CD Reviews

Land of Talk Applause Cheer Boo Hiss Rebel Group / 2007 ♥♥♥	The band, fronted by Elizabeth Powell (the daughter of a Canadian alligator wrestler, according to the band’s MySpace.com website), has a gritty garage-band sound, fuelled by a nostalgic female-grunge sound of the ’90s. Applause Cheer Boo Hiss, due to lack of funds from the record label and the band, was recorded in only three days. The pressure doesn’t seem to have affected the album, as there are numerous catchy songs, like “Summer Special” and “All My Friends,” and good vocals throughout. Powell’s childlike voice balances out the grittiness of instruments (lots of reverberation on her guitar), but still comes across as something that’s been heard before. Although catchy, the band’s sound has “been there, done that.” — Chelse McKee, staff
Various Artists Billie Holiday: Remixed And Reimagined Song Legacy / 2007 ♥♥♥♥	Billie Holiday probably would have been relieved had she known that almost 50 years after her death, her music would still be ranking among the year’s best releases. This album strikes the perfect chord between Holiday’s signature mourning vocals and modern-day electronica. On tracks like “More Than You Know” by Jazzeem and “Trav’lin’ All Alone” by Nickodemus, the hip-hop-oriented percussion and playful horn arrangements dominate, reducing the singer’s raspy yearning to an eerie background effect. Other tracks, like “Summertime” by Organica, instead showcase the irresistible catchiness of the original recordings. Some critics have argued that the compilation fails to do justice to the original recordings. The thick bass and percussion lines and excessive instrumentation that define this collection do at times take away from the sacredness of Holiday’s art. However, what disappoints the jazz fan will most likely satisfy fans of other genres — namely hip-hop, trance, and electronica. The beauty of this CD is that it doesn’t try to duplicate the originals, but instead uses them to create a sound that is itself unique. — Kyle Mooney, the Muse (Memorial University of Nfld.)
The Frames The Cost Anti- / 2007 ♥♥♥	Winnipegger’s can be forgiven if they didn’t see the recent music film Once. It only played for about a week at the Globe. But for those who did catch what “may well be the best music film of our generation,” (Chicago Tribune) the material on the latest release from Ireland’s The Frames is likely to sound familiar. In fact, The Cost represents the third iteration of some of these songs (they are also included on Once’s soundtrack and on The Swell Season – a release by the film’s stars, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova). Hansard isn’t a professional actor, in fact, his “day job” is as lead singer of The Frames. And with his group they revisit songs including “Falling Slowly” and “When Your Mind’s Made Up.” They are phenomenally beautiful songs and, in the context of the film, especially winning. But while The Cost may embellish the arrangements, it doesn’t really improve on Hansard and Irglova’s delicate and unadorned versions. Strings and layered guitars are wholly unnecessary in the face of Hansard singing affecting lyrics about pointing sinking boats towards home. The Cost is not a bad album, but I’d recommend saving your money for the Once soundtrack or a copy of the DVD. -Michael Elves