K-OS stands for "knowledge of self," and with this, his third album, the rapper known to his family as Kheaven Brereton has moved to the forefront of the "underground" / "conscious" hip-hop movement - by adhering to his own moniker. Armed with a fistful of Junos, Canada's equivalent of the Grammys, K-OS has fashioned his latest album with a heavy lyrical focus on what he calls "veracity, forgiveness, self-awareness". Soul-singing as well as rapping, the artist refreshingly minimizes the all-out boasting characteristic of most hip-hop albums, and certainly avoids the gangsta/bling posturing of mainstream rap. Rather, he focuses on messages of peace and forgiveness such as "The earth is a spaceship, spinning 'round and 'round/We're in it together/We can make it better/ Don't sweat it/Things swing with no vendettas". Even more prominent are self-revealing passages such as, "Every day is Saturday night/ But I can't wait for Sunday morning, Sunday morning," revealing his spiritual/family-oriented side. As is evident from the above two quotes, K-OS doesn't posture, get preachy or self-righteous. Rather, his approach leans toward subtlety and playfulness.

But it is not the lyrics that make this album an early contender for year-end top ten lists. Instead, it is the wide expanse of musical styles effortlessly covered. Encompassing funk, soul, swing, rock, rockabilly, and blues, K-OS effortlessly mixes genres, often within the same song. Opener "Electrik Heat" starts with a simply hip-hop beat supplied by bass and snare drums, along with scratching, over which the artist lays down a heady rap, under which there is the faint sound of 60's soul-styled singing. Eventually, the soul singing takes over and turns the song into a beauty. "The Rain" uses piano and synth-derived "strings" to create a soul ballad spiced with heavy, almost Hendrix-like electric guitar runs. "Flypaper" starts with a cartoon music intro which gives way to a slinky beat and a Fugees-styled pop song. "Eqaualizer" unbelievably uses the guitar chords from "Jailhouse Rock" as the musical foundation for a fantastic rap. And on and on it goes, incorporating styles ranging from Prince to the Police, acoustic soul to bluesy philosophizing. In sum, with Atlantis: Hymns For Disco, K-OS has emerged as a major talent, and this album is a major accomplishment.

Ever since Neil Young promised years ago that he would be putting out a variety of unreleased material from his personal archives, fans have been patiently waiting. Last year saw the first installment, with his Live From The Fillmore album with Crazy Horse. As good as that album was, with its pedal to the metal rock-out focus, Live From Massey Hall, the second installment, is even better. A 17-song strong all-acoustic set from 1971 drawn from two shows at the venue, this unbelievably pristine-sounding recording is everything Neil Young fans could want. Debuting a fistful of songs destined for his next album, Harvest, it also includes stunning renditions of solo and CSN&Y material. With his rich, quavering voice in full command, and switching between acoustic guitar and piano, Young sounds completely focused and seems to be reveling in the music he is creating. In addition, the between-song banter is often hilarious, always revealing, and certainly adds to the overall ambiance. Young has said that his producer, David Briggs, lobbied hard for this recording to be the album that followed Young's After The Gold Rush. Young, however, wanted to get Harvest out there. After listening to these tapes, however, he says he can see his producer's point. But that's not all: the deluxe edition of the album comes with a DVD of songs from the concerts, AND also includes Young's own latter-day commentary on the material. So if you're a Neil Young fan, this is a mandatory purchase. And if you're not a Neil Young fan, pick this one up and get with the program.