Now here’s a trio of bored sounding guys–once the hip-hop equivalent to the Rat Pack, now without any of the redeeming bonhomie, just marking time until the solo careers start. That means shuffling around the usual restatements of theme–"Hangover," "Party Ya Ass Off," uninspired production and regurgitated lyrics–hell, they might as well have put up the bar stools, shut out the lights and released a remix album if they wanted a decent send off.

Friday: Jane Bunnett, Radio Guantanamo, EMI.

Canadian soprano saxophonist Bunnett continues her dogged explorations in Afro-Cuban music, pulling in heavy duty jazz men like Howard Johnson (tuba) and Dewey Redman (tenor sax) for this particular tour of duty. Bunnett’s albums are always tasteful and imaginative, and this one’s no different, intertwining modern jazz, son rhythms, and Crescent City rhythm and blues in high spirited, soulful numbers like "New Orleans Under Water" and "Guantanamo Blues."

Saturday: Buttless Chaps, Where Night Holds Light, Mint.

At this point the Vancouver quintet (Radiogram/Great Aunt Ida multi-instrumentalist/singer Ida Nilsen joined a few months back) have completely subsumed the disparate new wave/electro and country influences that sometimes caused jarring instrumental pile-ups on past recordings. That takes some of the gleeful anarchy out of the sound (something I always liked) but it also forces you to consider the songs rather than the schtick, and the songs are damn good. "Cornered and Jaded" (with clanging guest guitar from Rheostatic Martin Tielli) sounds like Bowie’s "Heroes" filtered through Bill Callahan; "Movements" somehow catches a bit of Veda Hille’s whimsy on rolling piano chords and Dave Gowan’s stentorian baritone. It’s almost scary how good these guys are getting–catch them at The Black Dog on Wednesday, March 8th with David P Smith.

Sunday: Dave Lang, Big Mountain Indian Plains, Bush Party Records.

The Saskatchewan branch of the Carolyn Mark/Tolan McNeil axis of left field roots rockers keeps the prairie party hopping with a new batch of loopy, good humoured tunes. The vibe is right, the gang’s all here–Mark, McNeil, Garth Johnson, Paul Rigby–and you can’t find a more straightforward statement of lascivious purpose than "Going into Town" ("kissing on the dance floor just before I take her home...").

Monday: Darol Anger, Heritage, Six Degrees.

Alas, an impressive guest list–Willie Nelson, Jerry Douglas, Tony Trischka, Mary Chapin Carpenter among many–and an impressive pedigree (Anger is a monstrously talented violin player) does not necessarily make for interesting music. Sad to say, for all his good intentions, Anger’s re-envisioning of traditional old time tunes ("Oh Death," "Pretty Polly") is more boring than illuminating.

Tuesday: Safety Scissors, Tainted Lunch, Scape.

I know I would’ve bought it for the title alone, but this mostly one man (Matthew Curry) electro pop unit has more going for it than good taste in corny references–a knack for melody that similar knob twiddlers and keyboard hacks would kill for, a taste for antiquated synth sounds, and, best of all, a song about peeing your pants ("After Disaster").

Wednesday: Various Artists, Six Strings North of the Border Vol 3, Borealis.

The only way to describe this compilation of acoustic guitar tunes is nice, and I mean that in the most sincere way possible. Volume one ended up in my dad’s car, and that’s likely where this one will be bound, full as it is of dad-friendly, soothing, measured folk and country blues tunes played by notables of the genre: Amos Garrett, Harry Manx, Ken Whitely, even branching out to the West African sounds of Vancouver resident Alpha YaYa Diallo.