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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 21, 2007

BLACK FRANCIS:

BLUEFINGER

(COOKING VINYL) ***

Charles 'Frank Black' Thompson resurrects his nom de Pixies Black Francis for this tribute to Dutch musician-artist Herman Brood.

Brood's lust for sex and drugs as well as his work are explored in these songs, which have a sense of danger that's been lacking in Black's work since the days of the Pixies.

The music matches Black's giddy tales of hard drugs, hard sex and the hard pavement that ended Brood's life when he leapt from a hotel window in 2001. 'Bluefinger' isn't the long-awaited new Pixies album, but it's full of the jagged pop songs and lurid lyrics that made Black's old band so beloved.

Download this: 'Threshold Apprehension'
Curtis Ross
M.I.A.:

KALA

(XL) **

M.I.A.'s back story is her hook: She is the London-born daughter of a Tamil revolutionary in Sri Lanka and bounced from country to country growing up.

She tapped into that multifaceted past for her 2005 debut, 'Arular,' which earned raves for its eclectic beats and controversy for its political rap lyrics.

It's those lyrics that led to her being denied entry to the United States, where she was to work with Timbaland. Instead, she traveled the world and used the sounds of Asia and Africa as a canvas for 'Kala.'

The experimentation works well on songs such as 'Bamboo Banger' and 'Boyz,' but at times comes off as just noise when combined with her hard-to-decipher vocals.

Download this: 'XR2'

Joinville Michel

TERENCE BLANCHARD:

A TALE OF GOD'S WILL (A REQUIEM FOR KATRINA)

(BLUE NOTE) ****

Two years after Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Terence Blanchard releases a powerful and moving reflection on the catastrophe, adding perspective to the pain and loss suffered by thousands.

With the help of his quintet and the Northwest Sinfonia, Blanchard, a trumpeter and New Orleans native, creates a melancholic tempo and rhythm. The eloquent compositions paint a picture of fear, despair and disbelief.

This is a thoughtful and well-organized disc. The symphony score reminds me of the work by Miles Davis and Gil Evans in 'Sketches of Spain' and 'Porgy and Bess.'

The emotional strength of the work is rich, sincere and an homage to the people of Louisiana and Mississippi.

Download this: 'Levees'

Jose Patino Girona

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