CD Reviews

Xavier Rudd White Moth Anti/ 2007 ♥♥½	The recently released White Moth album is the seventh for this Winnipeg Folk Festival favourite. Although some of the songs were Bob Marley-esque instant classics, a select few on the album were benign and easily forgettable. I found that Rudd created flat-line music on some songs that seemed unwilling to push the boundaries to really make it stand out. A majority of the songs blended together to create a predictable and uninteresting result. I found “White Moth” to be one of the most frustrating songs because Rudd teased the song’s climax, but fell short of anything that could be considered impressive. Don’t get me wrong — I think Rudd is talented and I did enjoy some of the music, namely his fusion of light reggae and culturally classic music in the song “Message Stick.” My favorite song was “Footprint,” for its diversity both in the song and on the album. A rockier, fuller song running over seven minutes long, “Footprint” allows Rudd to come out of his musical shell. Rudd creates a unique sound, which explains why he is quickly becoming a favourite on the alternative music stream, but even favourites have their follies. Chelse McKee, staff
Korn (Untitled) Virgin Records/ 2007 ♥♥ ½	Down to three original members, Korn offers up their eighth studio release with much help from production team the Matrix, Atticus Ross and guest musicians Terry Bozzio (former Frank Zappa drummer), keyboardist Zac Baird and more. Once an aggressive guilty pleasure, now Korn seems stuck by creating plodding, pseudo-experimental tunes that sound overly long at times, despite only the final track going over the five-minute mark. Much akin to their previous studio effort See You on the Other Side, these over-produced songs miss the contributions of former lead guitarist Brian “Head” Welch (as I do). They seem to almost blend together indistinctly without the catchy hooks that ran throughout their earliest efforts. There is still some musicianship shown here (thanks in part to the major guests helping the surviving three along) and the songs still bare some of the good qualities that made Korn an unlikely sensation. But it would seem either Korn don’t get themselves anymore (creating strange atmospheres that simply become boring) or the aggression they try to put out is much too forced. Individually, one might hear something worthwhile (most likely if you’re a long-time fan), but as a whole this album becomes pretty forgettable. William O’Donnell, volunteer staff
Kate Schutt No Love Lost Independent/ 2007 ♥♥♥♥	A hot cup of tea, a comfy couch, and a dimly lit café are some ideal conditions to sink into a mellow jazz album. Vocalist Kate Schutt takes you to that café, rocking you to sleep with her breakthrough album No Love Lost. She provides her own take on the breathy jazz of Norah Jones and Silje Nergaard. Unlike Jones, she stays true to traditional jazz melody and harmony. In addition, she wrote all of the songs on the album, staying away from jazz standards, which is all-too uncommon. The string section, consisting of a violin, viola and cello, make an appearance on some tracks, complementing the traditional piano, guitar and trumpet on other tracks. Contrasting her gentle vocal style and soft features, Kate straps on a mean eight-string guitar-bass hybrid, providing slow bass grooves to complete the tight rhythm section with tasteful drummer Dave Jamrog, who molds a bluesy-funky edge with the slow styling of jazz ballads. Whether it is at the wheel of your car during frantic rush hour or amidst a heated debate with a loved one, Kate will distract you with a soothing sound escape for the hungry soul. Nick MacMahon, staff