The Lonely Goatherd Blog And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats - Matthew 25:32
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November 10, 2009
New CD Album Releases, 11-10-2009: Tori Amos, Bon Jovi, The Jackson 5, The Kinks Top new album this week is a "seasonal" not Christmas album from Tori Amos, Midwinter Graces. It has workings of a couple of actual Christmas songs, like "Star of Wonder" with other old winter songs and original compositions.
The Jackson 5 I Want You Back! Unreleased Masters appears to contain at least five unreleased original songs recorded by the early Jackson 5, as well as various alternate takes and a Stevie Wonder cover ("Buttercup"). I'm at least somewhat interested in Ray Davies & the Crouch End Festival Chorus The Kinks Choral Collection. It has orchestral arrangements of Kinks classics, including "Waterloo Sunset" and Celluloid Heroes."
Here's the complete list of this week's major new CD album releases:
AC/DC Backtracks Columbia/Albert Productions Aussie Rock, Album Rock, Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, Arena Rock
Bon Jovi The Circle Island Contemporary Pop/Rock, Arena Rock
The Cribs Ignore the Ignorant Warner Bros. Indie Rock
Dashboard Confessional Alter the Ending Vagrant/DGC/Interscope Emo-Pop, Alternative Pop/Rock
The Jackson 5 I Want You Back! Unreleased Masters Motown Pop-Soul, Motown, Soul, AM Pop
Snow Patrol Up to Now Fiction/Geffen Alternative Pop/Rock, Indie Rock
Britney Spears The Singles Collection [Jive] Jive Pop, Teen Pop, Dance-Pop, Adult Contemporary, Contemporary Pop/Rock
100 Proof (Aged in Soul) Somebody's Been Sleeping/100 Proof Aged in Soul Edsel Funk, Soul
Lisa Moore Julia Wolfe: Dark Full Ride Cantaloupe Contemporary Chamber Music
Jason Mraz Jason Mraz's Beautiful Mess: Live on Earth Atlantic Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter
Bryan Pezzone Sudoku 82 Cold Blue Contemporary Keyboard Music
Original Soundtrack 2012 [Soundtrack] RCA Film Music, Soundtracks
Original Soundtrack Californication: Season 3 Lakeshore Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, TV Music, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, TV Soundtracks, Garage Rock, Hard Rock, Punk
Original Soundtrack A Christmas Story [Rhino] Rhino Holidays, Original Score, Film Music, Christmas
Pants Yell! Received Pronunciation Slumberland Indie Pop
Dolly Parton Live from London Dolly Contemporary Country, Country-Pop, Traditional Country
Oscar Peterson Debut: The Clef/Mercury Duo Recordings 1949-1951 Verve/Hip-O Select Mainstream Jazz, Bop
Grant Lee Phillips Ladies' Love Oracle Yep Roc Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Americana
Porcupine Tree Up the Downstair Delerium Art Rock, Experimental Rock, Post-Rock
Radian Chimeric Thrill Jockey Post-Rock
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Xenophanes Rodriguez Lopez Productions Experimental Rock, Post-Rock
Switchfoot Hello Hurricane Atlantic Alternative CCM, Alternative Pop/Rock, Post-Grunge, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Koko Taylor What It Takes: The Chess Years [Expanded Edition] [Bonus Tracks] Hip-O Select/Geffen Modern Electric Chicago Blues, Electric Chicago Blues, Chicago Blues
New CD Album Releases, 11-3-2009: Rickie Lee Jones, Weezer, Carrie Underwood, Morrissey Top likely pick unheard this week would be Balm in Gilead from the venerable Rickie Lee Jones. Like anyone, some of her albums are better than others, but she's just two years out from the outstanding The Sermon On Exposition Blvd. The little bits I've heard sound like the album is intended to be calming - a balm.
Carrie Underwood is back with Play On. I know that I'm prejudiced against anything American Idol related, because I'm into music. So I try to overcome this prejudice by at least giving the samples a listen. Crikey, is this stuff just awful. And by awful, I mean unbelievably bland and generic. She's theoretically a "country" singer, but this crapola is absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with any American rural music tradition. This is less country - and less catchy - even than old Shania Twain records.
This leads me to wonder how it is that so many American Idols have sold so many damned records. You would think that anyone stupid enough to want to spend money on an American Idol would be too stupid to maintain even a job at McDonald's to pay for them. Perhaps they're buying these things out of their welfare checks.
Weezer has a new album called Raditude. I've tried listening to them, but except for the half-assed "Buddy Holly" song, I couldn't teller you another one of their mediocre at best songs. But perhaps this is a masterpiece.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new CD album releases:
Amerie In Love & War Mercury Contemporary R&B, Pop
Julian Casablancas Phrazes for the Young RCA New Wave/Post-Punk Revival, Indie Rock
Glee Cast Glee: The Music, Vol. 1 Columbia Soundtracks, TV Soundtracks, Cast Recordings
Nirvana Bleach [Deluxe Edition] Sub Pop Grunge, Alternative Pop/Rock
Nirvana Live at Reading [CD/DVD] DGC/UMe Grunge, Alternative Pop/Rock
Original Soundtrack Fantastic Mr. Fox [Soundtrack] ABKCO Soundtracks, Children's Folk, Traditional Folk, Film Music, British Invasion
The Rolling Stones Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out [40th Anniversary Deluxe Box Set] ABKCO Pop/Rock, Blues-Rock, Rock & Roll, Album Rock, Hard Rock
Say Anything Say Anything RCA Punk-Pop, Emo-Pop
Slayer World Painted Blood American Speed Metal, Heavy Metal, Thrash
Carrie Underwood Play On Sony Pop Idol, Contemporary Country, Adult Contemporary
Weezer Raditude DGC/Interscope Alternative Pop/Rock, Punk-Pop
The Almost Monster Monster Tooth & Nail/Virgin Alternative CCM, Post-Hardcore, Post-Grunge
Bee Gees Ultimate Bee Gees: The 50th Anniversary Collection Reprise Pop/Rock, AM Pop, Baroque Pop, Soft Rock, Disco, Adult Contemporary
Devo Freedom of Choice [Bonus Tracks] Warner Bros. Dance-Rock, American Punk, Post-Punk, New Wave, Synth Pop
Devo Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! [Bonus Tracks] Warner Bros. American Underground, American Punk, Punk/New Wave, Post-Punk, New Wave, Dance-Rock
Kate Earl Kate Earl [11 Tracks] Universal Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Neo-Soul
Los Fabulosos Cadillacs El Arte de La Elegancia de LFC Nacional Rock en Español
Foo Fighters Greatest Hits RCA Alternative/Indie-Rock, Post-Grunge, Grunge, Alternative Pop/Rock
Grampall Jookabox Dead Zone Boys Asthmatic Kitty Experimental Rock, Indie Rock
Kathy Griffin Suckin' It for the Holidays Music With A Twist Standup Comedy
Emmanuelle Haim George Frideric Handel: La Resurrezione Virgin Classics Baroque Oratorio
Halford Halford III: Winter Songs Metal God Holiday, Carols, Heavy Metal, Christmas
Isaac Hayes Shaft [Deluxe Edition] [Bonus Track] Stax Blaxploitation, Funk, Soul
Hell Rell Live from Hell MME Hardcore Rap, East Coast Rap, Gangsta Rap
Taylor Hollingsworth Life with a Slow Ear Team Love Alternative Singer/Songwriter
Jussi Jaatinen The Minimalists Mode Contemporary Chamber Music
Paavo Jarvi Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 6 & 2 RCA Red Seal Romantic Symphonies
Rickie Lee Jones Balm in Gilead Fantasy Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Pop/Rock
Simon Keenlyside Schumann: Dichterliebe; Brahms: Lieder Sony Classics Romantic Vocal Music
Ryan Leslie Transition Casablanca/Universal Motown Contemporary R&B, Pop
Little Dragon Machine Dreams Peacefrog Indie Electronic, Alternative Dance
Vera Lynn We'll Meet Again: Very Best of Vera Lynn [Decca UK] Decca Vocal Pop, Nostalgia, Traditional Pop
The Mary Onettes Islands Labrador Swedish Pop/Rock, Indie Rock
Molina & Johnson Molina & Johnson Secretly Canadian Indie Rock, Indie Folk
Morrissey Swords Polydor/UMe Alternative Pop/Rock
Nile Those Whom the Gods Detest Nuclear Blast Heavy Metal, Death Metal/Black Metal
On Fillmore Extended Vacation Dead Oceans Post-Rock/Experimental, Instrumental Rock
Original Soundtrack Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Have Yourself a Meaty Little Christmas Williams Street Christmas, Song Parody
Original TV Soundtrack NCIS: The Official TV Soundtrack, Vol. 2 CBS Television Music, TV Soundtracks
Plumb Beautiful History: A Hits Collection [2 Disc] Curb Alternative Pop/Rock, Christian Rock, CCM, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative CCM, Post-Grunge
The Residents Ten Little Piggies Cryptic/MVD Audio Avant-Prog, Experimental Rock
The Residents The Ughs! Cryptic/MVD Audio Avant-Prog, Experimental Rock
Max Richter Memoryhouse Fatcat Electronica, Classical
Shwayze Let It Beat Suretone/Geffen Party Rap, Pop-Rap
Frank Sinatra Sinatra: New York [Box Set] [4CD/1DVD] Reprise Vocal Jazz, Tin Pan Alley Pop, Traditional Pop, Standards, American Popular Song, Vocal Pop, Swing, Ballads, Show Tunes
New CD Album Releases, 10-27-2009: Del McCoury, Dolly Parton, Sting, Michael Jackson The big find this week is Los Lobos Goes Disney. Obviously, this outstanding and flavorful band coupled with some of the best pop songs of the last six or seven decades offers many choice goodies. "The Bare Necessities" rocks righteously. They pick also several lesser known songs from the canon, including "Grim Grinning Ghosts" and "The Ugly Bug Ball." I'm particularly pleased to note that they picked two songs from the Robin Hood movie, which is to say Roger Miller songs. I'm a little disappointed though that they didn't take a crack at "The Phony King of England," which would seem like the most obvious song for them there. But it's all good, however you want to look at it.
Sting has a Christmas album, If on a Winter's Night.... It's got two new Sting compositions, but mostly really old stuff, obscure enough stuff that I don't know any of it. Some of this stuff goes back to at least the 14th century, and he's after at least some modern incarnation of very old traditional English sounds. He's obviously consciously avoided anything holly and jolly, looking for somber invocations of the season and the Christ child. I tend to think of Sting as becoming progressively way too precious over his career, but this is perhaps where such traits pay off.
Also, there's the soundtrack to the new film of Michael Jackson's big concert rehearsal film Michael Jackson's This Is It. There seems to be one actual new song, and I'm to understand that the recordings are mostly not new live recordings, but basically backing tracks of the hit recordings to which the live dance rehearsals were set.
Here's the complete list of this week's new CD album releases:
Devendra Banhart What Will We Be Warner Bros. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Acid Folk, Neo-Psychedelia, Lo-Fi
Broadcast & the Focus Group Broadcast & the Focus Group Investigate Witch Cults of the Radio Age Warp Ambient Pop, Dream Pop, Post-Rock/Experimental, Indie Electronic
Creed Full Circle Wind-Up Post-Grunge
Gov't Mule By a Thread Evil Teen Jam Bands, Hard Rock, Blues-Rock
Heavy Trash Midnight Soul Serenade Big Legal Mess Rockabilly Revival, Garage Punk
Michael Jackson Michael Jackson's This Is It Epic Club/Dance, Pop/Rock, Motown, Dance-Pop
Dolly Parton Dolly [RCA/Legacy] Legacy Country-Folk, Country-Pop, Progressive Country, Traditional Country, Contemporary Country
R.E.M. Live at the Olympia [2CD/1DVD] Warner Bros. Alternative Pop/Rock, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
The Swell Season Strict Joy Anti Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter
U2 The Unforgettable Fire [Super Deluxe Edition] Island/Universal Album Rock, Post-Punk, Pop/Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock, College Rock
Wolfmother Cosmic Egg DGC/Interscope/Modular Stoner Metal, Heavy Metal, Alternative Metal, Hard Rock
3 Revisions Metal Blade Alternative Metal, Progressive Metal
Matias Aguayo Ay Ay Ay Kompakt Left-Field House, Club/Dance, Experimental Techno
Tony Allen/Jimi Tenor Inspiration Information, Vol. 4 Strut Clubjazz, Afro-Beat, Contemporary Reggae, World Fusion
Atreyu Congregation of the Damned Hollywood Alternative Metal, Death Metal/Black Metal, Screamo
Between the Buried and Me The Great Misdirect Victory Alternative Metal, Post-Hardcore
Boat Setting the Paces Magic Marker Indie Rock, Indie Pop
James Brown Live at the Garden [Expanded Edition] Hip-O Select Funk, Soul
Sara Davis Buechner Jazz Nocturne: The Collected Piano Music of Dana Suesse E1 Modern Piano Music
A Day to Remember Homesick Victory Post-Hardcore, Heavy Metal
Dave Douglas A Single Sky Green Leaf Post-Bop
Melissa Etheridge A New Thought for Christmas [Deluxe Edition] [CD/DVD] Island Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Christmas
The Blind Boys of Alabama Duets Saguaro Road Traditional Gospel, Southern Gospel, Black Gospel, Reggae Gospel, Country Gospel, Blues Gospel
The Blind Boys of Alabama Enlightenment Great American Traditional Gospel, Southern Gospel, Black Gospel
Rosie Flores Girl of the Century Bloodshot Americana, Alternative Country, Neo-Traditionalist Country, Honky Tonk
Garage a Trois Power Patriot Telarc Post-Bop
Egberto Gismonti Saudacoes ECM Brazilian Folk, Brazilian Jazz, Modern Composition
Sarah Lee Guthrie & Family Go Waggaloo Smithsonian/Folkways Children's Folk, Sing-Along
Everette Harp First Love Shanachie Straight-Ahead Jazz, Smooth Jazz
Hem Twelfth Night RCA/Nettwerk Musicals, Contemporary Celtic
New CD Album Releases, 10-20-2009: Lyle Lovett, Timothy B. Schmit, Tim McGraw Ever lovin' Lyle Lovett is back this week with Natural Forces. Notably, he seems to have made a relatively stripped down sound, taking leave of his Large Band approach. He seems to be in a fairly playful mood, what with Farmer Brown choking his chicken and speculating about a lover whom he suspects of cheating with the condiments and admonishes to keep it in their "Pantry."
Eagle Timothy B Schmit has an album Expando. What I've heard doesn't sound particularly distinctive in any way. But this is as close to an Eagles album you're getting anytime soon, if you are one of the many who still care about such things. It can't be any worse than that last crappy Eagles studio album.
Also, Tim McGraw is back with Southern Voice. I know he's sold a buttload of records, but danged if I could tell you a single song. Anyway, he's a country singer - that one that wears the cowboy hat, I think.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new CD album releases:
Terri Clark The Long Way Home TLC/Capitol Contemporary Country, Country-Pop, Neo-Traditionalist Country
Jay Farrar and Benjamin Gibbard One Fast Move or I'm Gone Atlantic/F-Stop Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Country-Rock, Americana
Flight of the Conchords I Told You I Was Freaky Sub Pop Comedy Rock
Florence and the Machine Lungs Island Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Indie Rock
Lyle Lovett Natural Forces Lost Highway Alternative Country, Contemporary Country
Tim McGraw Southern Voice Curb Contemporary Country, Country-Pop, Neo-Traditionalist Country
Original Soundtrack New Moon [Soundtrack] Atlantic Indie Folk, Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Indie Rock, Soundtracks, Alternative Pop/Rock
Timothy B. Schmit Expando Lost Highway Soft Rock, Country-Rock
Sufjan Stevens The BQE Asthmatic Kitty Classical Crossover
Atlas Sound Logos Kranky Post-Rock/Experimental, Experimental Rock, Indie Rock
Basshunter Bass Generation Ultra Alternative Dance, Club/Dance, Euro-Dance
Bauhaus In the Flat Field [Omnibus Edition] 4AD Post-Punk, Goth Rock
Bauhaus Mask [Omnibus Edition] Beggars Banquet Post-Punk, Goth Rock
Jello Biafra & the Guantanamo School of Medicine The Audacity of Hype Alternative Tentacles American Underground, Hardcore Punk, Alternative Pop/Rock, Punk Revival
Bomshel Fight Like a Girl Curb Contemporary Country, Country-Pop
Amy Briggs David Rakowski: Etudes, Vol. 3 Bridge Contemporary Piano Music
Sam Bush Circles Around Me Sugar Hill Contemporary Bluegrass, Country-Folk, Progressive Bluegrass
Henson Cargill On the Road: The Mega Years Plus Omni Recording Corporation Country-Pop, Progressive Country, Traditional Country
The Carpenters 40/40 A&M AM Pop, Soft Rock
Cartel Cycles Wind-Up Emo-Pop
Leonard Cohen Live at the Isle of Wight 1970 [CD/DVD] Columbia/Legacy Singer/Songwriter
Converge Axe to Fall Epitaph Hardcore Punk
The Cult Love [Omnibus Edition] Beggars Banquet Alternative Pop/Rock, College Rock, Goth Rock, Hard Rock
New CD Album Releases, 10-13-2009: Flaming Lips, Bob Dylan, Brian Setzer God bless the Flaming Lips, one of the most underrated bands of the modern era. The authors of "Sponge Bob and Patrick Confront the Psychic Wall of Energy" and "A Spoonful Weighs a Ton" are back with Embryonic. This is one of only three or four acts working today on whom I would spend actual money on a new album unheard. I'm waiting with baited breath for this to show up from Amazon.
The #4 album at Amazon currently is Christmas in the Heart from Bob Dylan. He's made an album of traditional Christmas songs with with rich instruments and warm harmony vocals. The idea of Bob Dylan seriously singing "Here Comes Santa Claus" sounds freaky - which is an argument for it. On the other hand, his voice is so far shot at this late date that he sounds like a parody of Tom Waits. I just don't know what to think of this - which is a good thing, if I have to think on it.
Brian Setzer is back with his groovy orchestra and an album of original songs intended to sound like 1940's and 50's film noir music, Songs from Lonely Avenue.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases:
Bob Dylan Christmas in the Heart Columbia Christmas, Americana, Rock & Roll
The Flaming Lips Embryonic Warner Bros. Noise Pop, Neo-Psychedelia, Alternative Pop/Rock, Experimental Rock
Hall & Oates Do What You Want Be What You Are: The Music of Daryl Hall & John Oates RCA/Legacy Blue-Eyed Soul, Pop/Rock, Soft Rock, Dance-Rock, Adult Contemporary
Mario D.N.A. J-Records Contemporary R&B, Pop
Nellie McKay Normal as Blueberry Pie: A Tribute to Doris Day Verve Cabaret, Vocal Pop, Vocal Jazz, American Popular Song
Ben Allison Think Free Palmetto Modern Creative, Avant-Garde Jazz
Gregg Allman The Solo Years 1973-1997: One More Silver Dollar Raven Album Rock, Southern Rock, Blues-Rock, Rock & Roll
David Archuleta Christmas from the Heart Jive Christmas, Vocal Pop, Adult Contemporary
Joan Baez How Sweet the Sound Razor & Tie Folk Revival, Political Folk, Traditional Folk, Contemporary Folk
Baroness Blue Record Relapse Sludge Metal, Progressive Metal, Alternative Metal, Heavy Metal, Post-Hardcore
Beaten Awake Thunder$troke Fat Possum Records Indie Rock
Bowling for Soup Sorry for Partyin' Jive Punk-Pop, Punk Revival
Jack Bruce Seven Moons Live Ruf Hard Rock, Blues-Rock
Various Artists Nick Cave's Jukebox United States Of Distribution Album Rock, Prewar Blues, Swamp Blues, Nashville Sound/Countrypolitan, Delta Blues, Prewar Country Blues, Folk-Rock, Progressive Country, Cowboy, Old-Timey, Acoustic Blues, Rock & Roll
Nels Cline/G.E. Stinson Elevating Device Sounds Are Active Avant-Garde Jazz, Free Improvisation, Modern Free, Avant-Garde, Modern Creative
Charlie Daniels Joy to the World: A Bluegrass Christmas Koch Christmas, Bluegrass
Dead by Sunrise Out of Ashes Warner Bros. Alternative Pop/Rock, Hard Rock
Del the Funky Homosapien/Tame One Parallel Uni-Verses Gold Dust Media Alternative Rap, Underground Rap
Ariana Delawari Lion of Panjshir David Lynch Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Indie Folk, Indie Rock
The Destro Harmony of Discord Metal Blade Grindcore, Death Metal/Black Metal
Neil Diamond A Cherry Cherry Christmas Sony Christmas, Vocal Pop, Adult Contemporary
Bob Dylan Christmas in the Heart [Deluxe Version] Columbia Americana, Christmas, Rock & Roll
Linda Eder Soundtrack Verve Movie Themes, Adult Contemporary, Show Tunes
Five for Fighting Slice Sony Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Adult Contemporary
Valery Gergiev Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture; Moscow Cantata; Slavonic March Mariinsky Russian Romantic Orchestral & Choral Music
John Gorka So Dark You See Red House Contemporary Folk
Har Mar Superstar Dark Touches Mega Force Indie Rock, Left-Field Hip-Hop
The Jackson 5 Ultimate Christmas Collection Motown Motown, Christmas, Holiday
Joglaresa Dreams of Andalusia Metronome Medieval Vocal Music
Sharon Kam Brahms: Sonatas & Trio Berlin Classics Romantic Chamber Music
King Crimson In the Court of the Crimson King [2 CD] Discipline Global Mobile Album Rock, Prog-Rock/Art Rock
Kottonmouth Kings Hidden Stash 4-20: Suburban Noize Suburban Noize Rap-Metal, Post-Grunge, Alternative Metal, Funk Metal
Shawn Lee & Clutchy Hopkins Fascinating Fingers Ubiquity Big Beat, Electronica, Neo-Soul, Funky Breaks
Los Lonely Boys 1969 Playing in Traffic/Mega Force Roots Rock, Tex-Mex
Barry Manilow In the Swing of Christmas Hallmark Pop/Rock, Soft Rock, Adult Contemporary, Christmas, Holiday
Erin McKeown Hundreds of Lions Righteous Babe Alternative Folk, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter
James McMurtry Live in Europe Lightning Rod Americana, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Alternative Country, Roots Rock
Thao with the Get Down Stay Down Know Better Learn Faster Kill Rock Stars Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Indie Pop
1997 Notes from Underground Victory Emo, Indie Rock
Jessica Ryckewaert Percutronique Fuga Libera Modern & Contemporary Music for Percussion and Electronics
Barbara Schlick Georg Philipp Telemann: Ino Brilliant Classics Baroque Music for Voice & Orchestra
Original Soundtrack 90210 CBS Emo-Pop, Television Music, TV Soundtracks, Alternative Pop/Rock
Original TV Soundtrack The Best of Ally McBeal - The Songs of Vonda Shepard Sony Legacy Television Music, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Adult Contemporary
Grant Lee Phillips Little Moon Yep Roc Americana, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Singer/Songwriter
Piano Magic Ovations Darla Post-Rock/Experimental
The Righteous Brothers The Definitive Collection Polydor Blue-Eyed Soul, Brill Building Pop, AM Pop
A Rocket to the Moon On Your Side WEA/Fueled by Ramen Emo-Pop
Linda Ronstadt Hand Sown... Home Grown/Silk Purse Raven Soft Rock, Country-Rock
Brian Setzer Songs from Lonely Avenue Victor Retro-Rock, Retro Swing, Rockabilly Revival
Harper Simon Harper Simon Vagrant Contemporary Singer/Songwriter
Nick Swardson Seriously, Who Farted? Comedy Central Standup Comedy
The Temper Trap Conditions Lib Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Thomas Function In The Valley Of Sickness Fat Possum Records Garage Punk, Garage Rock Revival
Jonny Trunk Scrapbook Trunk Electronica
Various Artists Disco Discharge: Classic Disco Harmless Club/Dance, Disco, Post-Disco, Contemporary R&B
Various Artists Disco Discharge: Disco Ladies Harmless Club/Dance, Disco, Post-Disco, Contemporary R&B
Various Artists Look Out! We Got Soul: Sweet Soul Music Bear Family Soul-Blues, Early R&B, Soul
Various Artists Sherman Brothers Songbook Walt Disney Film Music
Various Artists Sweet Soul Music: 1966 Bear Family Soul, Pop-Soul, Motown, Chicago Soul, Uptown Soul, Northern Soul, Early R&B
Various Artists Sweet Soul Music: 1967 Bear Family Soul, Pop-Soul, Motown, Chicago Soul, Uptown Soul, Northern Soul, Early R&B
Various Artists Sweet Soul Music: 1968 Bear Family Soul, Pop-Soul, Motown, Chicago Soul, Uptown Soul, Northern Soul, Early R&B
Various Artists Sweet Soul Music: 1969 Bear Family Soul, Pop-Soul, Motown, Chicago Soul, Uptown Soul, Northern Soul, Early R&B
Various Artists Sweet Soul Music: 1970 Bear Family Soul, Pop-Soul, Motown, Chicago Soul, Uptown Soul, Northern Soul, Early R&B
Various Artists The Ultimate Motown Christmas Collection Motown Holiday, Christmas
Rick Wakeman The Six Wives of Henry VIII: Live at Hampton Court Palace Eagle Prog-Rock/Art Rock, Film Music, Soundtracks, Pop/Rock
Andy Williams Moon River: The Very Best of Andy Williams Legacy Traditional Pop, Standards, Vocal Pop, AM Pop, Soft Rock, Early Pop/Rock, Show Tunes
New CD Album Releases, 10-6-2009: Toby Keith, Betty Davis, Roseanne Cash American Ride is the 13th album by Toby Keith. Little bits I'm hearing sound half decent, but nothing that jumps out as being in the league with the angry American.
