The Doctor Is In – Crash feat Dr Lonnie Smith – Cellar Live CL090603

I only found out about this album a few months ago, though it’s been out since 2004.

Crash is a Canadian band, working in Vancouver. Personnel is Corey Weeds (alto), Jerry Cook (tenor), Dave Sikula (guitar), Mark Humeniuk (bass) and Bernie Arai (drums); not a bunch of names to conjure with, but those guys can play! Apparently, they are Lonnie Smith’s backup musicians of choice when he’s in the area.

This is a record of one such gig, from September 2003, at the Cellar Jazz Club, owned by Weeds (as is the record label). And the night was pyracoustic! Crash support Lonnie like I’ve never heard any other band - really. The opening number – Nick’s Kick – a feverish groove that would kill you if you tried to dance to it for its 12 minutes – but how can you help it? – sets the tone for the whole set. All the tracks are long and give Crash members plenty of space to show their stuff, as well as featuring Lonnie. All the tunes are Lonnie’s (except maybe Nick’s Kick), and include a prototype of Your Mama’s Got a Complex which Lonnie recorded in the studio a few months later.

Phew! Only obtainable from CD Baby- Allan Moss

Arcade Fire - Neon Bible - URA210

Not for the faint-hearted this, as the whole album is pervaded by a sense of forthcoming disaster and a “they’re coming to get me” neurosis. Hence, I suppose, the track entitled Keep The Car Running and then, in the following title track, “Not much chance for survival/If the Neon Bible is Right.” I do find the album a bit repetitive but, on the whole, it’s a groove I’m happy to be in at the time. As you’d expect, it’s richly arranged with organs and strings, and all sounds rather majestic. This is not an album to listen to in a compressed format (what is?). When I heard it in MP3, I was definitely underwhelmed. On CD, it sounds grand and I guess it’s even better on vinyl.

Amid all the impending doom tracks, you’ll find Antichrist Television Blues which is, I think, about a father preparing to exploit his daughter as a child singer. It’s quite chilling in its calculations. Perhaps the disaster has already happened.