But Shirley Manson and the boys are good at what they do and if you're into it, then let it bleed. Album highlights include "Sex Is Not the Enemy," a send-off to the anti-sex right-wing. "I won't feel guilty no matter what they're telling me. I won't feel dirty and buy into their misery," Manson sings. "Boys Wanna Fight" touches on world affairs with lyrics like, "They know best how they can mess with us, nursing an opinion's getting dangerous. And in a world where good's not good enough, let's get loaded and kick up a fuss."

Human After All
{ITAL Daft Punk
(Virgin Records)}

Daft Punk's robotic alter-egos take over on "Human After All," a record that is decidedly not. Stripping their work of any warmth or emotion, "Human" sounds more like a modern soundtrack to the film "Metropolis" than a continuation of their disco-heavy 2001 release "Discovery." This is especially true on "The Brainwasher," which is more hardcore, and less listenable, than the rest of the album. "Human" is pure techo without any pesky humanity to get in the way. Even the feel-good anthem "The Prime Time of Your Life" is less a celebration of living than it is an automated recitation of a catchy phrase. But it'll sound good in a club, and that's the point. "Human" is very repetitive – but it's techno, after all. Once you get your groove going on you're set for the next three to six minutes. An album highlight is the information technology manifesto "Technologic." If you don't like "Human" there's always the length to console you: 45 minutes with only 10 tracks, one of which is 19 seconds of a scanning radio dial. Fans looking for another disco-flavored hit like "One More Time" won't be happy, but technophiles with an adventurous ear might just like "Human" after all.

Also released:

It's Me Again
{ITAL Tweet
(Atlantic)}

Tweet, who brought us the blush-inducing single "Oops (Oh My)" in 2002, is back with "It's Me Again," a solid R&B/soul record. Missy Elliott lends some hip-hop moments, including the first single "Turn Da Lights Off." Tweet steams things up with "I'm Done," a very sexy break up song. "You" is captivating with its sweetly layered harmonies and "The Two Of Us" is a touching duet between Tweet and her daughter.

Live At Earls Court and Who Put The 'M' in Manchester?
{ITAL Morrissey
(Sanctuary)}

Fans who missed or just want to relive Morrissey's 2004 world tour are in luck. The "Live At Earl's Court" CD was recorded at the tail end of the tour and features Morrissey and Smith classics as well as never before performed b-sides. For those who need visual stimulation the "Who Put The 'M' In Manchester" DVD includes live concert footage as well as extras: music videos and more live performances.
Verve Remixed 3 Various artists (Verve Music)
"Verve Remixed 3" takes classic jazz standards and shakes them up with some of the hottest names in beat-making like Danger Mouse, Junior Boys, and Brazilian Girls. The result is addictive. Album highlights include The Postal Service's remix of Nina Simone's "Little Girl Blue," Bent's remix of Billie Holiday's "Speak Low," and Max Sedgley's remix of "Peter Gunn" by Sarah Vaughan (yes, that song has lyrics).

Now What
{ITAL Lisa Marie Presley
(Capitol)}

You may have heard Lisa Marie Presley's cover of Don Henley's "Dirty Laundry" on Desperate Housewives. On "Now What," her sophomore effort, lesbian hit queen Linda Perry collaborates on six tracks, and punk popster Pink duets with Presley on "Shine." But there's a spark missing. Fans of Sheryl Crow and Avril Lavigne won't be disappointed, but everyone else might want to stick with The King.
Odyssey Fischerspooner (Capitol)
NYC art/pop duo Warren Fischer and Casey Spooner sound like they've found out what they want to grow up to be on "Odyssey," their second record. "Odyssey" features hit maker Linda Perry on several tracks and lyrics to "We Need A War," the album's strongest track, were penned by the late Susan Sontag. On the flip side, the lyrics for electro-pop gems "Everything To Gain" and "A Kick In the Teeth" came from spam emails.
Un-Break My Heart: The Remix Collection Toni Braxton (LaFace/Legacy)
"Un-Break My Heart: The Remix Collection" is the first Toni Braxton anthology devoted entirely to club mixes of the six-time Grammy winner's biggest hits, five of which have never been commercially available before. Includes two different mixes of the smash title song as well as hits "He Wasn't Man Enough" and "Spanish Guitar."

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