Betty Davis was Miles Davis' wife for about a year, which was long enough for her to turn him inside out and inspire Bitch's Brew and thus the entire jazz fusion movement. She was also a pretty fair musician in her own rite. A couple of her albums are being re-released this week on Light in the Attic records.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases:
Air Love 2 Astralwerks Ambient Pop, Electronica
Michael Buble Crazy Love 143/Reprise Vocal Jazz, Adult Contemporary, Standards, Traditional Pop, Vocal Pop
Built to Spill There Is No Enemy Warner Bros. Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
Brandi Carlile Give Up the Ghost Columbia Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter
Toby Keith American Ride Show Dog Nashville Contemporary Country
Osso Run Rabbit Run Asthmatic Kitty Chamber Music
Tokio Hotel Humanoid Cherry Tree/Interscope Emo, Punk-Pop, Alternative Pop/Rock
Kurt Vile Childish Prodigy Matador Americana, Indie Rock
Brian Auger Definitely What!/Open Yellow Label Jazz-Rock, Fusion, Prog-Rock/Art Rock
Backstreet Boys This Is Us Jive Adult Contemporary, Dance-Pop
Backstreet Boys This Is Us [Bonus DVD] Sony Adult Contemporary, Dance-Pop
Bad Lieutenant Never Cry Another Tear Triple Echo Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
Lou Barlow Goodnight Unknown Domino Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock, Lo-Fi, Alternative Singer/Songwriter
Black Hollies Softly Towards the Light Ernest Jenning Garage Rock Revival, Neo-Psychedelia
Karl Blau Zebra K Indie Pop, Lo-Fi
Blue Collar Comedy Tour The Best of Blue Collar Comedy Warner/Reprise Standup Comedy, Country Comedy
Luke Bryan Doin' My Thing Capitol Contemporary Country
Joe Budden Escape Route Koch East Coast Rap
D.L. Byron This Day and Age Arista Power Pop, Jangle Pop
Califone All My Friends Are Funeral Singers Dead Oceans Indie Rock, Post-Rock/Experimental, Experimental Rock
Rosanne Cash The List Manhattan Neo-Traditionalist Country, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Country
Exene Cervenka Somewhere Gone Bloodshot Alternative Folk, Neo-Traditional Folk, Alternative Pop/Rock, Roots Rock
Riccardo Chailly Mendelssohn Discoveries Decca Romantic Orchestral Music
Ray Charles The Spirit of Christmas [Remastered] [Bonus Track] Concord Holiday, Christmas
The Clientele Bonfires on the Heath Merge Indie Pop
Joe Cocker Live at Woodstock A&M Blues-Rock
John Coltrane Side Steps Prestige Hard Bop, Post-Bop
DJ Spooky The Secret Song [Bonus DVD] Thirsty Ear Illbient, Experimental Techno, Electronica
Betty Davis Is It Love or Desire Light in the Attic Funk, Soul
Betty Davis Nasty Gal Light in the Attic Funk, Soul
Dead Man's Bones Dead Man's Bones Anti Indie Rock
John Denver Unplugged in the U.S.S.R. AAO Soft Rock, Singer/Songwriter, AM Pop, Folk-Pop
Joyce DiDonato Rossini: Colbran, the Muse Angel Romantic Opera Arias
Amy Dickson Amy Dickson plays Glass, Tavener & Nyman Sony Music Contemporary Music for Saxophone & Orchestra
Mike Doughty Sad Man Happy Man ATO Alternative Pop/Rock, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter
Gustavo Dudamel Discoveries Deutsche Grammophon Orchestral Favorites
The Dutchess & the Duke Sunset/Sunrise Hardly Art Indie Rock, Lo-Fi
Eddie & the Hot Rods The Singles Collection Captain Oi! British Punk, Pub Rock, Power Pop, New Wave, Punk, Rock & Roll
Tinsley Ellis Speak No Evil Alligator Blues-Rock, Modern Electric Blues
Bill Engvall Aged and Confused Warner Bros./Jack Standup Comedy, Country Comedy
Evangelista Prince of Truth Constellation Experimental Rock
Everclear In a Different Light 429 Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
Fat Joe Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E. 2) Relativity East Coast Rap, Hardcore Rap, Latin Rap, Gangsta Rap
Orenda Fink Ask the Night Saddle Creek Indie Folk, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter
Lita Ford Wicked Wonderland JLRG Pop-Metal, Guitar Virtuoso, Heavy Metal, Hard Rock
Gogol Bordello Live from Axis Mundi Side One Dummy Gypsy, Punk Revival, Alternative Pop/Rock
Gossip Music for Men Columbia Indie Rock, Garage Punk, Lo-Fi
Vince Guaraldi The Definitive Vince Guaraldi Fantasy Cool, Latin Jazz, West Coast Jazz, Mainstream Jazz
Calvin Harris Ready for the Weekend Ultra Alternative Dance, Pop, Indie Electronic
Grant Hart Hot Wax Con d'Or American Underground, Alternative Pop/Rock
Headlights Wildlife Polyvinyl Indie Pop, Indie Rock
Hockey Mind Chaos Capitol New Wave/Post-Punk Revival, Indie Rock
HORSE the Band Desperate Living Vagrant Post-Hardcore, Noise-Rock
Shafiq Husayn Shafiq En' A-Free-Ka Plug Research Left-Field Hip-Hop, Contemporary R&B
The Jesus Lizard Down [Deluxe Remastered Reissue] Touch & Go American Underground, Noise-Rock, Alternative Metal, Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
The Jesus Lizard Goat [Deluxe Remastered Reissue] Touch & Go American Underground, Noise-Rock, Alternative Metal, Indie Rock, Grunge, Alternative Pop/Rock
The Jesus Lizard Head [Deluxe Remastered Reissue] Touch & Go American Underground, Noise-Rock, Indie Rock, Alternative Metal, Alternative Pop/Rock
The Jesus Lizard Liar [Deluxe Remastered Reissue] Touch & Go American Underground, Noise-Rock, Alternative Metal, Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
King Tubby & The Dynamites Sound System International Pressure Sounds Dub
Lake Let's Build a Roof K Records Indie Pop
Blake Lewis Heartbreak on Vinyl Tommy Boy Club/Dance, Dance-Pop
Lights The Listening Sire Indie Electronic
Lucero 1372 Overton Park Universal Republic Alternative Country-Rock, Indie Rock
Dean Martin My Kind of Christmas Polydor Christmas, Holiday, Traditional Pop
Mayday Parade Anywhere But Here Fearless/Atlantic Emo-Pop, Alternative Pop/Rock
Eugene Mirman God Is a Twelve Year Old Boy with Asperger's Sub Pop Standup Comedy, Observational Humor
Mission of Burma The Sound the Speed the Light Matador Indie Rock
Morphine At Your Service Rhino/Rykodisc Alternative Pop/Rock, Indie Rock
The Mountain Goats Life of the World to Come 4AD Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
Music Go Music Expressions Secretly Canadian Dance-Rock, Dance-Pop
Me'Shell Ndegeocello Devil's Halo Downtown Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary R&B, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Noah and The Whale The First Days of Spring Cherrytree/Interscope Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Chamber Pop
New CD Album Releases, 9-29-2009: Mariah Carey, Kris Kristofferson, Ghostface Killa Mariah Carey is back this week with Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel. I suppose there's really no point in trying to explain to anyone with little enough taste in music to have bought one of these tens of millions of albums that she's sold in the last three decades. I'll just say that her decades of multi-platinum success is a potent argument against democracy. People dumb enough to buy a Mariah Carey album simply have no business making decisions about running the country. She's #1 on the official list of Enemies of the People. Being caught with a Mariah Carey album could land you a trip to Camp Mimi. Do what you will though. I'm just saying...
Kris Kristofferson is back with Closer to the Bone. He was never an even passably decent singer, but he's one of the songwritingest sonsabitches to ever make a country record. Plus, I'm quite touched that a decade a half later, he's written a beautiful tribute and defense of Sinead O'Connor, "Sister Sinead."
Here's the complete list of this week's major new releases:
Mariah Carey Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel Island Contemporary R&B, Pop
Dethklok Dethalbum II Williams Street TV Soundtracks, Heavy Metal, Death Metal/Black Metal
Ghostface Killah Ghostdini the Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City Def Jam East Coast Rap, Contemporary R&B, Hardcore Rap
Miranda Lambert Revolution Sony/Columbia Nashville Contemporary Country, Country-Pop
Paramore Brand New Eyes Fueled by Ramen Alternative Pop/Rock, Emo-Pop
AFI Crash Love DGC/Interscope Punk Revival, Alternative Pop/Rock, Emo, Goth Rock, Hardcore Punk
Alice in Chains Black Gives Way to Blue Virgin Alternative Metal, Heavy Metal, Hard Rock
Antipop Consortium Fluorescent Black Big Dada Underground Rap
The Avett Brothers I and Love and You American Progressive Folk, Alternative Folk, Progressive Country, Alternative Country
Beaujolais Admirations Parasol Indie Pop
Joshua Bell At Home with Friends Sony Classical Classical Crossover
Big & Rich Greatest Hits Warner Bros. Contemporary Country, Country-Pop, Progressive Country
Breaking Benjamin Dear Agony Hollywood Alternative Metal, Post-Grunge
Buckcherry Live & Loud 2009 Eleven Seven Post-Grunge, Hard Rock, American Trad Rock, Alternative Metal
Cherry Poppin' Daddies Skaboy JFK: The Skankin' Hits of the Cherry Poppin' Daddies Rock Ridge Retro Swing, Third Wave Ska Revival, Alternative Pop/Rock
Chromeo DJ-Kicks K7 Indie Electronic
Elvis Costello The Costello Show: Live at the El Mocambo Hip-O/UMe New Wave, Rock & Roll, Pop/Rock
Digital Leather Warm Brother Fat Possum Industrial Dance
Drivin' n' Cryin' The Great American Bubble Factory Vintage Earth Roots Rock
The Ettes Do You Want Power Take Root Garage Punk, Garage Rock Revival
Matthew Friedberger Winter Women/Holy Ghost Language School [Bonus Tracks] Thrill Jockey Indie Rock
Genesis Live 1973-2007 Atlantic/Rhino Pop/Rock, Prog-Rock/Art Rock, Album Rock, Soft Rock, Adult Contemporary
Bebel Gilberto All in One Verve Brazilian Pop, Bossa Nova
Selena Gomez & the Scene Kiss & Tell Hollywood Pop, Teen Pop, Dance-Pop, Punk-Pop
Corey Harris Blu. Black Telarc Acoustic Blues, Contemporary Blues, Modern Acoustic Blues, Folk-Blues, Electric Blues, Roots Reggae
Hatebreed Hatebreed E1 Punk Metal, Heavy Metal, Death Metal/Black Metal
Gary Higgins Seconds Drag City Acid Folk, Singer/Songwriter
Will Hoge The Wreckage Rykodisc American Trad Rock, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Al Jarreau The Very Best Of: An Excellent Adventure X5 Adult Contemporary R&B, Smooth Jazz, Vocal Jazz, Quiet Storm, Contemporary Jazz, Jazz-Pop, Adult Contemporary
Robert Earl Keen Jr. Rose Hotel Lost Highway Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Americana
Jennifer Koh Rhapsodic Musings Cedille Contemporary Music for Violin
Kris Kristofferson Closer to the Bone New West Americana
La Roux La Roux [US Bonus Track] Cherry Tree Dance-Pop, Pop
Langhorne Slim Be Set Free Kemado Alternative Folk, Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Indie Rock, Alternative Country-Rock, Americana
Ramsey Lewis Songs from the Heart: Ramsey Plays Ramsey Concord Crossover Jazz, Soul-Jazz, Jazz-Pop, Pop-Soul
Patty Loveless Mountain Soul II Saguaro Road Close Harmony, Neo-Traditionalist Country, Country Gospel, Honky Tonk, Bluegrass, Traditional Country
Lynyrd Skynyrd God & Guns Roadrunner/Loud & Proud Southern Rock, Album Rock, Hard Rock, Boogie Rock, Arena Rock, Blues-Rock
Madness The Liberty of Norton Folgate Yep Roc Pop/Rock
Madonna Celebration Warner Bros. Pop, Club/Dance, Pop/Rock, Adult Contemporary, Dance-Pop
Madonna Celebration [Deluxe Edition] Warner Bros. Pop, Club/Dance, Pop/Rock, Adult Contemporary, Dance-Pop
Michael McDonald This Christmas Razor & Tie Pop/Rock, Christmas
Melvins Chicken Switch Ipecac Alternative Metal, Grunge, Noise-Rock
Eliesha Nelson Quincy Porter: Complete Viola Works Dorian Modern Chamber Music
Karen O. & the Kids Where the Wild Things Are DGC/Interscope Original Score, Indie Rock, Soundtracks
Robert Page Leonardo Balada: La Muerte de Colon Naxos Contemporary Opera
Sandrine Piau Between Heaven & Earth Naive Baroque Vocal Music
Hector Valdivia Music by Amy Beach Centaur Post-Romantic Orchestral Music
Original Soundtrack Music Inspired by the Film More Than a Game Streamline/Interscope Contemporary R&B, Pop-Rap
Original Soundtrack Whip It [Soundtrack] Rhino Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Soundtracks
Landon Pigg The Boy Who Never RCA Indie Pop, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Playaz Circle Flight 360: The Takeoff DTP Southern Rap, Hardcore Rap
Princeton Cocoon of Love Kanine Indie Pop, Chamber Pop
Hope Sandoval Through the Devil Softly Nettwerk Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Indie Folk
State Radio Let It Go Ruff Shod Contemporary Reggae, Alternative Pop/Rock, Jam Bands
Rod Stewart The Rod Stewart Sessions 1971-1998 Rhino Album Rock, Pop/Rock, Folk-Rock, Soft Rock, Adult Contemporary, Hard Rock, Rock & Roll, Dance-Rock, Blue-Eyed Soul, British Blues, Arena Rock, Singer/Songwriter, AM Pop
Barbra Streisand Love Is the Answer Columbia Vocal Pop, | Composer Songbook, American Popular Song
Barbra Streisand Love Is the Answer [Deluxe Edition] Columbia Vocal Pop, | Composer Songbook, American Popular Song
Strung Out Agents of the Underground Fat Wreck Chord Punk-Pop, Punk Revival, Alternative Metal
The Supremes/The Four Tops Magnificent: The Complete Studio Duets Hip-O Select Motown
Turbo Fruits Echo Kid Fat Possum Indie Rock, Punk Blues
Steve Vai Where the Wild Things Are Favored Nations Guitar Virtuoso, Heavy Metal, Fusion, Hard Rock, Instrumental Rock
New CD Album Releases, 9-22-2009: They Might Be Giants, Pearl Jam, Harry Connick Jr The best bet this week is Here Comes Science, a children's album on Disney from They Might Be Giants. Got to love catchy custom TMBG songs like "Meet the Elements" and "Why Does the Sun Shine?" Most especially, I particularly appreciate that they end the album with a song called "Put It To the Test." Plus, there's a DVD.
Yeah, uh, Pearl Jam keeps making albums. Not having made a vaguely memorable song since their first album, I would suggest that they should just save themselves a lot of bother with titles, and call the rest of their interchangeable albums NOT Ten. Thus, being their ninth album, this would be NOT Ten VIII.
Harry Connick Jr has Your Songs. It's an album of smoochy covers, including "Besame Mucho" and "Can't Help Falling in Love With You."
Here's the complete list of this week's major new releases:
Basement Jaxx Scars Ultra/XL Left-Field House, Club/Dance, Progressive House, House
Harry Connick, Jr. Your Songs Columbia Vocal Jazz, Traditional Pop, American Popular Song
Mika The Boy Who Knew Too Much Casablanca/Universal Republic Alternative Pop/Rock
Pearl Jam Backspacer Island Alternative Pop/Rock, Hard Rock
Various Artists Where the Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets 1965-1968 Rhino Sunshine Pop, Folk-Rock, Garage Rock, Psychedelic, Baroque Pop
Alarm Will Sound a/rythmia Nonesuch Medieval, Renaissance & Comtemporary Music for Chamber Ensemble
BarlowGirl Love & War Fervent/Curb/Warner Bros.CCM
Beastie Boys Hello Nasty [Bonus Disc] Grand Royal/Capitol Alternative Rap, Alternative Pop/Rock, Hip-Hop, Underground Rap
Joshua Bell The Best of Joshua Bell: The Decca Years Decca Violin Favorites
The Big Pink A Brief History of Love 4AD Indie Rock, Shoegaze, Neo-Psychedelia
Billy Talent Billy Talent III Atlantic UK Punk-Pop, Punk Revival, Emo
Brand New Daisy DGC/Interscope/Procrastinate! Indie Rock, Emo
Castanets Texas Rose, The Thaw and the Beasts Asthmatic Kitty Indie Rock
Nick Cave & Warren Ellis White Lunar Mute Movie Themes, Original Score, Film Music
Vic Chesnutt At the Cut Constellation Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Urban Folk
Guy Clark Somedays the Song Writes You Dualtone Alternative Country, Country-Folk, Progressive Country
Alan Cumming I Bought a Blue Car Today Yellow Sound Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Musicals, Show Tunes
Early Day Miners The Treatment Secretly Canadian Indie Rock, Sadcore, Space Rock
Five Finger Death Punch War Is the Answer Prospect Park Heavy Metal, Thrash
Renee Fleming Verismo Decca Post-Romantic & Modern Opera Arias
Girls Album True Panther Indie Pop, Indie Rock
Robert Gordon/Link Wray/Chris Spedding Live Fast, Love Hard Fuel 2000 Rockabilly Revival, Roots Rock, Rock & Roll
David Gray Draw the Line Mercer Street Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Hawk Nelson Live Life Loud! BEC Recordings Emo-Pop, Alternative CCM
Richard Hawley Truelove's Gutter Mute Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Hornet Leg Ribbon of Fear K Indie Rock, Garage Rock Revival
I'm OK You're OK Presents... Dream Emo-Pop, Punk-Pop
Islands Vapours Anti Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Neo-Psychedelia
Sean Kingston Tomorrow Epic Contemporary R&B, Pop-Rap, Urban, Reggae-Pop
Diana Krall Quiet Nights [Deluxe Edition] Verve Vocal Jazz, Traditional Pop, Standards, Bossa Nova, Contemporary Jazz
Larry the Cable Guy Tailgate Party Warner/Reprise Standup Comedy, Country Comedy
Le Loup Family Hardly Art Indie Pop, Indie Electronic, Post-Rock/Experimental
Mae (m)orning Cell/Tooth & Nail Alternative Pop/Rock, Indie Rock, Emo-Pop
The Majority The Decca Years 1965-1968 Rev-Ola British Invasion
Rose Melberg Homemade Ship K Indie Pop
Amy Millan Masters of the Burial Arts & Crafts Contemporary Folk, Indie Rock
Monsters of Folk Monsters of Folk Artist First/Shangri-La Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Indie Rock
Mum Sing Along to Songs You Don't Know Hostess Indie Electronic, IDM, Electronica
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Speed of Life Sugar Hill Progressive Country, Americana, Country-Folk, Country-Rock
Noisettes Wild Young Hearts [Bonus Track] Mercury UK Indie Rock
Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band Between My Head and the Sky Chimera Experimental Rock, Experimental, Pop/Rock, Avant-Garde
Original Game Soundtrack Halo 3: ODST Sumthing Else Original Score
Original Soundtrack Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure [Original Soundtrack] Walt Disney Pop, Teen Pop, Soundtracks
Pastels/Tenniscoats Two Sunsets Domino Indie Pop
Rain Machine Rain Machine Anti Indie Rock, Post-Rock/Experimental
Sea Wolf White Water, White Bloom Dangerbird Chamber Pop, Indie Folk, Indie Pop
Manassas Manassas Pieces Rhino Pop/Rock, Folk-Rock, Singer/Songwriter, Rock & Roll, Soft Rock
A Sunny Day in Glasgow Ashes Grammar Mis Ojos Discos Indie Electronic, Dream Pop, Ambient Pop, Shoegaze
Angel Taylor Love Travels Sony Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Thee Midniters Thee Complete Midniters: Songs of Love, Rhythm and Psychedilia Micro Werks Latin Rock, Rock & Roll, Garage Rock, Blues-Rock, Soul, Psychedelic, Soul-Blues
They Might Be Giants Here Comes Science Walt Disney Children's Rock, Educational, Alternative Pop/Rock
Three Days Grace Life Starts Now Jive Alternative Metal
Times New Viking Born Again Revisited Matador Lo-Fi, Indie Rock
To Kill A Petty Bourgeoisie Marlone Kranky Indie Electronic, Post-Rock/Experimental
The Twilight Sad Forget the Night Ahead Fat Cat Indie Rock
Various Artists Crayon Angel: A Tribute to the Music of Judee Sill American Dust Alternative Singer/Songwriter
Vertical Horizon Burning the Days Outfall American Trad Rock, Post-Grunge, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Volcano Choir Unmap Jagjaguwar Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Post-Rock/Experimental
Rufus Wainwright Milwaukee at Last!!! Decca Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Chamber Pop, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter
Why? Eskimo Snow Anticon Indie Rock, Underground Rap
New CD Album Releases, 9-15-2009: Ricky Skaggs, Bruce Hornsby, Mark Knopfler God bless and keep Ricky Skaggs. He's out this week with Solo: Songs My Dad Loved. This is a beautiful bluegrass album. For being old songs his daddy loved, I only recognize one of them. So it's pretty much an album of new songs for most people. His mandolin picking is beautiful and his singing is better than I remember. He's distinctly got a bit of a Ralph Stanley thing going on vocally, which is a wonderful thing. You probably ought to hear this.
