Rock
Franz Ferdinand
Tonight: Franz Ferdinand
(Epic)
****
In 2007, Scottish rockers Franz Ferdinand recorded a cover of “All My Friends” by James Murphy’s ultra-slick dance punk project LCD Soundsystem. What seemed like a lark at the time has now become the unlikely centrepiece of FF’s sound; their third album, Tonight: Franz Ferdinand, is watermarked all over with the heavy pulse of Bob Hardy’s bass and Paul Thomson’s newly clipped, skittering drums. It’s a surprisingly well-suited and exciting sound for the quartet. (This kind of appropriation is usually called the anxiety of influence, but there’s not much in the way of discomfort — it’s all oozed confidence here, all cool.) “Ulysses” is one of the best results, where singer/guitarist Alex Kapranos channels those ever-tempting Greek sirens, whispering “C’mon, let’s get high” as the drums, guitar, and synths lock into an irresistible assault. Some of the lesser variations get a little samey, but more subdued songs like “Send Him Away” and “Dream Again” provide welcome cool-down moments.
If their past albums are any indication, the biggest problem facing Tonight is longevity. After all, both their self-titled debut and 2005’s You Could Have It So Much Better sounded fresh and essential when they first came out; now they seem fun but slight, and ultimately disposable. Hopefully the new album can transcend all that, but since we won’t know for sure until 2010, I’ll hedge my bets: consider the above rating time-stamped.
MICHAEL HINGSTON

Folk
J. Tillman
Vacilando Territory Blues
(Western Vinyl)
***1/2
Josh Tillman, drummer/singer of Fleet Foxes, has been quietly putting out folk records for years. His latest release, Vacilando Territory Blues, feels like a mix between Songs Ohia and The Band, ranging from loner folk to more fleshed-out folk-rock. On “First Born,” Tillman matches his haunting, whispery vocals with soothing acoustic guitar. The more Band-like tracks “James Blues” and “Steel on Steel” show that Tillman is equally deft at more ambitious compositions (which should not come as a surprise to anyone who’s listened to a Fleet Foxes track). “New Imperial Grand” bumps up the sound to bouncing, old-timey country-rock, followed by the incredibly sparse sounds of “Master’s House.” That’s the only problem with Vacillando Territory Blues: inconsistency. There are some excellent songs on this album, but the pacing and flow are distractingly uneven. It’s certainly worth a listen, but with more focus Tillman could create something truly great.
MIKE DEANE

Indie
The Donefors
How To Have Sex With Canadians
(Independent)
***
The DoneFors’ debut album isn’t some kind of creepy instruction manual — no Cana Sutra here, thankfully. It is, however, an eclectic mix of Canadiana sailing to many a musical port, from the bossa nova-flavoured “The Narrator” to the quirky modern folk of “The Last Thing You Do.” “Red Fish” stands out as a slinky jazz-club number that makes a Fiona Apple-ish brooding descent into self-discovery as the slow rumble of Liam Smith’s electric bass underscores Janine Stoll’s wispy moan of “You’re a homicidal maniac and I love you.” While other tracks have similarly dark and twisted lyrics, some feel crisp, young, and innocent, like “In a Cornfield”’s tumbling “Kiss me deep until there are no kisses left.” Bands always wish critics couldn’t tag ’em but we generally do anyway. The DoneFors, however, have the distinction of being genuinely hard to classify. Sometimes folky, sometimes poppy, sometimes jazzy, Sex With Canadians is just merge-y experimental fun.
KATHLEEN BELL

Tribute
Phosphorescent
To Willie
(Dead Oceans)
***1/2
The title and cover art for this new album from Matthew Houck invoke the classic 1977 album To Lefty From Willie, in which Willie Nelson paid tribute to honkytonk legend Lefty Frizzell. That album was a tip of the hat from a chart-topping star directed toward a performer whose name had sadly lapsed into obscurity. Now, even 30 years later, Willie Nelson is hardly a name that needs to be reintroduced to anybody — but To Willie is still an excellent reminder of the down-to-earth humanity of Nelson’s music and his ability to evoke a world of regretful heartache in just a few well-chosen phrases. In Nelson’s songs, when you break up with the person you love, you don’t just feel lonely; you’re “Permanently Lonely.”
I don’t know if anyone will be recording a Phosphorescent tribute LP 30 years from now — although 2007’s Pride is a damn good album — but I can certainly imagine having a bad day in 2039, pouring myself a drink, and consoling myself to the sounds of To Willie.
PAUL MATWYCHUK