Gordon Downie ÒCoke Machine GlowÓ Universal/WienarArt Records

Fans of the Tragically Hip will be all over this CD, and with good reason. Their beloved, enigmatic, singular, sage poet has cranked out 16 songs for Coke Machine Glow, his first solo release. Not surprisingly, let loose alone (well, with lots of help from some musical heavy hitters É and filmmaker Atom Egoyan ... hmmm?), Downie has produced some blissfully beautiful songs here marked by intelligent, poignant, cryptic lyrics and trippy, elaborate, experimental sounds encased in angry buzz saw rants and sweet harmonic melodies. From rock to playful alt-country to acid-jazz-pop, what results is, sonically and lyrically, a record of great depth, one even non-Hip fans may appreciate.
Ñ John Pigeau

The Robert Cray Band ÒShoulda Been HomeÓ Rykodisc

This is Robert Cray at his best Ñ gritty and honest blues styled Southern soul. Cray is a blues artist with great talent and vision for the original and a purveyor of sweet soul music. The 12 tracks included on Shoulda Been Home, the follow-up to his Grammy-award winning Take Off Your Shoes, resound with Memphis soul and classic Cray blues É real, raw, passionate and timeless. ÑJ.P.

Leonard Cohen ÒField Commander Cohen: Tour of 1979Ó Sony Music

The 12 elegant live tracks on this CD were recorded while Leonard Cohen was on tour with members of the jazz-rock group Passenger. Featured are some classic Cohen songs: ÒBird On The Wire,Ó ÒSo Long, MarianneÓ and ÒHey, ThatÕs No Way To Say Goodbye.Ó CohenÕs richly poetic and passionate songs were performed with remarkable taste and skill on this tour, wonderfully unintrusive musically, aided by the angelic voices of Jennifer Warnes and Sharon Robinson. This is by far the best of CohenÕs live recordings Ñ this record is simply sublime. ÑJ.P.

Frog Holler ÒIdiotsÓ Record Cellar

With Idiots, their third album, the Philadelphia-based insurgent country sextet Frog Holler -- Darren Schlappich, John Kilgore, Josh Sceurman, Toby Martin, Ted Fenstermacher and Mike Lavdanski -- have taken some small but important leaps forward. Musically their songs are difficult to categorize. They fuse country, rock and alternative soundscapes, always acoustic, with often melancholic lyrics to produce some fiercely unique songs. Idiots should bring some well deserved attention to a clearly passionate and hard-working American band. ÑJ.P.

Solid For Sixty ÒThe Secret of MagnetsÓ Record Cellar

Five guys from Philadelphia that sound an awful lot like the Stones of the late Ô70s Ñ thatÕs Solid For Sixty (featuring members of Emily Valentine, the Original Sins and Buzz Zeemer). Lead Singer Gerry McGoldrick sings with a fiery, Jaggeresque urgency. The 10 tracks recorded here are magnets themselves Ñ unpretentious yet clever, punchy rock ÔnÕ roll gems, the best of which is ÒOnly One Awake.Ó The Secret of Magnets is fun and full of energy É what gut-level rock should be. ÑJ.P.

David Gray ÓLost SongsÓ BMG Music

The incredible worldwide success of David GrayÕs fourth album ÒWhite LadderÓ (featuring the catchy hit ÒBabylonÓ) has allowed the Manchester native to release some Lost Songs, which have been kicking around GrayÕs musical closet without so far having made it onto one of his records. Eleven solid, fresh-sounding, mostly acoustic (piano and guitar) tracks are the result. GrayÕs songs contain a hushed intensity brought out in spare, thoughtful lyrics Ñ ÒYou hit so hard on yourself / Cos you need someone to blameÓ Ñ and often mesmerizingly simple melodies. GrayÕs star is deservedly on the rise. Lucky for us he had the time to find and polish these Lost Songs. ÑJ.P.

Khan ÒNo ComprendoÓ Matador Recording under the name Khan, New York-based producer Can Oral has released a trippy techno-juiced record in No Comprendo. Khan recorded the music and let some of his favourite singers Ñ Jon Spencer, Diamanda Galas, Julee Cruise, Kid Congo Powers, Andre Williams, Francoise Cactus and Hanin Elias Ñ pop into the studio to add their own vocals. A spaced-out, cool, creepy techno-jam is the end result with some very funky vocals from the always hip Jon Spencer on ÒMonsterÓ and haunting screams and chanting by Diamanda Galas on the freaky yet absorbing ÒAman.ÓAt its best, No Comprendo is a dissolute, exotic, trance-enducing trip for the 4 a.m. club crowd. If thatÕs not your scene, move along. Ñ J.P.