Also, Mark Knopfler has his sixth solo album, Get Lucky. Just on the basis of a few samples, this sounds pretty good. He's not Mr Charisma - just a talented songwriter and guitar player. He's rootsy with minimal self-consciousness, quiet and contemplative. This album is as high as #5 currently at Amazon.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases:
Big Star Keep an Eye on the Sky Rhino Proto-Punk, Pop/Rock, Power Pop
Drake So Far Gone Cash Money/Universal Motown Pop-Rap, Contemporary R&B, Hardcore Rap, Southern Rap
Nelly Furtado Mi Plan Universal Latino Pop/Rock
Kid Cudi Man on the Moon: The End of Day Universal Motown Left-Field Hip-Hop, Underground Rap, Alternative Rap
Muse The Resistance Warner Bros. Alternative Pop/Rock, Neo-Prog
Q-Tip Kamaal the Abstract Battery Neo-Soul, Contemporary R&B, Alternative Rap
Pete Yorn/Scarlett Johansson Break Up Atco/Rhino Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Alternative Pop/Rock
Anvil This Is Thirteen VH1 Classics Speed Metal, Heavy Metal, Thrash
Armed for Apocalypse Defeat Metal Blade/Ironclad Death Metal/Black Metal
Big Punisher The Legacy: The Best of Big Pun Loud/Legacy Hardcore Rap, East Coast Rap, Gangsta Rap, Hip-Hop, Latin Rap
The Black Dahlia Murder Deflorate Metal Blade Death Metal/Black Metal
Luiza Borac Chopin: Etudes; Six Polish Songs (transcribed Liszt) Avie Romantic Piano Music
Butterfly Boucher Scaryfragile Nettwerk Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Tyondai Braxton Central Market Warp Experimental, Post-Rock/Experimental, Creative Orchestra
Brownout Aguilas and Cobras Six Degrees Deep Funk Revival, Latin Rock, Afro-Beat
Cafe Tacuba Yo Soy Warner Music Latina Foreign Language Rock, Rock en Español
Cougar Patriot Counter Post-Rock/Experimental, Instrumental Rock, Indie Electronic
Cowboy Troy Demolition Mission: Studio Blue Sessions Winding Road Pop-Rap, Contemporary Country
Charlie Daniels Midnight Wind [Midnight Wind...Plus] Raven Urban Cowboy, Country Gospel, Southern Rock, Country-Rock, Traditional Country
New CD Album Releases, 9-8-2009: The Beatles, Phish, Jay-Z The Beatles whole catalog finally gets a long awaited digitally re-mastered gussied up proper treatment this week with The Beatles: Stereo Box Set and The Beatles: Mono Box Set. It's about damned time.
"This is Sinatra at the opera" declares Jay-Z in "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)" which is the lead single from The Blueprint 3. Besides the utterly ridiculous chutzpah of comparing his own dumb ass to Sinatra, one might explain it partly just through ignorance. Sinatra was totally not any kind of opera singer.
I'm not hearing anything even vaguely musically interesting, but does that really matter with this rap crap? He's tougher, badder and richer than you. In fairness, this crapola is currently #5 at Amazon. Good for him. It also features appearances by Kanye West, Rihanna and slumming from Alicia Keys.
Joy is the re-union album from Phish. On the one hand, this stuff is fairly indistinguished compositionally from my partial listening - about the mediocrity I would expect from this band. On the other hand, there are 10 songs on this album. So you might should be grateful that this "jam band" didn't just jack off for 80 minutes worth of CD on one song.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new CD releases:
The Beatles The Beatles: Stereo Box Set Capitol Pop/Rock, British Invasion, Rock & Roll, AM Pop, British Psychedelia, Folk-Rock, Merseybeat
Jay-Z The Blueprint 3 Roc Nation Hardcore Rap, East Coast Rap, Hip-Hop
Sondre Lerche Heartbeat Radio Rounder Indie Pop, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Os Mutantes Haih...Ou Amortecedor... Anti- Brazilian Pop, MPB
Phish Joy Jemp/ATO Jam Bands
Raekwon Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, Pt. 2 Ice H2O East Coast Rap, Gangsta Rap, Hardcore Rap
The Stone Roses The Stone Roses [20th Anniversary Collector's Edition - 2CD/1DVD] Silvertone/Legacy Dance-Rock, College Rock, Madchester, Alternative Dance, Britpop, Alternative Pop/Rock, Indie Pop, British Trad Rock, Indie Rock, Shoegaze
Vivian Girls Everything Goes Wrong In the Red Noise Pop, Indie Pop
Yo La Tengo Popular Songs Matador Noise Pop, Indie Rock
The A-Bones Not Now! Norton Garage Rock Revival, Rock & Roll
AIDS Wolf Dustin' off the Sphynx Skin Graft Experimental Rock, Noise-Rock
John Abercrombie Wait Till You See Her ECM Progressive Jazz, Post-Bop
BLK JKS After Robots Secretly Canadian Indie Rock, Worldbeat
Nathan Barr True Blood [Score] Varese Sarabande Original Score
The Beatles The Beatles: Mono Box Set Capitol Pop/Rock, British Invasion, Rock & Roll, AM Pop, British Psychedelia, Folk-Rock, Merseybeat
Boys Like Girls Love Drunk Columbia Emo-Pop
Brooks & Dunn #1s...and Then Some Arista New Traditionalist, Contemporary Country, Neo-Traditionalist Country
Circulatory System Signal Morning Cloud Neo-Psychedelia, Indie Rock
The Clean Mister Pop Merge New Zealand Rock, Indie Rock
Danko Jones Never Too Loud Bad Taste Alternative Metal, Hard Rock
Stephen Darlington Howard Goodall: Eternal Light EMI Classics Contemporary Choral Music
Howie Day Sound the Alarm Epic Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Spencer Day Vagabond Concord Jazz Vocal Jazz, Crossover Jazz, Traditional Pop, Contemporary Jazz, Jazz-Pop, Vocal Pop
Jackie DeShannon Jackie DeShannon Collectors' Choice Music Brill Building Pop, Early Pop/Rock
Jackie DeShannon Me About You/To Be Free [Bonus Track] Collectors' Choice Music Folk-Rock, Singer/Songwriter, AM Pop, Sunshine Pop
Early Day Miners The Treatment Secretly Canadian Indie Rock, Sadcore, Space Rock
The Feelies Crazy Rhythms [Bonus Tracks] Bar/None American Underground, College Rock, Jangle Pop, Alternative Pop/Rock
The Feelies The Good Earth [Bonus Tracks] Bar/None College Rock, Jangle Pop, Alternative Pop/Rock
A Fine Frenzy Bomb in the Birdcage Virgin Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
New CD Album Releases, 9-1-2009: Whitney Houston, Black Crowes, Juliette Lewis Whitney Houston is back after a half dozen years of the tabloid crapola with I Look to You. Frankly, I never saw what the big deal was about her in the first place. She was second only to Mariah Carey as someone whose music would cause me to change the radio station.
I'm seeing a lot of comments around Amazon about this album showing that her voice is shot, or such. I can't really tell it myself. I guess maybe she had some little special vocal tricks that she used to be able to do or something, but they were just attached to such generic and souless songs that I didn't notice them. But from what I can hear here, she's perfectly well carrying the tunes - though they are if anything more generic and less distinguished than her old stuff. Look, if you're into Whitney, you'll probably dig this.
Probably the best thing to take a flyer on this week is Before the Frost/Until the Freeze from the Black Crowes. It was recorded live in front of a small audience in Levon Helms' barn/studio. The parts I've heard do sound like a band pushing itself creatively. I don't know if there's anything here up to "She Talks to Angels," but it'll be at least halfway worth hearing a time or two. Plus, they're also giving out code in the CDs for a free download of a second studio album recorded in the same sessions.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new releases:
The Black Crowes Before the Frost/Until the Freeze Silver Arrow/Angelus American Trad Rock, Hard Rock, Blues-Rock, Rock & Roll
Drive-By Truckers Fine Print: A Collection of Oddities and Rarities 2003-2008 New West Alternative Country-Rock, Southern Rock, Hard Rock
Whitney Houston I Look to You Arista Adult Contemporary R&B, Pop, Adult Contemporary, Urban
Andrew W.K. 55 Cadillac Skyscraper Music Maker Instrumental Rock, Experimental Rock, Structured Improvisation
The Apples in Stereo #1 Hits Explosion Yep Roc Indie Pop, Neo-Psychedelia, Indie Rock, Lo-Fi
Vladimir Ashkenazy Works for Two Pianos by Debussy & Ravel Decca Modern Music for Two Pianos
Susana Baca Seis Poemas Luaka Bop Afro Peruvian, Latin Folk, Worldbeat
Banner Pilot Collapser Fat Wreck Chord Punk Revival, Punk-Pop
A.A. Bondy When the Devil's Loose Fat Possum Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Contemporary Folk
Chevelle Sci-Fi Crimes Epic Alternative Metal
Rick Danko Live at Dylan's Cafe, Washington D.C., December 1987 Bear Folk-Rock, Country-Rock, Rock & Roll
Rick Danko & Richard Manuel Live at O'Toole's Tavern, Scranton, PA, December 1985 Bear Country-Rock, Folk-Rock, Rock & Roll
Speech Debelle Speech Therapy Big Dada British Rap, Underground Rap
Dr. Dre The Chronic [Re-Lit and From the Vault] Wideawake/Death Row West Coast Rap, G-Funk, Gangsta Rap
Emerson, Lake & Palmer The Essential Emerson, Lake & Palmer [Limited Edition 3.0] Shout! Factory Prog-Rock/Art Rock, Album Rock
Emmy the Great First Love Close Harbour Alternative Folk
Liam Finn + Eliza Jane Champagne in Seashells Yep Roc Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Indie Pop, Indie Rock
Claus Peter Flor Josef Suk: Asrael Symphony Bis Romantic Symphony
Karina Gauvin Nicola Porpora: Arias Atma Classique Baroque Vocal Music
Robin Guthrie Carousel Darla Experimental Ambient, Ambient
Haydn Trio Eisenstadt Dedicated to Haydn Capriccio Contemporary Chamber Music
John Lee Hooker Live at Soledad Prison/Never Get Out of These Blues Alive Beat Goes On Blues Revival, Electric Delta Blues, Acoustic Blues
David Russell Hulme Edward German: Tom Jones Naxos Post-Romantic Opera
Juliette Lewis Terra Incognita The End Alternative Pop/Rock
Richard Lloyd The Jamie Neverts Story Parasol Indie Rock
Lullabye Arkestra Threats/Worship Vice Post-Hardcore, Indie Rock, Post-Rock/Experimental
Deborah Lurie/Danny Elfman 9 [Soundtrack] E1 Entertainment/Focus Featur Original Score, Film Music
The Marshall Tucker Band The Essential Marshall Tucker Band [Limited Edition 3.0] Shout! Factory Boogie Rock, Southern Rock, Country-Rock
Mr. Scruff Keep It Unreal [10th Anniversary Edition] Ninja Tune Ambient Techno, Trip-Hop, Electronica
Original Soundtrack Sorority Row [Soundtrack] E1 New Wave/Post-Punk Revival, Indie Pop, Hardcore Rap, Film Music, Soundtracks, Dance-Pop, Hip-Hop
Ozzy Osbourne Essential Ozzy Osbourne [Limited Edition 3.0] Epic/Legacy Album Rock, British Metal, Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, Neo-Classical Metal
Pitbull Rebelution J-Records Pop-Rap, Latin Rap
Reverend Horton Heat Laughin' & Cryin' with Reverend Horton Heat Yep Roc Roots Rock, Rockabilly Revival, Psychobilly
Brandi Shearer Love Don't Make You Juliet Vinyl Tiger Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Adult Contemporary, Vocal Jazz
Susanna & the Magical Orchestra 3 Rune Grammaphon Ambient Pop, Vocal Jazz, Chamber Pop
These United States Everything Touches Everything United Interests Alternative Country-Rock, Indie Rock
Those Bastard Souls Twentieth Century Chemical [Bonus Tracks] Darla Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
The Used Artwork [Limited Edition] [CD/DVD] Reprise Emo, Screamo, Post-Hardcore, Punk Revival
Various Artists Definitive Jux Presents, Vol. 4 Definitive Jux Underground Rap, Alternative Rap
Various Artists The Roots of Led Zeppelin Great American Music Folk-Blues, Country Blues, British Invasion, Blues-Rock, Electric Blues, Acoustic Blues, Early R&B
Derek Webb Stockholm Syndrome INO/Columbia Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Alternative CCM
Chris Young The Man I Want to Be RCA Contemporary Country
New CD Album Releases, 8-25-2009: Willie Nelson, Smokey Robinson, Queen Latifah The #3 seller currently at Amazon is American Classic, Willie Nelson's latest dip into the deep end of American standards. His jazzy side serves him well with material like this. "Fly Me to the Moon" would seem like it was written just for Willie to jam on while he's smoking up.
I can't remember anything new from Smokey Robinson really getting my attention in the last couple of decades, but the guy who wrote "Tracks of My Tears" and "Being With You" has a new album this week, Time Flies When You're Having Fun. It features input from Carlos Santana and India.Arie among others.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new releases:
New CD Album Releases, 8-18-2009: Sean Paul, Reba McEntire, Delbert McClinton Imperial Blaze isn't particularly burning up the charts right out of the box, but Sean Paul is probably numbers wise the top charting Jamaican artist in the US chart history. "Gimme the Light" was a pretty good hit, among a half dozen or so hit US chart singles.
Reba McEntire is back this week with Keep on Loving You. This is her first album in six years, and her debut with The Valory Music Co. It's #5 at Amazon currently.
Acquired Taste is the lucky 13th album for Texas blues guitarist and all round groovy dude Delbert McClinton.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases:
Brendan Benson My Old, Familiar Friend ATO Pop Underground, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
The Cave Singers Welcome Joy Matador Neo-Traditional Folk, Folk-Rock
Joe Henry Blood from Stars Anti Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Jazz Blues, Folk-Pop
Delbert McClinton Acquired Taste New West Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Americana, Roots Rock, Country-Rock, Electric Texas Blues, Blues-Rock, Rock & Roll
Sean Paul Imperial Blaze VP/Atlantic Dancehall, Pop, Pop-Rap
Jay Reatard Watch Me Fall Matador Indie Rock, Lo-Fi, New Wave/Post-Punk Revival, Garage Punk
The Antlers Hospice French Kiss Indie Rock, Chamber Pop, Lo-Fi
As Tall as Lions You Can't Take It with You Triple Crown Indie Rock, Ambient Pop
Black Sheep Kiss My Sweet Apocalypse Invada Experimental Rock, Indie Rock
Terence Blanchard Choices Concord Jazz Crossover Jazz, Post-Bop
Paul Burch And The WPA Ballclub Still Your Man Ramseur Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Americana, Alternative Country, Alternative Country-Rock, Country-Folk, Roots Rock
Lisa della Casa Richard Strauss: Arabella Decca Post-Romantic Opera
Clan of Xymox In Love We Trust Metropolis Darkwave, Goth Rock
The Cult Love [Expanded Edition] Beggars Banquet Alternative Pop/Rock, College Rock, Goth Rock, Hard Rock
Joey DeGraw Say Something Strong National Underground Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter
Eliot Fisk Mario Castelnuevo-Tedesco: Guitar Works Nimbus Modern Music for Guitar
GWAR Lust in Space Metal Blade Heavy Metal, Thrash, Comedy Rock
Colin Hay American Sunshine Compass Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter
K'NAAN The Dusty Foot on the Road [Bonus Track] Wrasse Alternative Rap, Political Rap, Underground Rap, Hip-Hop
Jim Lauderdale Could We Get Any Closer? Sky Crunch Americana, Alternative Country, Progressive Bluegrass, Progressive Country
Litmus Aurora Metal Blade Stoner Metal, Space Rock
MUTEMATH Armistice Warner Bros./Teleprompt Indie Rock, New Wave/Post-Punk Revival, Post-Rock/Experimental
Reba McEntire Keep on Loving You Valory Contemporary Country, Country-Pop
Willie Mitchell Ooh Baby, You Turn Me On Fat Possum/Hi Records Memphis Soul, Soul-Blues, Soul
Francesco Molinari-Pradelli Gaetano Donizetti: L'elisir d'amore Decca Romantic Opera
Mount Eerie Wind's Poem P.W. Elverum & Sun Experimental Rock, Indie Rock, Lo-Fi, Alternative Pop/Rock
David Nail I'm About to Come Alive MCA Nashville Contemporary Country
Szymanowski Quartet Paris SWR Modern Music for String Quartet
Original Soundtrack Californication: Season 2 Lion's Gate Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Television Music, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, TV Soundtracks, Hard Rock
Original Soundtrack Mad Men, Vol. 2 Lion's Gate TV Soundtracks, Early British Pop/Rock, Vocal Jazz, Indie Rock, Vocal Pop, Rock & Roll
Otep Smash the Control Machine Victory Alternative Metal, Rap-Metal, Goth Metal
Jack Penate Everything Is New XL Indie Pop, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Pissed Jeans King of Jeans Sub Pop Post-Hardcore, Indie Rock
Sister Hazel Release Rock Ridge American Trad Rock, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
Third Eye Blind Ursa Major Mega Collider Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Post-Grunge, Alternative Pop/Rock, Pop/Rock
Richard Thompson Walking on a Wire Shout! Factory Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Folk, British Folk, Folk-Rock
Various Artists Girls Are At It Again: UK Beat Girls 1964-1969 Universal/Mercury Girl Group, Pop/Rock, British Invasion
New CD Album Releases, 3-11-2009: George Strait, Jessie James Twang is, by my best estimate, the 756th album by George Strait. He's still going strong after something like 30 years. This is currently the #2 album at Billboard.
