DUB B

Seareality

(Seareal Records)

**1/2

Seattle ain't Inglewood. So it's kind of a joke for Dub B to be repping the Emerald City so hard on his debut disc Seareality. However, for those willing to ignore the cheesy cover art and intro, Dub B is the real deal. He spits fast and true with a pop-friendly slant, especially on such dancefloor bangers as "Yippy Ky Yo," "For My," and "Ain't No Saying No." He drops smooth G-romance on "Reminisce," and "Love." And if Dub has any weakness, he's at least smart enough to get backup from a powerful crew including Kae-One, Luciano, SLS and Young Coley who step up to provide the grit. It may not be hard, but frankly I'm sick as shit of constantly getting the screwface. Dub B and the gang are smooth brothas who can still move the dance floor without clogging up your grill. WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY

METAL URBAIN

Anarchy in Paris!

(Acute Records)

****

Parisians Metal Urbain began playing punk together in '76 and were the first band to release a single on Rough Trade ("Paris Maquis" 7"). With minimal accolades, their rage-filled musical attack went on to inspire Big Black, and likely birthed modern industrial music. On record, Metal Urbain's sound is huge, from their ticking, whirring drum machine to their snarling fuzzed-out guitars. In an effort to create their futuristic sound, nothing goes unprocessed; even their shouted vocals, in French, wear an aura of tasteful effects. Struggling against the blasé Paris of the late '70s, they strove to fill the world with angry analog robot songs. Happily, Acute Records and Metal Urbain mastermind Eric Debris have remastered and amassed all available material from these furious Frenchmen. The brilliant result, Anarchy in Paris!, is a complete anthology and has extensive liner notes, allowing you to fill in the blanks about this enigmatic band. LANCE CHESS

AIR

Talkie Walkie

(Virgin)

**

When all was said and done following 2001's genre-dabbling 10,000 HZ. Legend, the impeccably adorned ideas of the French duo known as Air somehow got lost in the translation--which is to say, despite what you may have read in certain reviews, this was not a Pink Floyd record. But they tried, monsieur, they really did. Unfortunately in the years since their 1998 instant classic Moon Safari, it still maintains that there is only one way to look at Air, and that's while lying flat on your back. To the surprise of nearly no one, this is where Talkie Walkie should find most fans--eyes closed or teeth clenched--as its sleepy and sexy maneuvers in the dark result in another album full of post-modern muzak. Light on the melodies, heavy on the computer-generated beauty, and totally up their own arses--this is yet again the soundtrack to your niece's next shopping spree at Urban Outfitters. TREVOR KELLEY

**** Chinese Fire Drill

*** Chinese Checkers

** Chinese Finger Trap

* Chinese Water Torture