What better time for a Roxy revival? Although England’s elegant art-rockers are getting rather long in the tooth, with dapper Bryan Ferry now 55 and looking it, their brand of lush romantic pop just seems so well suited to sultry summer nights. This 18-track compilation, featuring the sensuous hits “Avalon” and “Love is the Drug,” serves as a teaser to Roxy’s upcoming world tour—the band’s first since 1983.
Nothing like a little sibling rivalry to get the creative juices flowing. Barber’s younger sister Jill has been kicking his ass lately, winning awards and acclaim for her album Oh Heart. Matthew, a onetime philosophy masters student, has responded with a strong collection of thoughtful songs that showcase his considerable songwriting gifts. “Easily Bruised” is a gentle rocker about emotional vulnerability, while the gospel-tinged “Our Voices” and the hymn-like “Where the River Bends” share an impressive resonance. Mar. 4
Edwards’ songs are compelling, character-rich short stories—think of her as the Alice Munro of Canadian pop. Previously, Edwards has crafted gritty police dramas like “In State” and “Six O’Clock News.” Here, she offers tales of draft dodgers (“Oil Man’s War”), childhood fears (“Scared at Night”) and a mother’s lessons to her daughter (the poignant “Run”). But Edwards is also adept at dealing with real-life subject matter: her stark song about a murdered Ontario woman, “Alicia Ross,” packs an emotional wallop.
The group bills itself as “the World’s Greatest Party Band.” And, true, The B-52s brought beehive hairdos, space-age riffs and Fellini-esque humor to the new-wave party, highlighted by the absurdist 1978 hit “Rock Lobster.” The band’s first original album in 16 years proves that these veterans still know how to have fun. “Deviant Ingredient” is a giddy cocktail crawl, while “Hot Corner” is a hyperactive, Hives-like romp. But there’s also subversion songs like the title track, about the dark side of shopping-mall culture. Feb. 26
Denmark’s royal couple of retro-pop returns with their sinfully twisted take on Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound. Dispensing with novelty (their first albums featured three-minute songs all written in either B-flat minor or B-flat major), Sharin Foo and Sune Rose Wagner concentrate here on crafting haunting classics like “Aly, Walk with Me.” Hints of Buddy Holly (“Hallucinations”) and the Shangri-las (“Blitzed”) still persist, but the artful pair now prefers the eroticism of dark bubblegum like “You Want the Candy.” Feb. 19
Since the dissolution of The Kinks, the satirical bard of English pop culture has kept busy writing books, making films and staging a one-man show. On his second solo album since getting shot in New Orleans, Davies takes aim at globalization (“Vietnam Cowboys”) and bureaucracy (“No One Listen”) and offers wistful views on middle age (“Imaginary Man”) and changing times (the Cockney-tinged title track). And on the poignant “One More Time,” Davies sounds like Ron Sexsmith’s dad—only way cooler. Feb. 19
Twenty years. Ten albums. Blue Rodeo’s recordings are as constant—and comforting—as the changing seasons. The group’s latest marks a return to its acoustic roots, after the soul-inflected Palace of Gold. Standout tracks include Jim Cuddy’s sweet ode to his wife, “Rena,” Greg Keelor’s confessional “Stuck on You” and the chiming Diamond Mine-era discovery “Beverley Street.” Most surprising is Keelor’s haunting folksong “Paedra’s Meadow,” featuring the Celtic pipes and flute of The Chieftains’ Paddy Moloney.
As a blue-collar burg, Hamilton, Ont. is best known for hard rock and boogie bands. A Northern Chorus could bring Steeltown a gentler sonic reputation. Led by singer-guitarist Stu Livingstone and featuring cellist Alex McMaster, the sextet crafts dreamy chamber pop. At times, the poetry is precious and the group’s atmospheric, experimental soundscapes too reminiscent of Sigur Rós and Radiohead. But when Livingstone sings “winterize the scenes that leave you numb,” his woolen toque seems to fit just perfectly.
Sid Vicious once butchered Anka’s “My Way.” Now, Canada’s original crooner—godfather to Michael Bublé and Matt Dusk—swings back at the rock repertoire. Giving middle-of-the-road songs like Van Halen’s “Jump” and Bon Jovi’s “It’s My Life” (which references “My Way”) the Las Vegas lounge treatment is not a huge stretch, but Anka’s peppy, finger-snapping versions of Oasis’ “Wonderwall” and Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” are surprisingly effective. Grunge swings? If only Kurt Cobain knew.
An unsung heroine of Canadian music, DeBolt is a one-of-a-kind artist who has never shied from creative risks. From her folk duo Fraser & DeBolt in the early ’70s to her polka, gospel, blues and jazz albums, she’s stuck to her singular, eccentric vision. Her latest features songs co-written with Michael Ondaatje (“Midnight Highway,” “Joe Christmas”), a stunning “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and a chilling ode to her mother that she recorded in a swamp—with only crickets and her mandolin for accompaniment.