The eponymous debut album Jessie James makes her the instant presumed new diva. It would appear that she's after a slutty pseudo-country prefab guar-an-teed hit with songs written or co-written with some American Idol judge and people who write Carrie Underwood and Garth Brooks songs. Whatever.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases:
Cobra Starship Hot Mess Fueled by Ramen Alternative Pop/Rock, Dance-Pop, Punk-Pop
Jessie James Jessie James Island/Mercury Pop, Club/Dance, Adult Contemporary, Dance-Pop, Country-Pop
The Rumble Strips Welcome to the Walk Alone Island UK New Wave/Post-Punk Revival, Alternative Pop/Rock
Mindy Smith Stupid Love Vanguard Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Americana
George Strait Twang MCA Nashville New Traditionalist, Contemporary Country
Various Artists Woodstock: 40 Years On: Back to Yasgur's Farm [Box Set] Rhino Guitar Virtuoso, Boogie Rock, Acid Rock, Folk-Rock, Psychedelic, Roots Rock, Political Folk, Hard Rock, Singer/Songwriter, Folk-Pop, Blues-Rock, Rock & Roll
After Midnight Project Let's Build Something to Break Universal Motown Alternative Pop/Rock, Hard Rock
Gato Barbieri Tropico Verve Latin Jazz, Crossover Jazz, Jazz-Pop
The Bottle Rockets Lean Forward Bloodshot Alternative Country-Rock, Roots Rock
Box Elders Alice & Friends Box Elders Garage Rock Revival, Indie Rock, Lo-Fi
Randy Brown Welcome to My Room/Midnight Desire Shout! Memphis Soul, Deep Soul, Southern Soul, Quiet Storm
Dave Brubeck & Paul Desmond 1975: The Duets A&M Standards, Mainstream Jazz, Torch Songs, Cool, West Coast Jazz
Rodney Carrington Make It Christmas Capitol Holiday, Christmas, Contemporary Country
Cavo Bright Nights Dark Days Reprise Post-Grunge, Hard Rock
Dead Swans Sleep Walkers Bridge Nine Screamo, Heavy Metal
Destroy All Monsters 74-76 Ecstatic Peace Obscuro, Detroit Rock, Proto-Punk, Alternative Pop/Rock
Devil's Anvil Hard Rock from the Middle East [Bonus Track] Rev-Ola/Pressure Drop Folk-Rock, Psychedelic, Hard Rock
The Dry Spells Too Soon for Flowers Antenna Farm Indie Rock, Americana
Fanny Rock & Roll Survivors Cherry Red Album Rock, Arena Rock, Glam Rock, Hard Rock
Sue Foley Queen Bee: The Antones Collection Retroworld Contemporary Blues, Modern Electric Blues
Robben Ford Soul on Ten Concord Modern Electric Blues, Crossover Jazz
Marcia Griffiths Play Me Sweet and Nice Trojan Contemporary Reggae, Lovers Rock
The Jimi Hendrix Experience Live 1968 Paris/Ottawa [CD] Experience Hendrix Guitar Virtuoso, Acid Rock, Psychedelic, Blues-Rock
The Herbaliser Band Session 2 !K7 Clubjazz, Ambient Breakbeat
Stephen Hough My Favorite Things Nimbus Piano Encores & Showpieces
The Housemartins London 0 Hull 4 [Deluxe Edition] Mercury UK College Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock, Jangle Pop
Tom Jones The Body and Soul of Tom Jones/Tom Jones Sings She's a Lady Dutton Vocalion Adult Contemporary, Pop/Rock, Country-Pop
Tom Jones Close Up/Tom Vocalion AM Pop, Pop/Rock
Tom Jones Somethin' 'Bout You Baby I Like/Memories Don't Leave Like People Do Dutton Vocalion Adult Contemporary, Pop/Rock, Country-Pop
Dave Liebman & the Manhattan School of Music Jazz Orchestra Sketches of Spain Live Jazzheads Post-Bop
Liverpool Scene Amazing Adventures Of... RCA British Psychedelia, Psychedelic
John Martyn Solid Air [Deluxe Edition] [Bonus Tracks] Spectrum Audio British Folk-Rock, British Folk, Folk-Rock, Singer/Songwriter, Progressive Folk
Imelda May Love Tattoo Verve Forecast Rockabilly Revival, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Malcolm Middleton Waxing Gibbous Full Time Hobby Indie Rock, Alternative Singer/Songwriter
Mojo's Everything's Alright: The Complete Recordings Rpm British Invasion
Nash Ensemble Tavener: Canciones Españolas; Requiem for Father Malachy Lyrita Contemporary Vocal & Choral Music
Willie Nelson Lost Highway Lost Highway Western Swing Revival, Outlaw Country, Progressive Country, Traditional Country
New Christs Gloria Impedance Aussie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock, Hard Rock
Nisennenmondai Destination Tokyo Smalltown Supersound Post-Rock/Experimental, Instrumental Rock
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Gershwin: An American in Paris; Rhapsody in Blue; Ravel: Bólero; Pavane pour une infante defunte; Debussy: Prelude a Royal Philharmonics Masterwork Modern Orchestral Music
Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg Together NSS Modern & Contemporary Music for Chamber Orchestra
Original Soundtrack Bandslam [Original Soundtrack] Hollywood Teen Pop, Soundtracks, Alternative Pop/Rock
The Proclaimers Notes & Rhymes Universal Pop/Rock, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
The Reigning Sound Love and Curses In The Red Indie Rock, Garage Punk
Sailor Third Step/Checkpoint Glam/7T's AM Pop, Euro-Pop
Buffy Sainte-Marie Running for the Drum Gypsy Boy Contemporary Folk, Folk-Rock, Singer/Songwriter, Traditional Native American, Contemporary Native American, Progressive Folk, Political Folk, Traditional Folk, Country-Folk
Anna Ternheim Leaving On a Mayday [Verve Bonus Track] Verve Forecast Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Hank Thompson The Quintessential Hank Thompson 1948-1979 Raven Country Boogie, Bakersfield Sound, Honky Tonk, Western Swing, Traditional Country
Merle Travis Merle Travis Guitar/Walkin the Strings... Plus Raven Country Boogie, Traditional Country, Americana, Instrumental Country
Jim Turner Jelly Roll Blues: A Tribute to Jelly Roll Morton Arbors Stride, Ragtime
Various Artists Koyaanisqatsi [Original Motion Picture Score] Orange Mountain Music Contemporary Film Music
New CD Album Releases, 8-4-2009: Modest Mouse, Wizards of Waverly Place The singer's affected vocal style kind of tends to grate on my nerves, but the modest mice of Modest Mouse have certainly produced at least a few outstanding songs, notably "Float On." Their new album is No One's First and You're Next.
If you're a 12 year old girl or something like, you might be into Wizards of Waverly Place: Songs from and Inspired by the Hit TV Series.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases.
Fruit Bats The Ruminant Band Sub Pop Indie Pop, Indie Rock
Medeski, Martin & Wood Radiolarians III Indirecto Avant-Garde Jazz, Post-Rock/Experimental, Modal Music, Soul-Jazz, Jazz-Funk
Watermelon Slim & the Workers Escape from the Chicken Coop Northern Blues
Assjack Assjack Sidewalk/Curb Alternative Metal, Death Metal/Black Metal, Punk Metal
Beatallica Masterful Mystery Tour Oglio Tribute Albums, Song Parody, Heavy Metal
Doug Benson Unbalanced Load Comedy Central Standup Comedy
Amanda Blank I Love You Downtown Club/Dance, Party Rap, Dirty Rap
Thomas Bogdan Hungarian Folk Songs Centaur Modern Songs for Voice & Piano
Sebastian Comberti Joseph Haydn, Johann Zumsteeg: Cello Concertos Cello Classics Classical Cello Concertos
Miles Davis The Classic Prestige Sessions 1951-1956 Prestige Hard Bop, Bop, Cool
Desolation Wilderness New Universe K Indie Pop, Indie Rock
The Doors The Soft Parade Elektra Album Rock, Proto-Punk, Pop/Rock, Psychedelic, Hard Rock, Rock & Roll
Jay Geils Toe Tappin' Jazz North Star Straight-Ahead Jazz
New CD Album Releases, 7-28-2009: Georgia Anne Muldrow, Fabolous Haven't had the opportunity to hear it, but Georgia Anne Muldrow is back this week with Umsindo. I know she's got talents as a singer and a songwriter and arranger, as creator of one of the best records of 2006. This should be worth hearing.
Beyond that, Fabolous is back with Loso's Way, nominally a concept album inspired by the movie Carlito's Way. I seem to remember he had a half listenable hit a few years back. Don't know that I'm holding my breath for any major artistic statement here, though.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases:
Blur Midlife: A Beginner's Guide to Blur Virgin Britpop, Pop/Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock, Dance-Rock, Alternative Dance
Kristinia DeBarge Exposed Soda Pop/Island Pop, Contemporary R&B, Dance-Pop
Fabolous Loso's Way Def Jam East Coast Rap
J-Kwon Hood Hop 2.5 Gracie Southern Rap, Pop-Rap
Ashley Tisdale Guilty Pleasure Warner Bros. Pop, Teen Pop, Dance-Pop
Band of Skulls Baby Darling Doll Face Honey Shangri-La Indie Rock
Cyro Baptista & Banquet of the Senses Infinito Tzadik Carnival, Brazilian Folk, Avant-Garde Jazz, Brazilian Jazz, Folk-Jazz, Latin Folk, Post-Bop, Samba, Ethnic Fusion, World Fusion
Bob & Marcia Pied Piper: The Best of Bob & Marcia Trojan Contemporary Reggae, Roots Reggae
Ray Davies Other People's Lives [Original] V2 Pop/Rock, Singer/Songwriter, Rock & Roll
Fabolous Loso's Way [CD/DVD] [Deluxe Edition] Def Jam East Coast Rap
The Fuzztones Lysergic Legacy Cleopatra Garage Rock Revival, Neo-Psychedelia, Garage Rock, New Wave, Alternative Pop/Rock
James Galway Celebrating 70: A Collection of Personal Favorites Sony Masterworks Chamber & Orchestral Music Featuring Flute
A Hawk and a Hacksaw Delivrance Leaf Avant-Garde, Gypsy, Indie Rock, Experimental Rock
The Jimi Hendrix Experience Live at Woburn Dagger Guitar Virtuoso, Acid Rock, Psychedelic, Blues-Rock
Fred Hersch Fred Hersch Plays Jobim Sunnyside Brazilian Jazz, Post-Bop
John Hicks I Remember You Highnote Post-Bop, Straight-Ahead Jazz
Howling Bells Radio Wars Nettwerk Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
Hundred Reasons Kill Your Own V2 Post-Grunge
It Bites The Tall Ships Inside Out Prog-Rock/Art Rock
Kieran Kane Somewhere Beyond the Roses Compass Alternative Country, Americana
Bobby Kray Tales from a Skinny White Boy V2 Contemporary Reggae, Reggae-Pop
New CD Album Releases, 7-21-2009: Michael Jackson, Cheap Trick The main item of interest this week is the fortuitously timed Hip-O Hello World: The Motown Solo Collection from Michael Jackson, in the works well before his recent passing. This 71 track three CD set contains Jackson's entire Motown solo catalog, ie pre-Off the Wall. These are not his most famous recordings or particularly a major basis of his huge presence, but there were a bunch of good hits in this material.
"Rockin' Robin" in particular is a somewhat underappreciated gem in particular - to the extent that such a big hit could be considered underappreciated. But I would consider this vocal performance in particular to be one of his very best. Jackie Wilson himself couldn't have done any better with this.
Beyond that, the pickings are pretty slim. They haven't much impressed anyone in recent years, but it's good to see Cheap Trick still doing their thing. The Latest is their first album in three years. Never know when that Tricky Rick Nielsen is going to come up with a little gem.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new releases:
The Fiery Furnaces I'm Going Away Thrill Jockey Indie Rock Brooke Hogan The Redemption Sobe Club/Dance, Dance-Pop, Pop
Ian Hunter Man Overboard New West Hard Rock, Singer/Songwriter, Rock & Roll
Michael Jackson Hello World: The Motown Solo Collection Hip-O Select Pop-Soul, Motown
Jordin Sparks Battlefield Jive Pop, Teen Pop, Pop/Rock, Pop Idol
Matthew Sweet/Susanna Hoffs Under the Covers, Vol. 2 Shout Factory Pop Underground, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Pop/Rock
American Steel Dear Friends and Gentle Hearts Fat Wreck Chord Punk Revival
The Average White Band Warmer Communications [Bonus Tracks] Collectors' Choice Music Quiet Storm, Funk, Smooth Soul
Beat Farmers Fulmination Furrow of Love Cowpunk, Roots Rock
Book of Love Book of Love [Bonus Tracks] Noble Rot Dance-Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
Book of Love Candy Carol [Bonus Tracks] Noble Rot Dance-Rock, Alternative Dance, Alternative Pop/Rock
Book of Love Lovebubble [Bonus Tracks] Noble Rot Dance-Rock, Alternative Dance, Alternative Pop/Rock
Book of Love Lullaby [Bonus Tracks] Noble Rot Dance-Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
Cheap Trick The Latest Mega Force Pop/Rock, Power Pop, Hard Rock, Album Rock, Arena Rock
Clark Totems Flare Warp Experimental Techno, IDM
Crooked Fingers Forfeit/Fortune [CD+DVD] Constant Artist Indie Rock, Alternative Country-Rock
Bo Diddley Ride On: The Chess Masters, Vol. 3 - 1960-1961 Hip-O Select Rock & Roll, Electric Chicago Blues
Bill Frisell Disfarmer Nonesuch Original Score
Gary Go Gary Go Polydor UK Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Lorne Greene Lorne Greene: The Man Omni Celebrity, Country-Pop
Demi Lovato Here We Go Again Hollywood Teen Pop, Dance-Pop
Magnolia Electric Co. Josephine Secretly Canadian Alternative Country-Rock, Indie Rock
Maher Shalal Hash Baz C'est la Derniere Chanson K Neo-Psychedelia, Indie Rock
Mighty Sam McClain Betcha Didn't Know Mighty Music Soul-Blues, Retro-Soul, Modern Electric Blues
David Robertson John Adams: Doctor Atomic Symphony Nonesuch Contemporary Orchestral Music
Jan Vogler Mendelssohn: Cello Sonatas; Variations concertantes; Song without Words Berlin Classics Romantic Chamber Music
Original Soundtrack Bonnie and Clyde [Collectors' Choice Soundtrack] Collectors' Choice Music Original Score, Soundtracks
Our Lady Peace Burn Burn Our Lady Peace Post-Grunge, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Our Lady Peace Burn Burn [Bonus Tracks] [CD/DVD] Our Lady Peace Post-Grunge, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
John Phillips Andy Warhol Presents Man on the Moon Varese Fontana Movie Themes, Original Score, Film Music, Soundtracks, Musicals, Cast Recordings, Pop/Rock
RX Bandits Mandala Sargent House Punk-Pop, Ska-Punk
Ty Segall Lemons Goner Garage Punk
Set Your Goals This Will Be the Death of Us Epitaph Punk Revival, Punk-Pop
Ricky Skaggs Don't Cheat in Our Hometown [CD/DVD] Skaggs Family Progressive Country, Progressive Bluegrass, Country-Pop
The Skygreen Leopards Gorgeous Johnny Jagjaguwar Indie Folk, Indie Rock
The Starlight Mints Change Remains Barsuk Noise Pop, Indie Pop, Dream Pop
Sugar Ray Music for Cougars Pulse Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Post-Grunge
Robin Trower What Lies Beneath V-12 Blues-Rock
Various Artists Kontra Wagner Col Legno Romantic, Post-Romantic & Modern Chamber and Orchestral Music
Moritz von Oswald Trio Vertical Ascent Honest Jon's Minimal Techno, Experimental, Techno, Ambient Techno
Brooke White High Hopes and Heartbreaks June Baby Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Pop/Rock
New CD Album Releases, 7-14-2009: The Dead Weather, David Bowie, Daughtry There's one promising new release this week, though I haven't had any opportunity to hear it yet. Horehound is the debut release by The Dead Weather. It has Alison Mosshart of The Kills and a dude from Queens of the Stone Age. But the reason all true music fans would need to check it out is the presence of El Presidente for Life Jack White, the world dominating mastermind of the White Stripes. Here he has reverted to his original instrument, the drums. The album was recorded at his Third Man Studio, and he produced, as well as songwriting and singing contributions.
The David Bowie VH1 Storytellers comes from his 1996 appearance,and includes a DVD with half again the songs on the CD.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases:
Daughtry Leave This Town RCA Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Post-Grunge, Pop/Rock, Hard Rock
The Dead Weather Horehound Warner Bros. Alternative Pop/Rock, Garage Rock Revival
George Jones A Good Year for the Roses: The Complete Musicor Recordings, 1965-1971, Pt. 2 Elap Honky Tonk, Traditional Country
Emitt Rhodes The Emitt Rhodes Recordings 1969-1973 Hip-O Select AM Pop, Pop/Rock, Singer/Songwriter
Sick Puppies Tri-Polar Virgin Emo, Alternative Pop/Rock
Adelitas Way Adelitas Way Virgin Alternative Metal, Heavy Metal
Air Supply Free Love Odd On Pop/Rock, Soft Rock
Leif Ove Andsnes Shadows of Silence EMI Classics Modern & Contemporary Keyboard Music
August Burns Red Constellations Solid State Death Metal/Black Metal, Doom Metal
Beastie Boys Ill Communication [Remastered] [Bonus CD] Capitol Alternative Rap, Alternative Pop/Rock, Hip-Hop, Hardcore Punk
Billy Talent Billy Talent III Atlantic UK Punk-Pop, Punk Revival, Post-Hardcore, Emo
David Bowie VH1 Storytellers Virgin Album Rock, Pop/Rock, Singer/Songwriter
Olivia Broadfield Eyes Wide Open PigFactory USA Indie Electronic, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter
Greg Brown Dream City: Essential Recordings. Vol. 2 1997-2006 Red House Contemporary Folk
Care Bears on Fire Get Over It! S-Curve Punk-Pop
Imogen Cooper Schubert: Live, Vol. 1 BBC Romantic Keyboard Music
Dan Cummins Revenge Is Near Warner Bros. Observational Humor, Standup Comedy
Cunninlynguists Strange Journey, Vol. 1 Bad Taste Underground Rap, Southern Rap, Alternative Rap
The Dandy Warhols The Dandy Warhols Are Sound Beat Alternative Pop/Rock, Pop Underground
Jimmy Dell Cool It, Baby Bear Family Rock & Roll
DevilDriver Pray for Villains Roadrunner Speed Metal, Thrash, Death Metal/Black Metal
Billy "The Kid" Emerson Red Hot: The Sun Years, Plus Bear Family Modern Electric Blues, Soul-Blues, Early R&B, Rockabilly
Eskimo Joe Inshalla Mushroom Alternative Pop/Rock
Guarneri Trio Prague Dvorak: The Complete Piano Trios Praga Romantic Chamber Music
George Hamilton IV The Drugstore's Rockin': To You and Yours Bear Family Country-Pop, Teen Idol
Joe Signature BMG Adult Contemporary R&B, Contemporary R&B
Alexis Kossenko C. P. E. Bach: Concerti a flauto traverso obligato, Vol. 2 Alpha Classical Chamber Music
Crosby Loggins Time to Move Jive Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter
Amos Milburn Rocks Bear Family Jump Blues, Boogie-Woogie, Early R&B
Hannah Montana Hannah Montana 3 [CD/DVD] Walt Disney Teen Pop, Dance-Pop
The Most Serene Republic ...And the Ever Expanding Universe Arts & Crafts Indie Rock
Thomas Zehetmair Stravinsky: Violin Concerto; Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 6 Avie Modern Orchestral Music
Original Soundtrack (500) Days of Summer Sire/London/Rhino Soundtracks, Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Soft Rock, College Rock
Quantic and His Combo Barbaro Tradition in Transition TRT Jazz-House, Deep Funk Revival, Latin Jazz, Broken Beat
Raiders Indian Reservation/Collage Raven Pop/Rock
Charlie Rich Charlie Rocks Bear Family Traditional Country, Rock & Roll
The Rolling Stones A Bigger Bang Virgin Album Rock, Hard Rock, Blues-Rock, Rock & Roll, Pop/Rock
The Rolling Stones Bridges to Babylon Virgin Album Rock, Pop/Rock, Hard Rock, Rock & Roll, Dance-Rock
The Rolling Stones Dirty Work Virgin Album Rock, Hard Rock, Pop/Rock, Rock & Roll
The Rolling Stones Steel Wheels Virgin Pop/Rock, Hard Rock, Rock & Roll, Album Rock
The Rolling Stones Voodoo Lounge Virgin Pop/Rock, Hard Rock, Album Rock, Rock & Roll
Gil Scott-Heron Bottle/Best of Gil Scott-Heron Music Club Political Rap, Fusion, Poetry, Contemporary Jazz, Social Commentary, Jazz-Funk
Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros Up from Below Vagrant Indie Pop, Neo-Psychedelia
Archie Shepp Phat Jam in Milano Dawn Of Freedom Avant-Garde Jazz, Free Jazz
Nina Simone Live at Berkeley/Gifted & Black Snapper Standards, Vocal Jazz, Torch Songs, Ballads
Summer Cats Songs for Tuesdays Slumberland Indie Pop
New CD Album Releases, 7-7-2009: Hannah Montana, Son Volt, Kris Kristofferson Not a hell of a lot new in this week's album releases that any sensible person would really have any reason for spending money on.
Well, maybe if you're a 10 year old girl, you might be interested in Hannah Montana 3. It has all the hits from season three of the tv show!!! Plus two more songs, and for some reason one from some dude named Mitchel Musso. Thirteen new songs! Concert video on a DVD!!! Just makes me wanna pee my panties from excitement!
Other than that, a music fan might be interested in several twofer re-releases of classic Kris Kristofferson on Wounded Bird records. Look, ol' Kris couldn't sing for crap, but he's one of the couple of songwritingest sonsabitches in the history of country music. No telling what kind of beautiful nuggets you'll discovered buried in these bad boys.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new CD album releases:
The Jayhawks Music from the North Country: The Jayhawks Anthology Sony Legacy Alternative Country-Rock, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock, Americana
Maxwell BLACKsummers'night Sony Adult Contemporary R&B, Contemporary R&B
The Minus 5 Killingsworth Yep Roc Pop Underground, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Son Volt American Central Dust Rounder Alternative Country-Rock, Americana, Alternative Country
Tiny Vipers Life on Earth Sub Pop Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Indie Rock
Thomas Ades Thomas Ades: The Tempest EMI Classics Contemporary Opera
As You Drown Reflection Metal Blade Scandinavian Metal, Death Metal/Black Metal
Benni Hemm Hemm Murta St. Calunga Kimi Indie Rock, Indie Pop
Jeffrey Biegel Vivaldi: The Four Seasons Naxos Baroque Violin Concertos Arranged for Piano
Billy Boy on Poison Drama Junkie Queen Republic Hard Rock
Bowerbirds Upper Air Dead Oceans Indie Pop, Acid Folk
Broken Records Until the Earth Begins to Part 4AD Indie Rock
Enrico Bronzi Nino Rota: Concerto per Cello No. 2; Concerto per archi; Trio Concerto Modern Orchestral & Chamber Music
Carl Carlton Everlasting: The Best of Carl Carlton Hip-O Select Funk, Soul, Smooth Soul, Urban
CeU Vagarosa Six Degrees MPB
Joe Cocker Joe Cocker! [Hip-O] Hip-O Select Pop/Rock, Blues-Rock, Soul
Death by Stereo Death Is My Only Friend Adrenaline Punk Metal, Hardcore Punk, Punk Revival
Discovery LP XL Indie Electronic, Indie Rock, Contemporary R&B
The Donnas Greatest Hits, Vol. 16 Purple Feather Punk-Pop, Alternative Pop/Rock, Punk Revival, Hard Rock
Drive-By Truckers Live from Austin Texas New West Alternative Country-Rock, Southern Rock, Hard Rock
Enso Quartet Ginastera: String Quartets Naxos Modern Chamber Music
The Fools Sold Out/Heavy Metal American Beat Aussie Rock, New Wave
Forever the Sickest Kids Underdog Alma Mater [Deluxe Edition] [CD/DVD] Universal Punk-Pop, Emo
Jeff Garlin Young & Handsome: A Night with Jeff Garlin Shout! Factory Standup Comedy
Teddi King Mr. Wonderful: The Complete RCA Singles (1956-1958) DRG Traditional Pop, Standards
Kris Kristofferson Border Lord/Jesus Was a Capricorn Wounded Bird Outlaw Country, Soft Rock, Singer/Songwriter
Kris Kristofferson Spooky Lady's Sideshow/Shake Hands with the Devil Wounded Bird Outlaw Country, Soft Rock, Singer/Songwriter
Kris Kristofferson Surreal Thing/Easter Island Wounded Bird Outlaw Country, Singer/Songwriter
Kris Kristofferson Who's to Bless and Who's to Blame/To the Bone Wounded Bird Outlaw Country, Soft Rock, Singer/Songwriter
LMFAO Party Rock Cherry Tree Underground Rap, Club/Dance, Party Rap, Comedy Rap, Left-Field Hip-Hop
Marcy Playground Leaving Wonderland...In a Fit of Rage Woz Post-Grunge, Alternative Pop/Rock
Cass McCombs Catacombs Domino Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Indie Pop, Indie Rock
Hannah Montana Hannah Montana 3 [CD/DVD] Walt Disney Teen Pop, Dance-Pop
Nurse with Wound Surveillance Lounge Dirter Experimental Rock, Dark Ambient, Experimental, Industrial, Electronic
Barack Obama Days of Hope Micro Werks Speeches
Oneida Rated O Jagjaguwar Indie Rock
Klaus Tennstedt Mahler: Symphony No. 6 LPO Post-Romantic Symphony
Original Broadway Cast Rock of Ages [Broadway Cast] New Line Musicals, Cast Recordings, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
The Pine Hill Haints To Win or to Lose K Alternative Country-Rock, Roots Rock, Rockabilly Revival
The Pointer Sisters Black & White [Bonus Track] Wounded Bird Contemporary R&B, Soul, Pop/Rock, Soft Rock
The Pointer Sisters Energy [Bonus Tracks] Wounded Bird Soul, Pop/Rock, Soft Rock, Disco
The Pointer Sisters Priority [Bonus Track] Wounded Bird Soul, Pop/Rock, Soft Rock
The Rural Alberta Advantage Hometowns Saddle Creek Indie Pop, Indie Rock
Silk Flowers Silk Flowers PPM Experimental Rock, Indie Rock, Post-Rock/Experimental
Sleepy Sun Embrace Atp Experimental Rock, Neo-Psychedelia, Indie Rock, Post-Rock/Experimental
stellastarr* Civilized Stellastarr Indie Rock, Noise Pop
UUVVWWZ UUVVWWZ Saddle Creek New Wave/Post-Punk Revival, Indie Rock
Various Artists Black Rio, Vol. 2: Original Samba Soul 1968-1981 Strut Brazilian Pop, Samba, Afro-Brazilian
Various Artists Speaking My Mind: New Rubbles, Vol. 2 Past & Present British Psychedelia, Psychedelic, Prog-Rock/Art Rock, Hard Rock
Various Artists Surf Wax: Songs of the Beach Great American Instrumental Rock, Surf
We Were Promised Jetpacks These Four Walls Fat Cat Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
Matt Wilson Quartet That's Gonna Leave a Mark Palmetto Post-Bop
The Young Fresh Fellows I Think This Is Yep Roc Pop Underground, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
New CD Album Releases, 6-30-2009: Levon Helm, Brad Paisley, Wilco After 25 years between releases, Electric Dirt is the second Levon Helm album in three years. Dirt Farmer was an excellent album, and this is intended as a continuation of the idea. But whereas the last album was pretty distinctly acoustic and country, this album looks to fold back in a little more electricity and blues. He does an excellent version of Huey Long's famous "King Fish" campaign song that'll make you forget all about Randy Newman. One of the two songs on the album which he composed is "Growing Trade," which gives some reflection on the mixed feelings of an old farmer who has taken to raising marijuana. A body definitely needs to hear this record.
I can't quite remember any of his songs, but Brad Paisley has sold a buttload of records, so maybe I'm missing something. He's back this week with a new album, American Saturday Night. Maybe it's not just mediocre generic modern commercial country music.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new CD album releases:
Levon Helm Electric Dirt Vanguard Roots Rock, Country-Rock
Moby Wait for Me Mute Alternative Pop/Rock, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Ambient Techno
Brad Paisley American Saturday Night Arista Contemporary Country, Neo-Traditionalist Country
Rob Thomas cradlesong Atlantic Pop/Rock, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Wilco Wilco (The Album) Nonesuch Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Country-Rock
Ace Hood Ruthless Def Jam Southern Rap, Hardcore Rap
Jon Balke/Amina Alaoui/Jonhassell/Kheir Eddine M'Kachiche/Bjarte Eike Siwan ECM Avant-Garde Jazz, Modern Composition, Modern Creative
Beastie Boys Hello Nasty Grand Royal/Capitol Alternative Rap, Alternative Pop/Rock, Hip-Hop, Underground Rap
Dave Brubeck Essential Standards OJC Cool, West Coast Jazz
Ossie Davis A Voice Ringing O'er the Gale! The Orato Smithsonian/Folkways Spoken Word
Delain April Rain Roadrunner Progressive Metal, Goth Metal, Power Metal
Ensemble devotio moderna Loff unde ere (Praise and Glory): Music from Medingen Convent Cantate Medieval Vocal Music
Bill Evans Essential Standards OJC Post-Bop, Ballads
Fine Arts Quartet Faure: Piano Quintets Naxos Post-Romantic Chamber Music
Elliot Goldenthal Public Enemies [Score] Decca Original Score, Soundtracks, Vocal Jazz, Contemporary Blues
Vince Guaraldi Essential Standards OJC Mainstream Jazz, Cool, Latin Jazz, West Coast Jazz
Robin Guthrie Angel Falls Darla Experimental Ambient
David Jaurequi Fox Bat Strategy: A Tribute to Dave Jaurequi David Lynch Post-Rock/Experimental, Alternative Pop/Rock
Jefferson Airplane The Woodstock Experience Sony Legacy Folk-Rock, Psychedelic, Hard Rock, Album Rock, Pop/Rock
Janis Joplin The Woodstock Experience Sony Legacy Album Rock, Blues-Rock, Rock & Roll
Eleni Karaindrou Dust of Time (Music for the Film by Theo Angelopolous) ECM Original Score, Film Music
Killswitch Engage Killswitch Engage [2009] Roadrunner Heavy Metal, Progressive Metal, Alternative Metal, Grindcore
Joseph Levine American Ballets EMI Classics Modern Ballet Music
Maino If Tomorrow Comes... Atlantic Underground Rap, East Coast Rap
Ted Nugent Motor City Mayhem: 6,000th Concert Eagle Album Rock, Hard Rock
Michael Schųnwandt Nielsen: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 5 Naxos Modern Symphonies
Evan Parker/Electro-Acoustic Ensemble The Moment's Energy ECM Improvisation, Structured Improvisation, Modern Composition
Art Pepper Essential Standards OJC Cool, West Coast Jazz, Bop
Santana Woodstock Experience Sony Legacy Latin Rock, Album Rock, Psychedelic, Hard Rock, Blues-Rock, Rock & Roll, Pop/Rock
Andy Sheppard Movements in Colour ECM Modern Creative
Sly & Family Stone The Woodstock Experience Sony Legacy Psychedelic Soul, Pop/Rock, Funk, Soul
Stephen Sondheim Road Show Nonesuch Musicals, Show Tunes
Rod Stewart A Night on the Town [Collector's Edition] Stiefel Entertainment/WB Album Rock, Pop/Rock, Soft Rock, Hard Rock, Rock & Roll, AM Pop
Rod Stewart Atlantic Crossing [Collector's Edition] Stiefel Entertainment/WB Album Rock, Pop/Rock, Soft Rock, Hard Rock, Rock & Roll, AM Pop
Tanya Tucker My Turn Time Life Contemporary Country, Country-Pop
Twisted Sister Stay Hungry: 25th Anniversary Edition Rhino Pop-Metal, Heavy Metal, Hard Rock
Various Artists Now That's What I Call the 80s, Vol. 2 Sony Pop/Rock, Dance-Pop, Dance-Rock, Club/Dance, Contemporary R&B
Various Artists Now, Vol. 31 [US] Sony Legacy Pop, Dance-Pop, Pop-Rap, Contemporary R&B
Whitesnake Slide It In [25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition] [Bonus Tracks] [CD/DVD] Geffen Pop-Metal, Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, Arena Rock, Hair Metal
Whitesnake Slip of the Tongue [20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition] [Bonus Tracks] [CD/DVD]] Geffen Pop-Metal, Hair Metal, Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, Arena Rock
Johnny Winter The Woodstock Experience Sony Legacy Slide Guitar Blues, Modern Electric Texas Blues, Blues-Rock, Modern Electric Blues, Album Rock, Hard Rock
Wu-Tang Clan Playlist: The Very Best of Wu-Tang Clan Legacy East Coast Rap, Hip-Hop
New CD Album Releases, 6-23-2009: Pete Yorn, Ginuwine, The Lemonheads There's not one damned thing in the new CD releases that looks the least bit interesting to me. I can't even work myself up to snarky comments over any of this dross.
On the other hand, it's the first week of summer. Get away from the computer and the record stores and malls, and go have a nice picnic with some groovy Chuck Berry or James Brown albums that you already own.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases:
Bjork Voltaic [CD/DVD] Nonesuch Experimental Rock, Electronica, Alternative Pop/Rock, Club/Dance
Jay Brannan In Living Cover RCA Contemporary Singer/Songwriter
Tom Brosseau Posthumous Success Fatcat Indie Folk, Alternative Singer/Songwriter
Chase Long Beach Gravity Is What You Make It Victory Ska-Punk
Cher 3614 Jackson Highway Atco Blue-Eyed Soul, Pop/Rock, AM Pop
Climax Blues Band Back to Back: Sense of Direction/Stamp Album [Bonus Tracks] Fuel 2000 Album Rock, Blues-Rock, Soft Rock
Al Cohn/Joe Newman/Freddie Green Mosaic Select: Al Cohn, Joe Newman & Freddie Green Mosaic Mainstream Jazz, Bop
Shawn Colvin Live Nonesuch Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Folk
Christina Courtin Christina Courtin Nonesuch Contemporary Singer/Songwriter
Deer Tick Born on Flag Day Partisan Lo-Fi, Alternative Folk
Def Leppard Adrenalize [Deluxe Edition] Island/Mercury Pop-Metal, Hair Metal, Heavy Metal, Pop/Rock, Hard Rock
Def Leppard Pyromania [Deluxe Edition] Island/Mercury New Wave of British Heavy Metal, Pop-Metal, British Metal, Heavy Metal, Pop/Rock, Hard Rock
Dinosaur Jr. Farm Jagjaguwar Indie Rock
Dream Theater Black Clouds & Silver Linings Roadrunner Neo-Prog, Progressive Metal, Heavy Metal
Kurt Elling Dedicated to You: Kurt Elling Sings the Music of Coltrane and Hartman Concord Vocal Jazz, Vocalese, Post-Bop, Ballads, Modern Creative
Eryn Non Dae Hydra Lernaia Metal Blade Progressive Metal, Death Metal/Black Metal
Fast Life Youngstaz Jamboree Def Jam Southern Rap, Party Rap
Cartin Finch Bach: Goldberg Variations Deutsche Grammophon Baroque Keyboard Music arranged for Harp
Foreign Born Person to Person Secretly Canadian Indie Rock
David Frizzell/Shelly West The Very Best of David Frizzell & Shelly West Varese Fontana Honky Tonk, Country-Pop, Traditional Country
Elizabeth Futral Bach: Solo Cantatas Lems Baroque Vocal Music
Future of the Left Travels with Myself and Another 4AD Indie Rock, Garage Punk, Punk Revival, Noise-Rock
Girls at Our Best Pleasure Happy Birthday New Wave
Goatwhore Carving out the Eyes of God Metal Blade Death Metal/Black Metal
God Help the Girl God Help the Girl Matador Indie Pop, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Stefan Goldmann Stravinsky: Le Sacre du Printemps [Stefan Goldmann Edit] Tapete Modern Ballet Music Remixed
Isaac Hayes Hot Buttered Soul [Bonus Tracks] Stax Memphis Soul, Funk, Soul
Patterson Hood Murdering Oscar (And Other Love Songs) Ruth St Alternative Country-Rock, Americana
Hot Chocolate Every 1's a Winner EMI Pop/Rock, Funk, Disco
Jets Overhead No Nations Ada/Vapor Dream Pop, Shoegaze
Michael Johns Hold Back My Heart Downtown Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Blue-Eyed Soul
Elisabeth Leonskaja Chopin: Piano Works [Hybrid SACD] MDG Gold Romantic Keyboard Music
Love Is All Last Choice What's Your Rup Indie Pop, New Wave/Post-Punk Revival, Noise Pop
The Marvelettes Forever: The Complete Motown Albums, Vol. 1 Motown/Hip-O Select Pop-Soul, Motown
Eugene McGuinness Eugene McGuinness Domino Indie Pop, Alternative Singer/Songwriter
John Mellencamp Life Death Love and Freedom [Deluxe Tour Edition] [CD/DVD] Hear Music Heartland Rock, Roots Rock, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Pop/Rock
Tift Merritt Buckingham Solo Fantasy Alternative Country, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Americana
Mount Eerie Dawn Buenaventura Press Experimental Rock, Indie Rock, Lo-Fi, Alternative Pop/Rock
Alexi Murdoch Away We Go Nettwerk Soundtracks, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, British Folk
Laura Nyro Mother's Spiritual Columbia Singer/Songwriter, Soft Rock
Brian Olive Brian Olive Alive Garage Punk, Indie Rock
Maria Joao Pires Chopin Deutsche Grammophon Romantic Keyboard Music
Original Soundtrack I Love You, Beth Cooper Abko Soundtracks, Album Rock, Film Music, Alternative Pop/Rock
Original Soundtrack Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen [Original Soundtrack] Warner Bros. Punk-Pop, Post-Grunge, Hard Rock
John Powell Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs [Score] Varese Sarabande Soundtracks
R.E.M. Reckoning [Deluxe Edition] A&M American Underground, College Rock, Jangle Pop, Alternative Pop/Rock
Royal City Royal City Asthmatic Kitty Indie Rock, Lo-Fi, Alternative Country-Rock
The Sa-Ra Creative Partners Nuclear Evolution: The Age of Love Ubiquity Contemporary R&B
Spooky Tooth Lost in My Dream: An Anthology 1968-1974 Esoteric Prog-Rock/Art Rock, Hard Rock, Blues-Rock
Sunset Rubdown Dragonslayer Jagjaguwar Indie Rock
Al B. Sure! Honey I'm Home Hidden Beach Adult Contemporary R&B
Otis Taylor Pentatonic Wars and Love Songs Telarc Contemporary Blues, Electric Country Blues, Modern Acoustic Blues, Acoustic Blues
Tonic A Casual Affair: The Best of Tonic Polydor American Trad Rock, Post-Grunge, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
Tortoise Beacons of Ancestorship Thrill Jockey Experimental Rock, Indie Rock, Post-Rock/Experimental, Instrumental Rock
The Woggles Tempo Tantrum Wicked Cool Garage Punk, Garage Rock Revival, Instrumental Rock
New CD Album Releases, 6-16-2009: Spinal Tap, Jonas Brothers, George Harrison Lord help us, but Spinal Tap are Back from the Dead this week. This set includes something like five new songs with re-workings of Tap classics, ie "(Funky) Sex Farm." Plus, I'm to understand that the packaging has super cool Tap figures and a diorama and such. For new music, this is probably the place to start.
The Jonas Brothers are making hay while the sun shines with Lines, Vines and Trying Times. According to the record company product description at Amazon, it "showcases an incredible musical journey by the Jonas Brothers, as well as their growth as songwriters and musicians. They've incorporated horns into several songs, as well as harmonicas and peddle steel guitars." Wow - horns AND harmonica! That's like, experimental and stuff.
Let It Roll: The Best of George Harrison is the first solo all career inclusive best of set. I tend to find a whole album at a time of solo Harrison a bit much to listen to, but there are some classics among these 19 songs.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases:
George Harrison Let It Roll: The Best of George Harrison Capitol Album Rock, Pop/Rock, Soft Rock, Singer/Songwriter
Jonas Brothers Lines, Vines and Trying Times Hollywood Pop/Rock, Teen Pop
Spinal Tap Back from the Dead A2M Song Parody, Musical Comedy, Hard Rock
Justin Adams & Juldeh Camara Tell No Lies Real World Afro-Pop, Worldbeat
Among the Oak & Ash Among the Oak & Ash Verve Forecast Americana, Alternative Country-Rock, Indie Rock
The Avengers Avengers CD Presents American Punk, Hardcore Punk, Punk
Big Star #1 Record/Radio City [Bonus Tracks] Fantasy Proto-Punk, Pop/Rock, Power Pop
Deanna Bogart 11th Hour Vista Piano Blues, Jazz Blues, Modern Electric Blues
Brokencyde I'm Not a Fan But the Kids Like It Breaksilence Pop-Rap
Michael Buble Michael Buble Meets Madison Square Garden [CD/DVD] Reprise Vocal Jazz, Adult Contemporary, Standards, Traditional Pop, Vocal Pop
Rodney Carrington El Nino Loco Liberty/Capitol Country Comedy, Contemporary Country
Dave Douglas/Brass Ecstasy Spirit Moves Greenleaf Post-Bop
Will Downing Classique Concord Contemporary R&B
Ha Ha Tonka Novel Sounds of the Nouveau South Bloodshot Americana, Alternative Country-Rock, Indie Rock
Don Henley The Very Best of Don Henley Geffen Album Rock, Pop/Rock, Adult Contemporary, Singer/Songwriter
Hilltop Hoods State of the Art Universal Underground Rap, Alternative Rap
Incubus Monuments & Melodies Epic Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Metal
The Legends Over and Over Labrador Noise Pop, Indie Pop
Gunar Letzbor Antonio Bertali: Prothimia Suavissima, Parte Seconda Arcana Baroque Chamber Music
Major Lazer Guns Don't Kill People... Lazers Do Downtown Dancehall, Ragga, Club/Dance
Christian McBride & Inside Straight Kind of Brown Mack AvenueStraight-Ahead Jazz, Post-Bop
Clara Rodriguez Clara Rodriguez Plays the Music of Teresa Carreno Nimbus Post-Romantic Music for Piano
Stefano Scodanibbio John Cage: Dream Wergo Contemporary Chamber Music
Herwig Zack Essentials: Work for Solo Violin Avie Baroque, Post-Romantic & Modern Music for Violin
Andy Pratt Live at the Village Underground 2003 Renaissance Pop/Rock, Soft Rock, Singer/Songwriter
Daryle Singletary Rockin' in the Country Koch Neo-Traditionalist Country, New Traditionalist, Contemporary Country
The Sippy Cups The Time Machine Snacker Disc Children's Rock, Sing-Along
Charlene Smith Feel the Goodtimes Warner Bros. Garage/House, Club/Dance, House
Tim Sparks Little Princess Tzadik Jewish Music, Klezmer, Jewish Folk, Contemporary Instrumental
Street Sweeper Social Club Street Sweeper Social Club SSSC Rap-Metal, Rap-Rock
Tiny Masters of Today Skeletons Mute Punk Revival, Indie Pop
Various Artists Chess in Concert: Live From Royal Albert Hall Reprise Musicals
Various Artists Kidzapalooza Koch Childen's Pop, Sing-Along
Various Artists Pleasure is the Law Boston Romantic, Modern & Contemporary Chamber Music
Rhonda Vincent Destination Life Rounder Contemporary Bluegrass, Neo-Traditionalist Country, Country-Pop
The Wallflowers Collected: 1996-2005 Interscope American Trad Rock, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Pop/Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
Hank Williams, Jr. Red, White and Pink-Slip Blues Curb Outlaw Country, Southern Rock, Contemporary Country, Traditional Country
Holly Williams Here with Me Mercury Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Masada Quintet Stolas: The Book of Angels, Vol. 12 Tzadik Avant-Garde Jazz, Modern Composition
New CD Album Releases, 6-9-2009: Chickenfoot, Tracey Lawrence, Black Eyed Peas The big name item this week is an eponymous supergroup album from the newly minted Chickenfoot. It features two alum of Van Halen - Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony, along with fancy guitar whiz Joe Satriani. On the one hand, while Joe Satriani has always had great technical instrumental facility, he has never been as memorable as prime Eddie Van Halen. On the other hand, at this point Satriani has not destroyed himself with booze, and can still play as good as ever.
Thus, on the basis of a couple of listens, I'd say this is the best Van Halen record in about 20 years. I'm not particularly impressed with the song compositions, but is fancy songwriting what a likely fan of this outfit is really looking for? Even as a skeptic of this kind of stuff, I consider it fairly listenable.
Tracey Lawrence swims against the modern country music grain this week with a gospel album, The Rock. Haven't heard the album, but titles like "Where Heaven Is" and "The Book You Never Read" sound more interesting than he pre-processed country food product engineered for commercial country radio.
The Black Eyed Peas are back with their fifth album of vacuity, The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies). "Boom Boom Pow" is a big #1 hit single. Why escapes me, but knock yourselves out if you're into it.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases:
Black Eyed Peas The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies) Interscope Pop, Club/Dance, Dance-Pop, Pop-Rap
British Sea Power Man of Aran [CD/DVD] Rough Trade Original Score, Film Music, Indie Rock
Chickenfoot Chickenfoot Ear Arena Rock, Hard Rock
Kasabian West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum RCA/Red Ink Indie Rock, Britpop
Rhett Miller Rhett Miller Shout Factory Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Country-Rock
Mos Def The Ecstatic Downtown Underground Rap, East Coast Rap, Alternative Rap, Political Rap
Sonic Youth The Eternal Matador Experimental Rock, Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock, Post-Rock/Experimental
Ada Adaptations: Mixtape #1 Kompakt Club/Dance, Techno, House
Trey Anastasio & Don Hart Time Turns Elastic Rubber Jungle Experimental Rock, Prog-Rock/Art Rock
Anti-Flag People or the Gun Side One Dummy Punk Revival, Hardcore Punk
The Autumn Offering Requiem Victory Heavy Metal, Alternative Metal
New CD Album Releases, 6-2-2009: Elvis Costello, Dave Matthews, Neil Young, Iggy Pop Elvis Costello is back this week with Secret, Profane & Sugarcane. It is his first acoustically based album since King of America in 1986, perhaps his finest album. Like that classic, this was produced by T Bone Burnett, who also gets co-writing credits on two tracks. This album includes new country string arrangements of a couple of old and lesser Elvis songs. It also includes "I Felt the Chill," co-written with Loretta Lynn. It also includes a Bing Crosby waltz, "Changing Partners." It is currently as high as #5 in Amazon best sellers.
Preliminaires is the new album by Iggy Pop, apparently containing jazzy and French flavors. He as much as sings "Les Feuilles Mortes (Autumn Leaves)" in French. I find this curious, in that he seems barely intelligent enough to speak intelligibly in his native English. Groovy album cover though.
Neil Young Archives, Vol. 1: 1963-1972 is a big ol' honkin' comprehensive eight CD set. It goes back to his first recordings in Canada with the Squires, through Buffalo Springfield and CSNY and Harvest. This bad boy includes some 40 previously unreleased songs, and all kinds of poster and notes and goodies.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new CD album releases:
Elvis Costello Secret, Profane & Sugarcane Hear Music Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Country-Folk
Dave Matthews Band Big Whiskey & the GrooGrux King RCA Jam Bands, American Trad Rock, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Iggy Pop Preliminaires Astralwerks Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Rancid Let the Dominoes Fall Epitaph Punk-Pop, Punk Revival, Ska-Punk
Neil Young Neil Young Archives, Vol. 1: 1963-1972 Warner Bros. Album Rock, Folk-Rock, Hard Rock, Singer/Songwriter, Country-Rock, Pop/Rock
Piotr Anderszewski Piotr Anderszewski at Carnegie Hall Virgin Classics Baroque, Romantic & Modern Keyboard Music
Ryan Bingham/The Dead Horses Roadhouse Sun Lost Highway Americana, Country-Folk
Blank Dogs Under and Under In The Red Indie Rock, Lo-Fi
Jeff Buckley Grace: Live Around the World Sony Legacy Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
Marshall Crenshaw Jaggedland 429 Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter
Eva Leon Turina: Violin Sonatas Nos. 1 & 2; El poema de una sanluquena Naxos Modern Music for Violin & Piano
Julie London Sings the Choicest of Cole Porter DRG Traditional Pop, Torch Songs, Cool
The Meatmen Cover the Earth Meat King Hardcore Punk, Punk
Kent Nagano Bruckner: Symphony No. 4 [Hybrid SACD] Sony Post-Romantic Symphony
Paolo Nutini Sunny Side Up Atlantic Contemporary Singer/Songwriter
Iain Quinn Variations on America Chandos Modern & Centemporary Organ Music
Steve Reich Reich: Four Organs; Phase Patterns Felmay Contemporary Chamber Music
Willy Porter How to Rob a Bank Weasel Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Soft Rock
Louis Prima Hey Boy! Hey Girl!/Swingin' Pretty DRG Traditional Pop, Jump Blues, Dixieland, Early R&B
Jerry Reed When You're Hot 1967-1983 Raven Country-Pop, Nashville Sound/Countrypolitan
Duke Robillard Stomp! The Blues Tonight Stony Plain Jazz Blues, Modern Electric Blues
Perry Robinson Two Voices in the Desert Tzadik Contemporary Jazz
Sad Day for Puppets Unknown Colors Indie Pop, Dream Pop, Noise Pop
Frank Sinatra Classic Sinatra II Capitol Vocal Jazz, Traditional Pop, Standards, Swing, Ballads, Vocal Pop, Big Band
The Sounds Crossing the Rubicon Original Signal Indie Rock, New Wave/Post-Punk Revival
Taking Back Sunday New Again Warner Bros. Emo, Post-Hardcore
311 Uplifter Volcano Rap-Rock, Rap-Metal, Funk Metal, Alternative Pop/Rock
Unladylike Unladylike Radio Def Jam Southern Rap, Hardcore Rap, Pop-Rap
Various Artists Music from the Original Soundtrack and More: Woodstock Rhino/Cotillion American Trad Rock, Guitar Virtuoso, Boogie Rock, Folk-Rock, Psychedelic, Political Folk, Hard Rock, Blues-Rock, Rock & Roll, Funk
New CD Album Releases, 5-26-2009: Marilyn Manson, Mandy Moore, Michelle Shocked In 2001, The Onion parodied Marilyn Manson as conducting a "boo" tour in an ineffectual effort to continue outraging the public:
Linda Schmidt was preparing to drive her daughter Alyssa to a Girl Scouts meeting when she found Manson standing on her porch draped in sheep entrails.
"I knew who he was, but I was kind of busy and didn't really have time to chat," Schmidt said. "He just kept standing there staring at me, expecting me to react in some way."
Added Schmidt: "I tried to be nice and humor him a little. I said, 'Yesiree, that sure is some shocking satanic imagery, no doubt about it. And that one eye with no color in the pupil, very disturbing. I'd sure like to suppress that.' I mean, what do you say to Marilyn Manson?"
The anti-christ incarnate Brian Warner is back this week with The High End of Low. Considering that he's never made a listenable song and he's more intellectually vacuous than the Spice Girls or even the Dixie Chicks, I'll have to admit to not having listened to this album.
But just on the basis of the song titles, I'd venture an educated guess that this guy is now far beyond even the powerful satirical reach of The Onion. "I Want to Kill You Just Like They Do in the Movies" and "Arma-goddamn-motherf*&^in-geddon" sure sound like a threat to my petty little bourgeois worldview. I'll probably be up all night thinking how I can deny his horrible truths. Ryan Adams' wife has a new album out. Amanda Leigh is the new album from Mandy Moore. She's been making records now for 10 years. Good for her.
The new Michelle Shocked album is Soul of My Soul. It has been described as mostly an album of more or less pop oriented love/relationship songs. Of course, you couldn't very well have an album from ol' girl without some cheesy left wing braying. To that end, you might start with "Ballad Of The Battle Of The Ballot And The Bullet Part I: Ugly Americans." Apparently George Bush was a really bad guy. Thanks for clueing us up there, honey.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases:
Grizzly Bear Veckatimest Warp Experimental Rock, Indie Rock, Post-Rock/Experimental
Marilyn Manson The High End of Low Nothing Industrial Metal, Alternative Metal, Heavy Metal
Mandy Moore Amanda Leigh Storefront Contemporary Singer/Songwriter
Phoenix Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix Glassnote Indie Rock, Alternative Dance
A's The A's/A Woman's Got the Power American Beat Power Pop, New Wave
Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women Yep Roc Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Alternative Country-Rock
Beausoleil/Michael Doucet Make the Veiller Fuel 2000 Traditional Cajun, Zydeco
Black Moth Super Rainbow Eating Us Graveface Indie Electronic, Indie Pop
Bloodhorse Horizoner Translation Los Stoner Metal, Doom Metal, Sludge Metal
Boyz II Men Cooleyhighharmony [Expanded Edition] Motown Contemporary R&B, New Jack Swing, Adult Contemporary R&B
James Brown The Singles, Vol. 7: 1970-1972 Hip-O Select/Polydor Funk, Soul
Dave Brubeck Time Out [50th Anniversary Legacy Edition] Sony Legacy Cool, West Coast Jazz
The Gary Burton Quartet Revisted Quartet Live Concord Post-Bop
Bury Your Dead It's Nothing Personal Victory Hardcore Punk, Death Metal/Black Metal
City Center City Center Type Indie Electronic, Indie Pop
Crash Kings Crash Kings Motown Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, American Trad Rock
Creedence Clearwater Revival The Concert Fantasy Rock & Roll, Pop/Rock, Country-Rock
Creedence Clearwater Revival Creedence Clearwater Revival Covers the Classics Fantasy Pop/Rock, Rock & Roll, AM Pop
Miles Davis Sketches of Spain [50th Anniversary Legacy Edition] Sony Legacy Cool
Dimitri from Paris/The Idjut Boys Night Dubbin' K7 Post-Disco, Club/Dance, Contemporary R&B, Funk
Thomas Dolby The Singular Thomas Dolby EMI New Wave, Synth Pop, Pop/Rock
Electrik Red How to Be a Lady, Vol. 1 Def Jam Contemporary R&B, Pop, Dance-Pop
Sammy Hagar Street Machine [Bonus Tracks] Rock Candy Arena Rock, Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, Pop-Metal, Album Rock
Philippe Herreweghe Bach: Mass in B minor Virgin Baroque Choral Music
Hillsong United a_CROSS//the_EARTH: Tear Down the Walls Columbia Praise & Worship, Alternative CCM
The Intelligence Fake Surfers In The Red Experimental Rock, Noise-Rock, Lo-Fi
Kronos Quartet Floodplain Nonesuch Contemporary Chamber Music
Gary Lewis & the Playboys Complete Liberty Singles Collectors' Choice Music AM Pop
Luciana Souza Tide Verve Brazilian Jazz, Bossa Nova
Sunn 0))) Monoliths and Dimensions Southern Lord Doom Metal, Experimental Rock, Noise, Experimental, Heavy Metal, Avant-Garde
Super Furry Animals Dark Days/Light Years Rough Trade Britpop, Alternative Pop/Rock, Neo-Psychedelia, Indie Pop
Various Artists The Man of Somebody's Dreams: A Tribute to the Songs of Chris Gaffney Yep Roc Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Country-Rock
Various Artists Mark O'Connor: String Quartets Nos. 2 & 3 OMAC Contemporary Chamber Music
Various Artists Not Given Lightly: A Tribute to Giant Golden Book of New Zealand's Alternative Music Morr Music/M.M. Indie Pop, Indie Electronic, Indie Rock
Various Artists Twenty First Century Twenty First Year Luaka Bop Psychedelic Soul, Foreign Language Rock, Brazilian Pop, Tropicalia, Obscuro, Samba, Latin Pop, MPB, Neo-Psychedelia
Johnny Winter The Johnny Winter Anthology Shout Slide Guitar Blues, Modern Electric Texas Blues, Blues-Rock, Modern Electric Blues, Album Rock, Hard Rock, Boogie Rock, Arena Rock, Electric Texas Blues, Electric Blues
Wand Hard Knox Ecstatic Peace Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Indie Rock
New CD Album Releases, 5-19-2009: Tori Amos, Eminem, Steve Martin Having pretty much disappeared up her own bellybutton with the last couple of high concept albums, Tori Amos returns this week with Abnormally Attracted to Sin. It would appear to be something of a return to the crazy concept of just writing a batch of good songs. It is the #4 album currently at Amazon.
Eminem's Relapse is the #2 album at Amazon. It is his first album in several years. This guy SO needs some new frickin' material. This "We Made You" is probably the worst excuse for a song I've ever, ever heard from the guy.
Wow, a guest shot from Jessica Simpson! Calling down the biggest talent around to work with, huh? And this tuneless and hookless "song" is so completely instant ramen noodles Eminem - pointless random cracks about random boring celebrities of the moment.
Plus, the utterly and totally self-referential absorption of his words is just stupid, especially when his recent life experience is so stupid and goddam cliched. Why in the world would a single person want to hear about Eminem re-marrying the ex and have a multi-year relapse into drug addiction? As a rather greater artist put it in his "Rehab" song, "I've seen this flick before and it gets boring." The Slim Shady shtick has been thoroughly, 110% run into the frickin' ground. The poor dead cow has been beaten into a putrid and decomposing pulp no longer recognizable as a cow. Plus, this BS sounds increasingly stupid as he edges toward middle age.
In the range of actual tunes and musicianship, herald again this week the regular release on Rounder of Steve Martin's The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo.
These 15 songs are all Martin compositions, many of them instrumentals. "Daddy Played Banjo" is a beautiful and sad lament, and "Late for School" is a wonderous delight. In his 60s, Steve Martin has finally released the album he's waited all his life for. Perhaps he'll get us maybe one more before he dies, which will likely be in less than another 60 years. This is MUCH better use of his talents than most of the BS cotton candy family comedy films.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases:
Tori Amos Abnormally Attracted to Sin Universal Republic Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Busta Rhymes Back on My B.S. Universal Motown Hardcore Rap, East Coast Rap
Jarvis Cocker Further Complications Rough Trade Indie Rock, Britpop, Alternative Pop/Rock, Hard Rock
Eminem Relapse Aftermath/Interscope Hardcore Rap
Iron & Wine Around the Well Sub Pop Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Indie Rock, Lo-Fi
Method Man/Redman Blackout! Vol. 2 Def Jam Hardcore Rap, East Coast Rap
John Luther Adams John Luther Adams: The place we began Cold Blue Music Contemporary Music for Electronics & Tape
Artango Metropole / Un soir Virgin Classics Contemporary Chamber Music
Au Revoir Simone Still Night, Still Light Our Secret Indie Pop, Indie Electronic, Dream Pop
The Beach Boys Summer Love Songs Capitol AM Pop, Surf, Early Pop/Rock, Sunshine Pop, Pop/Rock
Ed Bruce The Tennessean/Cowboys and Dreamers Hux Outlaw Country, Progressive Country, Traditional Country
Johnny Burnette Johnny Burnette and More Kings of Rockabilly Primo Rockabilly, Rock & Roll
CIV The Complete Discography Equal Vision Punk Revival, Alternative Pop/Rock
CKY Carver City Roadrunner Alternative Metal, Post-Grunge
Carbon Leaf Nothing Rhymes with Woman Vanguard Jam Bands, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Roots Rock
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds The Firstborn Is Dead Mute Post-Punk, Alternative Pop/Rock
Nick Cave From Her to Eternity [Bonus Tracks/Bonus DVD] Mute Post-Punk, Alternative Pop/Rock
Nick Cave Kicking Against the Pricks [Bonus Tracks/Bonus DVD] Mute Alternative Pop/Rock
Nick Cave Your Funeral...My Trial [Bonus Tracks/Bonus DVD] Mute Post-Punk, Alternative Pop/Rock
Eric Clapton/Steve Winwood Live from Madison Square Garden Reprise/Duck Blues-Rock, Modern Electric Blues, Album Rock, Pop/Rock
Dane Cook Isolated Incident Comedy Central Observational Humor, Standup Comedy
The Curious Mystery Rotting Slowly K Neo-Psychedelia, Indie Rock
The Datsuns Head Stunts Cooking Vinyl Garage Punk, Hard Rock
Drama Gangsta Grillz: The Album, Vol 2 AMG/Grand Hustle/Atlantic Hardcore Rap, Gangsta Rap
Drop Nineteens Delaware Cherry Red Shoegaze, Alternative Pop/Rock
Dusty Rhodes and the River Band Palace and Stage Side One Dummy American Trad Rock, Alternative Country-Rock
Emerson String Quartet Intimate Letters Deutsche Grammophon Modern Chamber Music
Family Force 5 Dance or Die with a Vengeance Transparent Rap-Rock, Rap-Metal, Alternative Pop/Rock
The Field Yesterday and Today Kompakt/Anti Ambient Techno, Experimental Techno, Techno
Jim Ford Big Mouth USA: The Unissued Paramount Album Bear Family Singer/Songwriter, Country-Rock, Pub Rock
Johnny Griffin The Best of Johnny Griffin Riverside Hard Bop
Headless Heroes The Silence of Love Headless Heroes Indie Pop
Hot Chip A Bugged Out Mix New State Indie Electronic, Indie Rock, Alternative Dance
Mat Kearney City of Black and White Aware/Columbia/Inpop Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Lenny Kravitz Let Love Rule [20th Anniversary Edition] Virgin Album Rock, American Trad Rock, Neo-Psychedelia, Pop/Rock, Rock & Roll
Jeffrey Lewis & the Junkyard 'Em Are I Rough Trade Alternative Folk, Anti-Folk
Frank London/Lorin Sklamberg Tsuker-Zis Tzadik Jewish Music
Joe Lovano Us Five Folk Art Blue Note Post-Bop
Jason Lytle Yours Truly, The Commuter Anti Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Indie Rock
Steve Martin The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo Rounder Contemporary Bluegrass, Progressive Bluegrass
Susanna Malkki Michael Jarrell: Cassandre Kairos Contemporary Opera
The Oak Ridge Boys The Boys Are Back Spring Hill Country-Pop, Country-Rock
Original TV Soundtrack True Blood [Original TV Soundtrack] Elektra Swamp Blues, Neo-Traditionalist Country, Alternative Country-Rock, Indie Rock, Soundtracks, New Orleans R&B, Alternative Pop/Rock, Country-Rock
U.S. (United Soul) U.S. Music with Funkadelic Westbound Funk
Passion Pit Manners Columbia/French Kiss Indie Electronic, Indie Pop
Roberto Juan Rodriguez Timba Talmud Tzadik Jewish Music, Avant-Garde Jazz, Hebrew, Son, Rhumba, Klezmer, Latin Folk, Mambo, New York Salsa, Salsa, World Fusion
New CD Album Releases, 5-12-2009: Green Day, Steve Earle, Louvin Brothers Steve Earle has a new album Townes, consisting of his interpretations of 15 songs by his hero Townes Van Zandt, including "Pancho and Lefty." Van Zandt was considered a country songwriter, and Earle started as country, leaning more toward folk in recent years. Nonetheless, this album (currently as high as #11 at Amazon) was produced by the Dust Brothers and features the guitar talents of Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine.
The #1 album at the moment is 21st Century Breakdown, the first studio album in five years from Green Day. It is the followup to American Idiot, which for reasons incomprehensible to me was a huge hit and sold over 10 million copies. It was even well regarded critically - presumably for the ignorant anti-American sentiments expressed. This album is said to represent more of a big statement 70s arena rock Queen influence rather than the Who based power pop of the last album.
The most likely thing that I would spend money on this week is the re-mastered version of the Louvin Brothers 1956 album Tragic Songs of Life on Rounder. Along with the original 12 songs, this includes four bonus gospel recordings.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases:
Steve Earle Townes New West Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Americana, Alternative Country-Rock
Green Day 21st Century Breakdown Reprise Punk-Pop, Alternative Pop/Rock, Punk Revival, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Maximo Park Quicken the Heart Warp Indie Rock, New Wave/Post-Punk Revival, Britpop
Paul Wall Fast Life SwishaHouse/Asylum Hardcore Rap, Gangsta Rap, Dirty South, Southern Rap
The Amazing Rhythm Aces Their Very Best Varese Fontana Country-Rock, Soft Rock
Anvil Forged in Fire Attic Speed Metal, Heavy Metal, Thrash
Apartment House Peter Garland: String Quartets Cold Blue Music Contemporary String Quartets
Arctic Monkeys At the Apollo Warner Bros. Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
Better Than Ezra Plays Paper Empire Better Than Ezra American Trad Rock, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Kaoru Bingham Chopin: 24 Preludes; Busoni: Ten Variations on a Chopin Prelude; Mompou: Variations on a theme of Chopin Meridian Romantic & Modern Keyboard Music
Bricolage Bricolage Slumberland New Wave/Post-Punk Revival, Indie Pop
Cam'ron Crime Pays Diplomatic Man/Asylum Hardcore Rap, East Coast Rap
Children Hard Times Hanging at the End of the World Kemado Heavy Metal
The Church Untitled #23 Second Motion Neo-Psychedelia, Alternative Pop/Rock
The Stanley Clarke Trio Jazz in the Garden Heads Up Contemporary Jazz, Mainstream Jazz
The Crystal Method Divided by Night Tiny e Electronica, Club/Dance, Funky Breaks
DJ Vadim U Can't Lurn Imaginashun BBE Left-Field Hip-Hop, Underground Rap, Downbeat, Ambient Breakbeat
James Luther Dickinson Dinosaurs Run in Circles Memphis Int'l Contemporary Blues, Memphis Blues
New CD Album Releases, 5-5-2009: New York Dolls, Jewel, Cracker Haven't actually heard any of this new stuff, but the most likely listenable item would be from Jewel, a little something different. She's recorded an album of Lullaby songs for children on the Fisher Price label. This consists of 10 new Jewel compositions, plus five standards, including "Over the Rainbow." I don't know if this would be a great artistic statement, but should at least be listenable. If nothing else, it would probably be superior to some damned Barney album or such for your chillen.
The New York Dolls have a new album this week, 'Cause I Sez So. They were a proto-punk band that released two albums in 1973 and 1974, neither one of which was worth a damn. David Johansen made at least somewhat more interesting and listenable records under his Buster Poindexter personnae.
But they were considered forerunners of punk rock a couple of years before the Ramones et al, and some people inexplicably thought they were something special. Then again, a lot of people think that Mariah Carey is good. Personally, I'd rather listen to Mariah Carey, even though she's the official Public Enemy #1.
Anyway, lacking anything else to do with their lives, part of the Dolls band has regrouped. This is their second new album in three years, and reunites the band with Todd Rundgren, producer of their debut album. Again, in fairness, I haven't heard this album. It could possibly be 10x better than their debut, and thus minimally worth hearing - but I'm not holding my breath.
Between Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker, David Lowery has come up with exactly ONE truly memorable song, "Low." But that's one more classic than most bands come up with, including some that have sold a lot more records.
Cracker is back with a new album, Sunrise in the Land of Milk and Honey. There's a live performance video of the single "Turn on, Tune in, Drop Out with Me" on the Amazon page. It's minimally listenable, if you've got a jones for generic American rock.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases:
Ciara Fantasy Ride Laface Contemporary R&B, Pop
Ben Harper and Relentless7 White Lies for Dark Times Virgin Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, American Trad Rock, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
The Horrors Primary Colours XL Indie Rock, Shoegaze
New York Dolls 'Cause I Sez So Rhino Alternative Pop/Rock, Hard Rock
Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band Outer South Merge Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Indie Rock
Peaches I Feel Cream XL Indie Electronic, Electro-Techno
The Vaselines Enter the Vaselines Sub Pop Indie Pop, Twee Pop, Alternative Pop/Rock
Akron/Family Set 'Em Wild, Set 'Em Free Dead Oceans Experimental Rock, Indie Rock
Paul Carrack I Know That Name Carrack UK Blue-Eyed Soul, Pop/Rock, Adult Contemporary
Toni Childs Keep the Faith Hanalei Music Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Chrisette Michele Epiphany Def Jam Adult Contemporary R&B, Contemporary R&B
Cracker Sunrise in the Land of Milk and Honey 429 American Trad Rock, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Country-Rock
The Devil Wears Prada With Roots Above and Branches Below Ferret Heavy Metal, Alternative CCM
Dollar Shooting Stars: The Dollar Collection [Bonus Tracks] Castle Pop/Rock, New Wave
Double Dagger More Thrill Jockey New Wave/Post-Punk Revival, Indie Rock
Electric Owls Ain't Too Bright Vagrant Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Indie Pop
Fischerspooner Entertainment FS Studios Neo-Electro, Alternative Dance, Club/Dance
The Gallows Grey Britain Reprise/Wea Post-Hardcore, Punk Revival
Richard Goode Beethoven: The Complete Piano Concertos Nonesuch Romantic Keyboard Concertos
Joel Harrison Urban Myths Highnote Post-Bop
Jon Hopkins Insides Double Six/Domino IDM, Ambient Techno, Experimental Techno
Stefan Irmer Sigismund Thalberg: Piano Music MDG Romantic Keyboard Music
Jewel Lullaby Fisher Price Lullabies
Gidon Kremer The Berlin Recital EMI Classics Romantic, Post-Romantic and Modern Music for Violin & Piano
New CD Album Releases, 4-28-2009: Bob Dylan, Ben Folds
The current #15 album in the land according to Amazon consists of various campus vocal groups doing acapella renditions of Ben Folds songs. Thus it is called University A Cappella!. It was put together by Ben Folds himself. It's just the kind of cheesy thing that shouldn't work, but probably does. Think again of his little mind meld with William Shatner a few years back. I'm just disappointed that the song lineup does NOT include "The Battle of Who Could Care Less" or "Rockin the Suburbs" "Hiroshima" or the best record of 2008, "The Bitch Went Nuts[fake]."
The #2 Amazon album this minute is Together Through Life, billed as Bob Dylan's 46th album. Listening to previews, he hasn't got any voice left to sing with. More importantly, I haven't heard a memorable TUNE out of Dylan since Infidels in 1983. Every bit of these new songs sounds like generic blues, and not a hint of a hook. Still, he wrote "Bob Dylan's 115th Dream" and "Neighborhood Bully," so that kinda halfway rates him at least half a listen.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new CD album releases:
Crocodiles Summer of Hate Fat Possum Noise Pop, Indie Rock
Bob Dylan Together Through Life Columbia Album Rock, Singer/Songwriter, Blues-Rock, Rock & Roll, Folk-Rock
Mike Jones The Voice Asylum Southern Rap, Hardcore Rap
Sweet Action: The Sweet Anthology Shout! Factory Glitter, Bubblegum, Glam Rock, Hard Rock, Pop/Rock
Acid Mothers Temple & the Melting Paraiso U.F.O. Interstellar Guru and Zero Homeopathic Experimental Rock, Prog-Rock/Art Rock
Johnny Adams Essential Recordings: The Great Johnny Adams Jazz Album Rounder Southern Soul, Vocal Jazz, New Orleans R&B
Ape School Ape School Counter Acid Folk, Post-Rock/Experimental
The Audition The Audition Victory Emo, Punk-Pop
The Black Crowes Warpaint Live Eagle American Trad Rock, Southern Rock, Blues-Rock
Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown Essential Recordings: Flippin' Out Rounder Modern Electric Texas Blues, Modern Delta Blues, Texas Blues, Electric Texas Blues, Modern Electric Blues
New CD Album Releases, 4-21-2009: Allen Toussaint, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Sinead O'Connor Allen Toussaint is 70 years old, a writer of song standards and one of the biggest half dozen musical reputations ever to come out of New Orleans. The Bright Mississippi is his first album for Nonesuch, and is billed by the record company as officially his first "jazz" album. The bits I've heard sound like something a fellow might need to hear.
The other best item this week is a re-master of Sinead O'Connor's classic 1990 breakthrough album I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got. Besides being re-mastered, this edition comes with a whole second CD, including a newly released contemporary reggae oriented pop song "Night Nurse." Sinead of course can totally sell "Silent Night," such that it's a tasty treat even out of season in April.
Also note her recording of "Mind Games." That's a perfect Sinead O'Connor song, right there. She should do a whole album of John Lennon ballads. I bet she could do something really memorable with "Strawberry Fields Forever."
Here's the complete list of this week's major new releases:
Art Brut Art Brut vs. Satan Downtown Indie Rock
Camera Obscura My Maudlin Career 4AD Indie Pop
Depeche Mode Sounds of the Universe Capitol Alternative Pop/Rock, Dance-Rock, Alternative Dance
Pet Shop Boys Yes Astralwerks Alternative Dance, Dance-Rock, Club/Dance, Dance-Pop
Rick Ross Deeper Than Rap Def Jam Southern Rap, Gangsta Rap
Allen Toussaint The Bright Mississippi Nonesuch New Orleans Jazz Revival, Post-Bop
Buju Banton Rasta Got Soul Gargamel Contemporary Reggae
Harry Belafonte The Early Years at Capitol Records DRG Caribbean Folk, Calypso, Traditional Folk, Traditional Pop
Lurrie Bell/John Primer/Billy Branch/Billy Boy Arnold Chicago Blues: A Living History Raisin' Music Modern Electric Chicago Blues, Modern Electric Blues, Electric Chicago Blues
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy How Big Can You Get?: A Tribute to Cab Calloway Vanguard Retro Swing
The Black Math Experiment Wyllt Tee Pee Symphonic Black Metal, Doom Metal
Brian Blade Mama Rosa Verve Forecast Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Folk-Rock
Blockheads Staring Down the Barrel EMI France Pub Rock
Chairlift Does You Inspire You [Bonus Tracks] Kanine/Columbia Indie Pop, Indie Rock
Chester French Love the Future Interscope Alternative Pop/Rock
Bruno Cocset Bach: Sonates, BWV 1027-1029; Chorals & Trios Alpha Productions Baroque Chamber Music
Commander Cody Dopers, Drunks and Everyday Losers Blind Pig Roots Rock, Country-Rock, Rock & Roll
Cryptacize Mythomania Asthmatic Kitty Experimental, Indie Pop, Experimental Rock, Post-Rock/Experimental
Dose Overdose Mia Mind Music Contemporary R&B
The Dukes of Stratosphear 25 O'Clock [Bonus Tracks] Ape British Psychedelia, Neo-Psychedelia, Psychedelic, Alternative Pop/Rock, College Rock, Pop/Rock
The Dukes of Stratosphear Psonic Psunspot Virgin British Psychedelia, Neo-Psychedelia, Psychedelic, Alternative Pop/Rock, College Rock, Pop/Rock
Empire of the Sun Walking on a Dream Virgin New Wave/Post-Punk Revival, Indie Electronic
New CD Album Releases, 4-14-2009: John Doe, Jill Sobule Looks kinda thin in the new releases this week. Perhaps there's an obscure group in this mess that I've not heard which is utterly brilliant.
The big name this week is John Doe. He started out as some idea of punk rock, and has been highly touted in some quarters for a quarter century. He's now finally worked his way around to making a full-fledged country album, Country Club. But for all the aclaim, and several attempts at listening to him over the years, I for one cannot remember a single song of this guy ever making any impression whatsoever on me personally - though in theory I should be a good audience for him.
This album consists of new arrangements of classic country songs. Naturally, he's going for real country sounds rather than some modern Garth Brooks crap, so that's to the positive. Also, he's somewhat significantly re-arranging these songs. The Bakersfield sound is invoked to explain some of this, which is to the good. But I'm more taken with the bit of Tex-Mex flavor of, for one, "Stop the World and Let Me Off." That gives the classic track a bit of fresh flavor.
Plus, some of these are less than 100% obvious choices. I am particularly pleased to see some props for my beloved Porter Wagoner through his rendition of "The Cold Hard Facts of Life." This is already getting more interest from me than anything else I've heard from John Doe. I will probably have try to get at least one good listen to this bad boy.
Jill Sobule made at least one really good basic pop song a few years back, "I Kissed a Girl." So that gets her at least some consideration. I've listened to all the samples for this new California Years album. They mostly sound okay. I'd go so far as to say that listening to the whole album probably wouldn't fill me with a strong desire to smash the CD into litle pieces. I was at least amused by the final track, "The Donor Song." According to the opening lyric, apparently she was raising money to record the album, and has her repaying donors by singing their names. Don't know that there's really a tune there, but it's at least cute.
Not particularly exciting, but these two albums would probably be at least half-listenable. That's about as good as we're going to get this week in new stuff.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases:
John Doe & the Sadies Country Club Yep Roc Alternative Country, Neo-Traditionalist Country
Grand Duchy Petits Fours Cooking Vinyl Indie Rock
Metric Fantasies Metric/Last Gang Indie Rock, New Wave/Post-Punk Revival
The Rakes Klang V2 New Wave/Post-Punk Revival, Indie Rock, Punk Revival
Silversun Pickups Swoon Dangerbird Alternative Pop/Rock
Roy Ayers Ubiquity He's Coming Verve Soul-Jazz, Instrumental Pop
Gato Barbieri Chapter Two: Hasta Siempre Impulse! Latin Jazz, World Fusion, Free Jazz
Beck One Foot in the Grave [Expanded Edition] Geffen/K/Iliad Indie Rock, Lo-Fi, Alternative Pop/Rock
Tony Bennett/Bill Evans The Complete Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Recordings Fantasy Standards, Ballads, Vocal Jazz, Modal Music, Show Tunes
Art Blakey Soul Finger Verve Hard Bop
The Boy Least Likely To The Law of the Playground +1 Indie Pop
Bill Callahan Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle Drag City Indie Rock, Alternative Singer/Songwriter
Lars Danielsson Tarantella Act Music + Vision Post-Bop, Modern Creative
Dennis DeYoung One Hundred Years from Now DEP Adult Contemporary, Pop/Rock, Album Rock
Death Cab for Cutie The Open Door EP Atlantic Indie Rock, Indie Pop, Alternative Pop/Rock
Arne Deforce Morton Feldman: Patterns in a Chromatic Field Aeon Contemporary Chamber Music
Diamond Head Am I Evil?: Anthology Castle New Wave of British Heavy Metal, Heavy Metal, Hard Rock
Dntel Early Works for Me If It Works for You II Plug Research Indie Electronic, Indie Rock
Fastball Little White Lies Mega Force Pop Underground, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Pop/Rock
Ella Fitzgerald Ella in Hollywood Verve Vocal Jazz, Traditional Pop, Standards, Ballads, American Popular Song
Josh Freese Since 1972 Outerscope Alternative Pop/Rock
Buddy Guy The Definitive Buddy Shout! Factory Electric Blues, Modern Electric Chicago Blues, Electric Chicago Blues, Chicago Blues
The Handsome Family Honey Moon Carrot Top Neo-Traditional Folk, Alternative Country, Alternative Country-Rock, Indie Rock
Alex Harvey/Sensational Alex Harvey Band Live at the BBC Spectrum Audio Glam Rock, Hard Rock, Album Rock
Angela Hewitt Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier Hyperion Baroque Keyboard Music
The House of Love Live at the BBC Universal Indie Pop, Alternative Pop/Rock, Noise Pop
Freddie Hubbard The Artistry of Freddie Hubbard Impulse! Hard Bop
Ida Maria Fortress Round My Heart Mercury Indie Pop, Alternative Singer/Songwriter
Joe Jackson At the BBC Spectrum Pop/Rock, New Wave, Punk
Keith Jarrett Treasure Island Impulse! Avant-Garde Jazz, Post-Bop, Standards
The Juan MacLean The Future Will Come Dfa Left-Field House, Alternative Dance, Club/Dance, Neo-Electro
Life on Earth! A Space Water Loop Subliminal Sounds Neo-Psychedelia
Medeski Martin & Wood Radiolatians 2 Red Ink Jam Bands, Post-Bop, Avant-Garde Jazz, Jazz-Funk, Modern Creative, Soul-Jazz
The Mission UK Live and Last Eyes Wide Shut Alternative Pop/Rock, College Rock, Goth Rock, Dance-Rock
The Monks Black Monk Time Infinite Zero/American Garage Rock, Rock & Roll
The Monks The Early: 1964-1965 Light in the Attic Garage Rock, Rock & Roll
Lee Morgan Lee-Way Blue Note Hard Bop
Mud Rock On/As You Like It [Bonus Tracks] Glam/7T's Glitter, Glam Rock, Hard Rock
Willie Nile Places I Have Never Been [Bonus Tracks] River House Roots Rock, Rock & Roll, Americana
Noisettes Wild Young Hearts Mercury UK Garage Rock Revival, Indie Rock
Anne Sofie von Otter Bach Archiv Production Baroque Vocal Music
Andre Previn Andre Previn: An 80th Birthday Celebration RCA Red Seal Modern & Contemporary Orchestral & Chamber Music
Maurice Steger Venezia 1625 Harmonia Mundi Renaissance & Baroque Music for Recorder
Papercuts You Can Have What You Want Gnomonsong Indie Pop
Pomegranates Everybody, Come Outside! Lujo Indie Rock
Simon & Garfunkel Live 1969 Columbia/Legacy Folk-Rock, AM Pop, Folk-Pop
Siouxsie & Banshees Kiss in the Dreamhouse [Bonus Tracks] Polydor UK/Ume College Rock, Post-Punk, Alternative Pop/Rock, Goth Rock
Siouxsie and the Banshees Nocturne Geffen Post-Punk, Alternative Pop/Rock, College Rock, Punk
Jill Sobule California Years Pinko Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Sun City Girls Napoleon and Josephine: Singles, Vol. 2 Abduction Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock, Cowpunk, College Rock
Telepathe Dance Mother Iamsound Indie Rock
Trick Pony The Best of Trick Pony Warner Bros. Contemporary Country, Neo-Traditionalist Country
Various Artists Honey and Wine: Another Gerry Goffin and Carole King Song Collection Ace Brill Building Pop, Teen Idol, Surf, Early Pop/Rock, AM Pop, Rock & Roll, Folk-Rock, Doo Wop
Various Artists New Rubble, Vol. 4: Utopia Daydream Past & Present Indie Rock, Alternative Folk, Alternative Pop/Rock
Johnny Varro featuring Ken Peplowski Two Legends of Jazz Arbors Mainstream Jazz
Phil Woods The Children's Suite Jazzed Media Post-Bop
Yonlu A Society in Which No Tear Is Shed Is Inconceivably Mediocre Luaka Bop Indie Rock, Lo-Fi, Alternative Pop/Rock, Bossa Nova
New CD Album Releases, 4-7-2009: Rascal Flatts, Neil Young, Billy Ray Cyrus Rascal Flatts are Unstoppable this week, with their fifth album. They've been running since 1999, so a decade now. They've sold something near to 20 million albums, won every kind of industry award repeatedly, and are generally THE face of modern commercial country music. I can't quite remember any of their songs, but I'm sure they're really good. As THE face of modern country music, I can at least say in defense of Rascal Flatts that they are not the traitorous dimwit Dixie Chicks. And Natalie still won't call me.
Neil Young digs cars, and the romance of the open road, as a metaphor for freedom and all that. This week he has an auto themed album, Fork in the Road. It features such songs as "Off the Road" "Fuel Line" and the title song. Preview clips I'm hearing for this sound minimally listenable, but I haven't particularly caught a strong hook out of them.
I am struck more than ever now, however, that Neil Young just cannot sing. He was never a very good vocalist, but with age and chemical abuse, you have to guess at what tune he might be trying to sing. At this point, he honestly cannot carry a tune. But then again that might partly be lack of having composed a distinctive tune to be carried. Listen to him "sing" on this album, and tell me if I'm wrong.
Billy Ray Cyrus is back this week with Back to Tennessee. You have to give a man credit for making and progressing as big a name for himself as he has with such limited talent. Plus, of course, he's raised a lovely young lady who's bigger than he is. So Billy Ray Cyrus is either doing something right, or it's a Bill Hicks thing.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new CD album releases:
Bat for Lashes Two Suns Astralwerks Indie Rock
Doves Kingdom of Rust Astralwerks/Heavenly Alternative Pop/Rock, Indie Rock, Britpop
Jadakiss The Last Kiss Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam/Ruff Ryde East Coast Rap, Hardcore Rap
Bob Mould Life and Times Anti Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock, Singer/Songwriter
Rascal Flatts Unstoppable Lyric Street Contemporary Country, Country-Pop
Neil Young Fork in the Road Reprise Album Rock, Hard Rock, Singer/Songwriter, Country-Rock
Marta Argerich Martha Argerich and Friends Live from the Lugano Festival 2008 EMI Classics Live Chamber Music with Piano
Hank Ballard & the Midnighters Nothing But Good (1952 - 1962) Bear Family Doo Wop, Early R&B
Beastie Boys Check Your Head Grand Royal Alternative Rap, Alternative Pop/Rock, Hip-Hop
Black Dice Repo Paw Tracks Experimental Rock, Noise-Rock, Indie Rock, Indie Electronic
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone Vs. Children Tomlab Indie Rock, Indie Electronic
Chain and the Gang Down with Liberty... Up with Chains! K Garage Punk, Experimental Rock, Indie Rock, Lo-Fi
Ray Charles Genius: The Ultimate Collection Concord Early R&B, Soul
Eddie Cochran Somethin' Else:The Ultimate Collection Bear Family Rockabilly, Rock & Roll
Comet Gain Broken Record Prayers Milou Studios Indie Pop, Indie Rock
Crystal Antlers Tentacles Touch & Go Experimental Rock, Neo-Psychedelia, Indie Rock
Billy Ray Cyrus Back to Tennessee Walt Disney/Lyric Street Contemporary Country
Erasure Total Pop! Deluxe Box [3CD/1DVD] Rhino Club/Dance, Alternative Pop/Rock, House, Dance-Pop, Alternative Dance, College Rock, Pop/Rock
The Felice Brothers Yonder Is the Clock Team Love Americana
Grateful Dead To Terrapin: Hartford '77 Rhino Jam Bands, Album Rock, Roots Rock, Rock & Roll
Grateful Dead Winterland 1973: The Complete Recordings Rhino Jam Bands, Country-Rock, Album Rock
Merle Haggard Best of Merle Haggard [Capitol 2009] Capitol Bakersfield Sound, Traditional Country
Roy Hamilton Dark End of the Street 1963-1969: The Operatic Soul of Roy Hamilton Raven Pop-Soul, Uptown Soul, Early R&B, Early Pop/Rock, Soul
I Was a King I Was a King Control Group Indie Rock, Pop Underground, Shoegaze
It Hugs Back Inside Your Guitar 4AD Indie Pop, Indie Rock
Philippe Jaroussky Opium: Melodies françaises Virgin Classics French Art Songs
Joker's Daughter The Last Laugh Team Love Indie Pop, Folk-Pop
Junior Boys Begone Dull Care Domino Indie Electronic, Alternative Dance
Bettye LaVette Do Your Duty Sundazed Northern Soul, Soul
Lady Sovereign Jigsaw Midget Garage Rap/Grime
Micachu & The Shapes Jewellery Rough Trade Indie Electronic, Indie Rock
MIMS Guilt Capitol/EMI Pop-Rap, East Coast Rap
Marc Minkowski Bach: Mass in B minor Naive Baroque Choral Music
Moby Grape The Place and the Time Sundazed Rock & Roll, Country-Rock, Folk-Rock, Psychedelic
Esa-Pekka Salonen Salonen Deutsche Grammophon Contemporary Orchestral Music
Yuja Wang Sonatas & Etudes by Chopin, Scriabin, Liszt & Ligeti Deutsche Grammophon Romantic and Modern Piano Sonatas
Betty Padgett Betty Padgett Luv N Haight Soul
Pontiak Maker Thrill Jockey Experimental Rock, Neo-Psychedelia, Indie Rock
New CD Album Releases, 3-31-2009: Prince Rogers Nelson, Flo Rida, Diana Krall, Keith Urban He's been hit and miss for years, but you never know when Prince is going to break us off something good. LotusFlow3r is a 3CD set, available for the modest price of $12 at Target - or for about $75 to download it from Prince's official website. That Prince, he so crazy.
I haven't been to Target yet to give him my money, but this comes out as three distinct individual albums. One is something like vintage old school Prince synthesizer funk. Then there's a guitar dominated album where he does his Hendrix thing. Then there's an album for his latest young female protege. I think her name is Not Apollonia. Odds are that there's going to be at least a little of something hot across three discs of new Prince.
The #1 album at Amazon at the moment comes from Mrs Elvis Costello, or Diana Krall as some call her. Quiet Nights has her doing low key bossa nova and ballads. Of particular likely interest, she's doing "Walk On By" and "Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry."
Defying Gravity is the fifth album from Keith Urban. He rules the roost in commercial country. He's got the #1 country album, and #4 of all albums currently at Amazon.
From the vaults we have newly released Lynyrd Skynyrd live recordings from 1975 and one from 1976. Authorized Bootleg: Live at the Cardiff Capitol Theater - Cardiff, Wales Nov. 04 1975 was recorded for the King Biscuit Flour Hour. Skynyrd is dead. Long live Skynyrd.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases:
Gavin DeGraw Free J-Records Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Pop/Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
Flo Rida R.O.O.T.S. (Route of Overcoming the Struggle) Poe Boy Music/Atlantic Pop-Rap, Southern Rap
PJ Harvey & John Parish A Woman a Man Walked By Island Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Indie Rock
Diana Krall Quiet Nights Verve Vocal Jazz, Traditional Pop, Standards, Contemporary Jazz
Peter Bjorn and John Living Thing Almost Gold/Startime Internat Indie Rock, Swedish Pop/Rock, New Wave/Post-Punk Revival
Keith Urban Defying Gravity Capitol Pop/Rock, Contemporary Country, Country-Pop
Yeah Yeah Yeahs It's Blitz! Interscope/DGC/Dress Up Alternative Pop/Rock, Garage Punk, Indie Rock
The Answer Everyday Demons [Bonus Track] The End Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, Blues-Rock
Rodney Atkins It's America Curb Contemporary Country
Count Basie & His Orchestra Basie Swings Standards Pablo Swing, Big Band
Chuck Berry You Never Can Tell: The Complete Chess Recordings 1960-1966 Hip-O-Select Rock & Roll, Early R&B
Chris Botti Chris Botti in Boston Columbia Standards, Contemporary Jazz
Bow Wow New Jack City II Columbia Pop-Rap, Southern Rap
Bobby Brown Gold Geffen Urban, Teen Pop, Contemporary R&B, New Jack Swing
Michael Christie Mark Grey: Enemy Slayer: A Navajo Oratorio Naxos Contemporary Music for Voice, Chorus & Orchestra
Cinderella Authorized Bootleg: Live at the Tokyo Dome - Tokyo, Japan Dec. 31 1990 Island/Mercury Pop-Metal, Arena Rock, Hair Metal, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal
Bruce Cockburn Slice O Life: Bruce Cockburn Live Solo Rounder Folk-Rock, Singer/Songwriter
Leonard Cohen Live in London Columbia Singer/Songwriter
A.J. Croce Cage of Muses Seedling Contemporary Blues, Americana
Gustavo Dudamel Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 Deutsche Grammophon Romantic Music for Orchestra
JoAnn Falletta Daron Hagen: Shining Brow Naxos Contemporary Opera
Filter Filter: The Very Best Things (1995-2008) Rhino Industrial Metal, Heavy Metal, Alternative Pop/Rock, Industrial, Post-Grunge, Alternative Metal
Steve Forbert The Place and the Time 429 Contemporary Folk, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter
Adam Franklin Spent Bullets Second Motion Indie Rock
Jim Gaffigan King Baby Comedy Central Standup Comedy, Observational Humor
Great Lake Swimmers Lost Channels Nettwerk Indie Rock, Folk-Pop
Willie Hutch Soul Portrait Shout! Soul
J Dilla Dillanthology 1: J Dilla's Productions for Various Artists Rapster Alternative Rap, Hip-Hop, Midwest Rap, Contemporary R&B
Demi Lovato Don't Forget [Deluxe Edition] Hollywood Teen Pop, Dance-Pop
Lynyrd Skynyrd Authorized Bootleg: Live at Winterland - San Francisco Mar. 07 1976 Geffen Southern Rock, Album Rock, Boogie Rock, Arena Rock, Hard Rock, Blues-Rock, Rock & Roll
Lynyrd Skynyrd Authorized Bootleg: Live at the Cardiff Capitol Theater - Cardiff, Wales Nov. 04 1975 Geffen Southern Rock, Album Rock, Boogie Rock, Arena Rock, Hard Rock, Blues-Rock, Rock & Roll
MSTRKRFT Fist of God Downtown/Dim Mak Alternative Dance, Club/Dance
Ministry Adios...Putas Madres 13th Planet Industrial Metal, Alternative Metal, Industrial
Stevie Nicks The Soundstage Sessions Reprise Pop/Rock, Soft Rock, Album Rock
Rolando Villazon Rolando Villazon sings Handel Deutsche Grammophon Baroque Music for Voice & Orchestra
Benjamin Zander Bruckner: Symphony No. 5 [Hybrid SACD] Telarc Post-Romantic Music for Orchestra
Original Soundtrack Fast & Furious Interscope Pop-Rap, Soundtracks
Bobby Osborne Bluegrass & Beyond Rounder Traditional Bluegrass
Pansy Division That's So Gay Alternative Tentacles Punk Revival, Alternative Pop/Rock, Queercore
Dolly Parton 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs Buddha Urban Cowboy, Contemporary Country, Country-Pop
Prince LotusFlow3r LotusFlow3r Club/Dance, Urban, Funk
Queensrÿche American Soldier Rhino Progressive Metal, Heavy Metal, Prog-Rock/Art Rock, Hard Rock, Album Rock, Arena Rock
John Scofield Piety Street Emarcy Contemporary Jazz, Jazz-Funk, Instrumental Gospel, Contemporary Gospel
The Shacklefords The Shacklefords Sing Capitol Folk Revival, Folk-Pop, Country-Folk, Country-Pop
Maria Taylor LadyLuck Nettwerk Indie Rock, Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Alternative Pop/Rock
Thunderheist Thunderheist Big Dada Indie Electronic, Club/Dance
Peter Walker Long Lost Tapes 1970 Tompkins Square Experimental Rock, Guitar Virtuoso, Folk-Rock, Psychedelic
Muddy Waters Authorized Bootleg: Live at the Fillmore Auditorium - San Francisco Nov 04-06 1966 Geffen/Chess Blues Revival, Electric Blues, Electric Chicago Blues, Chicago Blues
The Whitest Boy Alive Rules Asound/Bubbles Indie Rock, Alternative Dance
New CD Album Releases, 3-24-2009: Martina McBride, Hannah Montana Soundtrack, Yanni Looking thin for new releases of interest this week. Martina McBride has Shine, her 352nd album. I can't quite remember any of her songs, but she's sold something like 18 million albums, had 20+ top 10 country hits, a Grammy and a bunch of CMA awards.
Hannah Montana: The Movie has a dozen new songs from Miley Cyrus, plus stuff from her Pa, Taylor Swift and Rascal Flatts.
Yanni has Voices, which at least sounds like an interesting experiment. He's always been an instrumental artist. Here he has recruited four young singers (Nathan Pacheco, Ender Thomas, Leslie Mills and Chloe). Then he had them write their own lyrics to melodies of some old and some new compositions. This is on Disney records, and as such is the #1 children's album currently at Amazon, and the #7 album on all the charts.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases:
Coheed and Cambria Neverender: Children of the Fence Columbia Progressive Metal, Alternative Metal
Dan Deacon Bromst Carpark Indie Electronic, Experimental Rock
The Decemberists The Hazards of Love Capitol Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Fever Ray Fever Ray Mute Indie Electronic, IDM
Keri Hilson In a Perfect World... Mosley Music/Zone 4/Interscop Contemporary R&B, Pop
Mastodon Crack the Skye Reprise Post-Hardcore, Power Metal, Progressive Metal, Thrash, Alternative Metal, Heavy Metal
Martina McBride Shine RCA/Sony Music Contemporary Country
Pearl Jam Ten [Legacy Edition] Epic/Legacy Grunge, Alternative Pop/Rock, Hard Rock
Royksopp Junior Wall Of Sound Downbeat, Euro-Dance, Alternative Dance, Club/Dance
Amadou and Mariam Welcome to Mali Because Music Afro-Pop, Worldbeat
The Balky Mule The Length of the Rail Fat Cat Indie Electronic
Basia It's That Girl Again Koch Club/Dance, Dance-Pop
Beep Beep Enchanted Islands Saddle Creek Indie Rock, Math Rock, Experimental Rock, Noise-Rock
Blue October Approaching Normal Universal Motown Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Post-Grunge
DOOM Born Like This Lex Underground Rap, Hardcore Rap, East Coast Rap
Peter Doherty Grace/Wastelands Car Indie Rock
The Flamin' Groovies Flamingo/Teenage Head Rev-Ola Proto-Punk, Rock & Roll
Fridge Early Output 1996-1998 Temporary Residence Indie Rock, Post-Rock/Experimental, Experimental Rock, Indie Electronic
Dana Gould Let Me Put My Thoughts in You Shout! Factory Observational Humor, Standup Comedy
Harlem Shakes Technicolor Health Gigantic Music Indie Rock
Dan Hicks & the Hot Licks Tangled Tales Surfdog Country-Rock, Progressive Country, Western Swing Revival, Singer/Songwriter, Rock & Roll
Indigo Girls Poseidon and the Bitter Bug [Deluxe Edition] [Bonus Track] Vanguard Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Folk-Rock, Roots Rock, Rock & Roll
Sharon Isbin Journey to the New World Sony Classical Renaissance, Modern & Contemporary Music for Guitar
Leela James Let's Do It Again Shanachie Adult Contemporary R&B, Neo-Soul
Paavo Jarvi Dmitri Shostakovich: Symphony No. 10; Veljo Tormis: Overture No. 2 Telarc Modern & Contemporary Music for Orchestra
Jeremy Jay Slow Dance K Indie Pop
Shooter Jennings Bad Magick: The Best of Shooter Jennings and the 357's Universal South Alternative Country, Contemporary Country, Southern Rock, Country-Rock
Jim Jones Pray IV Reign E1/Columbia Hardcore Rap, East Coast Rap, Gangsta Rap
Sean Jones The Search Within Mack Avenue Post-Bop, Mainstream Jazz
Spike Jones & His City Slickers Back in Radio's Day with Spike Collectors' Choice Music Satire, Song Parody, Musical Comedy, Novelty, Swing, Big Band
Guy Klucevsek Dancing on the Volcano Tzadik European Folk, Klezmer, Avant-Garde, World Fusion, Modern Creative
Garth Knox Garth Knox: Viola Spaces Mode Contemporary Chamber Music
Bettye LaVette Do Your Duty Sundazed Northern Soul, Soul
Bill Laswell Invisible Design II Tzadik Ambient Dub, Avant-Garde, Ambient
Eric Lindell Gulf Coast Highway Alligator Contemporary Blues, Blues-Rock, Funk
J.E. Mainer 1935-1939: The Early Recordings JSP String Bands, Old-Timey, Field Recordings
Wynton Marsalis He and She Blue Note Post-Bop, Neo-Bop
1990s Kicks Rough Trade Indie Rock
O+S O+S Saddle Creek Indie Electronic, Indie Pop, Dream Pop, Alternative Pop/Rock
Obits I Blame You Sub Pop Indie Rock, Lo-Fi, Garage Punk, New Wave/Post-Punk Revival
Vadim Repin Brahms: Violin Concerto; Double Concerto Deutsche Grammophon Romantic Concertos for Violin & Cello
Jade Simmons Revolutionary Rhythm E1 Entertainment Modern & Contemporary Music for Piano
Original Soundtrack Hannah Montana: The Movie [Soundtrack] Walt Disney Soundtracks, Country-Pop, Teen Pop, Contemporary Country
Papa Roach Metamorphosis DGC/Interscope Alternative Metal
Radiohead The Bends [Collectors Series] Capitol Britpop, Alternative Pop/Rock
Radiohead OK Computer [Collectors Series] Capitol Indie Electronic, Britpop, Alternative Pop/Rock
Radiohead Pablo Honey [Collectors Series] Capitol Britpop, Alternative Pop/Rock
A.R. Rahman The Best of A.R. Rahman: Music and Magic from the Composer of Slumdog Millionaire Sony Legacy Bollywood, Indian Pop
Red Red Meat Bunny Gets Paid [Deluxe Edition] Sub Pop Alternative Pop/Rock, Indie Rock
John Rich Son of a Preacher Man Warner Bros. Contemporary Country
16 Frames Where It Ends Verve Forecast Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Swan Lake Enemy Mine Jagjaguwar Indie Rock, Post-Rock/Experimental
Various Artists Classic Protest Songs from Smithsonian Folkways Smithsonian/Folkways Political Folk, Traditional Folk, Field Recordings
Various Artists Keep Your Soul: A Tribute to Doug Sahm Vanguard
Various Artists Now, Vol. 30 Universal Pop, Pop/Rock, Dance-Pop, Post-Grunge, Contemporary R&B, Contemporary Country
Various Artists Now That's What I Call Power Ballads Universal Pop-Metal, Album Rock, Arena Rock, Hair Metal, Heavy Metal, Pop/Rock, Hard Rock
Various Artists Switched on Bob: A Tribute to Bob Moog Bella Casa Electronica, Ambient Breakbeat, Club/Dance, Techno
Various Artists The Very Best of Prestige: Prestige 60th Anniversary Prestige Hard Bop, Cool, Bop, Modal Music, Soul-Jazz
The Vines Melodia Ivy League Garage Punk, Garage Rock Revival, Alternative Pop/Rock, Punk-Pop
New CD Album Releases, 3-17-2009: Marianne Faithfull, Willie Nelson, Nick Lowe There's at least one worthwhile new album this week, Easy Come Easy Go by Marianne Faithfull. She presents herself her as an interpreter of songs - and quite a good one. Her singing here is about the best she's ever done, and the arrangements are unique and strong. The more I listen to this, the more I dig it.
Pretty nearly all these performances range from good to excellent, but I'm most taken with the opening "Down From Dover." This jazz arrangement and her singing will run head to head even with Dolly Parton. That's pretty damned good right there. Her version of Bessie Smith's "Easy Come, Easy Go Blues" is pretty sweet too.
This American release features 12 songs. There was an English release last fall with 18 songs. Most of the best are naturally among the 12 songs here, but I note the absence of two particularly good songs among the half dozen missing. Sarah Vaughn's "Black Coffee" is an obvious good fit for Ms Faithfull, though her arrangement is closer to the original than most of the album. Most missed though is "Salvation." The power of her arrangement - particularly the swirling organ, combined with the pure authority of her voice absolutely runs rings around the original by the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.
Naked Willie might be subtitled Willie Nelson's Revenge. These are recordings he made on RCA from 1964 to 1970. In Chet Atkins' Nashville, the songs were served up Nashville Sound pop style, with lots of slick group vocals and strings and such - exactly the stuff that inspired the whole country outlaw movement. These 17 tracks are his original 1960s recordings with all that stuff he always hated scraped off.
Quiet Please: The New Best of Nick Lowe is certainly a bargain for $17 with 49 tracks on two CDs plus a DVD. About the only song I notice missing is "Failed Christian," but you can't have everything. The DVD includes nine videos of various vintage, plus a whole concert recorded in Belgium.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases:
Nick Lowe Quiet Please: The New Best of Nick Lowe Yep Roc Pub Rock, Pop/Rock, Power Pop, New Wave, Country-Rock, Rock & Roll, Roots Rock
Willie Nelson Naked Willie RCA Nashville/Legacy Outlaw Country, Country-Pop, Progressive Country, Traditional Country
Kelly Joe Phelps Western Bell Black Hen Contemporary Blues, Modern Acoustic Blues, Acoustic Blues
Wavves Wavvves [De Stijl] De Stijl Noise Pop, Noise-Rock, Indie Rock, Lo-Fi
Sam Bisbee Son of a Math Teacher Le Grand Magistery Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Bonnie "Prince" Billy Beware Drag City Indie Rock, Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Lo-Fi
Marianne Faithfull Easy Come Easy Go Decca U.S. Pop/Rock
Mick Fleetwood Blues Band Blue Again! Savoy Jazz Blues-Rock
Angela Gheorghiu Giacomo Puccini: Madama Butterfly EMI Classics Post-Romantic Opera
Heavy Metal Kids Anvil Chorus [Bonus Tracks] Lemon Heavy Metal, Hard Rock
Heavy Metal Kids Heavy Metal Kids [Bonus Track] Lemon Heavy Metal, Hard Rock
Henri Ledroit Charpentier: Rendez-moi mes plaisirs Ricercar Baroque Music for Voice and Ensemble
Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears Tell 'Em What Your Name Is! Lost Highway Retro-Soul, Modern Electric Blues, Retro-Rock
The Long Blondes Singles Angular New Wave/Post-Punk Revival, Indie Rock
Mazes Mazes Parasol Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Indie Pop
Ian Munro Blue Rags Tall Poppies Contemporary Piano Music
Aldo Nova Subject...Aldo Nova Portrait Album Rock, Heavy Metal, Hard Rock
Aldo Nova Twitch Portrait Heavy Metal, Hard Rock
Katrin Scholz Haydn: Violin Concertos Berlin Classics Classical Violin Concertos
Trio Dali Ravel: Piano Trio; Sonata for Violin & Cello; Violin Sonata Fuga Libera Modern Chamber Music
Seeland Tomorrow Today Loaf Indie Electronic
Static-X Cult of Static Warner Bros. Alternative Metal
Status Quo Pictures: 40 Years of Hits [2CD/DVD] Universal Psychedelic Pop, Boogie Rock, Hard Rock, Psychedelic, Pop/Rock
Sum 41 All the Good Shit: 14 Solid Gold Hits 2001-2008 [Best Buy Exclusive Edition] Island Punk-Pop, Punk Revival
Superdrag Industry Giants Superdrag Sound Laboratories Pop Underground, Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
U-Roy 30 Massive Shots from Treasure Isle Attack UK DJ, Roots Reggae
Various Artists Coolest Songs in the World, Vol. 8 Wicked Cool Garage Rock Revival, Garage Rock
New CD Album Releases, 3-10-2009: Chris Cornell, Attack of the American Idols- Kelly Clarkson, Taylor Hicks Chris Cornell (born Christopher John Boyle on July 20, 1964) has been a busy beaver in his career as a leader of Soundgarden, Audioslave and Temple of the Dog - besides numerous solo albums and side projects. For all that, I remember one song, "Rusy Cage" and that is because of Johnny Cash singing it. This week, he puts out a joint called Scream.
Then there is the continuing attack on any decent standards of Geometry and Theology that is made up of every single person who has ever appeared on the damned American Idol show. If you're totally lacking in any interest in music, you might go find their albums. I'd tell you the names of the albums, but I don't care enough to scroll down the page to find them.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases:
Kelly Clarkson All I Ever Wanted RCA Pop, Adult Contemporary
Chris Cornell Scream Interscope Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Pop/Rock, Dance-Pop
The-Dream Love vs Money Def Jam Contemporary R&B, Pop
Mirah (A)spera K Indie Rock, Indie Pop
Madeleine Peyroux Bare Bones Rounder Vocal Jazz, Contemporary Jazz, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Razorlight Slipway Fires Vertigo Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Indie Rock
Arbouretum Song of the Pearl Thrill Jockey Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Alternative Country-Rock
BLK JKS Mystery Secretly Canadian Indie Rock
Ballas Hough Band BHB Hollywood Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Pop, Club/Dance
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Mark O'Connor: Americana Symphony OMAC Contemporary Orchestral Music
Bishop Allen Grrr... Dead Oceans Indie Rock
Corbin Bleu Speed of Light Hollywood Teen Pop, Contemporary R&B
Luka Bloom Eleven Songs Big Sky Alternative Folk, Contemporary Folk, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Urban Folk
The BoDeans Love & Hope & Sex & Dreams [Collector's Edition] Rhino/Warner Bros. Heartland Rock, Roots Rock
Corneille The Birth of Cornelius Sony French Pop, Contemporary R&B, Neo-Soul
Cursive Mama, I'm Swollen Saddle Creek Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
Julie Doiron I Can Wonder What You Did with Your Day Jagjaguwar Sadcore, Indie Rock
Steve Earle Live at the BBC Hip-O Heartland Rock, Americana, New Traditionalist, Roots Rock
Estonian National Male Choir Silva Caledonia GB Records Contemporary Choral Music
Europa Galante Luigi Boccherini: Trio, Quartet, Quintet & Sextet for Strings Virgin Classics Classical Chamber Music
Extra Golden Thank You Very Quickly Thrill Jockey Indie Rock, Afro-Pop
Girls Aloud Out of Control Polydor Teen Pop, Pop/Rock, Dance-Pop
Handsome Furs Face Control Sub Pop Indie Rock
John Wesley Harding Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead [Bonus CD] Rebel Group Alternative Folk, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Urban Folk, Contemporary Folk
Taylor Hicks The Distance Rocket Science Bar Band, Blues-Rock
Bertie Higgins Captiva Toucan Cove Soft Rock, Pop/Rock
J. Holiday Round 2 Capitol Contemporary R&B
Red Holloway Go Red Go Delmark Soul-Jazz
Stephen Hough Stephen Hough in recital Hyperion Romantic, Post-Romantic & Modern Piano Music
Shirley Johnson Blues Attack Delmark Contemporary Blues, Contemporary Gospel, Electric Chicago Blues, Soul, Soul-Blues
Paul Jones Starting All Over Again Collectors' Choice Music Pop/Rock, Blue-Eyed Soul, British Invasion, AM Pop
Herbert von Karajan Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 9 Audite Romantic Orchestral Music
B.B. King Live at the BBC Island Modern Electric Blues, Soul-Blues, Early R&B
David Knopfler Anthology: 1983-2008 Renaissance Pop/Rock
Ronnie Milsap Then Sings My Soul CMG Country Gospel
Mott the Hoople & Ian Hunter The Golden Age 1969-1997 Raven Proto-Punk, Hard Rock
Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band Dead Oceans Indie Rock
New Found Glory Not Without a Fight Epitaph Punk-Pop, Emo-Pop
Beth Orton Trailer Park [Legacy Edition] Arista/Legacy/Heavenly Record Electronica, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Trip-Hop, Alternative Pop/Rock
Gene Parsons Kindling Collectors' Choice Music Folk-Rock, Country-Rock
Elvis Perkins in Dearland Elvis Perkins in Dearland XL Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Americana, Contemporary Folk
Elvis Presley I Believe: The Gospel Masters RCA/Legacy Traditional Gospel, Southern Gospel, Inspirational, Contemporary Gospel, Early Pop/Rock
Raymond Scott 100th Anniversary Doll and CD Set Press Pop Obscuro, Computer Music, Space Age Pop, Swing, Electronic, Cartoon Music, Novelty
Rod Stewart Unplugged...and Seated Warner Bros. Album Rock, Pop/Rock, Folk-Rock, Soft Rock, Adult Contemporary
Bernie Taupin He Who Rides the Tiger American Beat Pop/Rock
Various Artists Respect: Aretha's Influences and Inspiration Ace Pop-Soul, Traditional Gospel, Motown, Black Gospel, Urban, Soul, AM Pop
Various Artists Where the Girls Are, Vol. 7 Ace Pop-Soul, Girl Group, Soul
We Five There Stands the Door: The Best of We Five Big Beat UK Folk-Rock ************** Chris Cornell ************* Taylor Hicks
New CD Album Releases, 3-3-2009: U2, Neko Case, The Prodigy Sucking up all the oxygen in the room this week is Sir Bono and U2 with No Line on the Horizon. Should have called it "no memorable tunes on the horizon." I'm suffering to make myself listen to it all the way through.
"Get Your Boots On" is the single, and that's just worthless. There's not a decent hook, or even a decent production or arrangement gimmick - much less a tune. Generic U2. Just add water, makes it own sauce.
It's the #1 seller at Amazon, naturally, but they're long past having anything whatsoever to say. Devoted fans will by their albums forevermore, no matter how badly they dilute the brand with worthless crap like this. But hey, there are still people who will buy new albums by the Stones or Dylan - and convince themselves that they're good. Look, U2 made plenty of good albums - and you already own them. Just play them.
Beyond that, I just don't see anybody at all of interest. Perhaps this week you spend your entertainment budget on paying down your credit card. Something worth buying will show up eventually.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases:
Neko Case Middle Cyclone Anti Alternative Country-Rock, Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Americana, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Indie Rock
The Prodigy Invaders Must Die Cooking Vinyl Electronica, Club/Dance, Funky Breaks
Rush Retrospective, Vol. 3 Atlantic/WEA Album Rock, Prog-Rock/Art Rock, Hard Rock, Arena Rock
Soundtrack of Our Lives Communion Yep Roc Indie Rock, Neo-Psychedelia, Rock & Roll
U2 No Line on the Horizon Interscope Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Pop/Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
Cecilia Bartoli Vincenzo Bellini: La sonnambula Decca Romantic Opera
Bell X1 Blue Lights on the Runway Yep Roc Indie Rock, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Boozoo Bajou Grains !K7 Downtempo, Downbeat
Allison Brown The Company You Keep Compass Progressive Bluegrass, Contemporary Bluegrass, New Acoustic
Gautier Capucon Dvorak, Victor Herbert: Cello Concertos Virgin Classics Post-Romantic Music for Cello & Orchestra
Liz Carroll & John Doyle Double Play Compass Celtic Folk, Contemporary Celtic
De Rosa Prevention Chemikal Underground Indie Rock
Drowning Pool Loudest Common Denominator Eleven Seven Hard Rock, Alternative Metal, Post-Grunge
Justin Townes Earle Midnight at the Movies Bloodshot Americana, Alternative Country
Faust C'est Com...Com...Complique Bureau B Experimental Rock, Kraut Rock, Experimental, Prog-Rock/Art Rock
Bela Fleck Throw Down Your Heart, Tales from the Acoustic Planet, Vol. 3: Africa Sesssions Rounder Aboriginal Folk, African Folk
Harmonic 313 When Machines Exceed Human Intelligence Warp Experimental Techno, Neo-Electro
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band Hot City: The 1974 Unreleased Album Major League Glam Rock, Blues-Rock, Hard Rock, Album Rock
Ben Klock One Ostgut Club/Dance, Techno, Minimal Techno, Ambient Techno
The Long Lost The Long Lost Ninja Tune Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Indie Electronic
Sir Charles Mackerras Janacek: Sinfonietta; Operatic Preludes; Weinberger: Schwanda the Bagpiper; Smetana: The Bartered Bride Overture EMI Classics Romantic & Modern Orchestral Music
Dmitri Makhtin Bach: Sonates & Partitas, Vol. 1 Lontano Baroque Music for Violin
Raul Malo Lucky One Fantasy Neo-Traditionalist Country, Americana, Progressive Country
Buddy and Julie Miller Written in Chalk New West Americana, Country-Rock
Marissa Nadler Little Hells Kemado Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Itzhak Perlman Joplin: Rag-Time Music; Previn: A Different Kind of Blues EMI Classics Post-Romantic & Modern Music for Violin, Piano & Chamber Ensemble
Angus & Julia Stone A Book Like This Nettwerk Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Indie Pop
Tierney Sutton Desire Telarc Vocal Jazz
Thin Lizzy Still Dangerous: Live at Tower Theatre Philadelphia 1977 Proper Arena Rock, Hard Rock
Various Artists The Complete Motown Singles, Vol. 11B: 1971 Hip-O Select Smooth Soul, Motown, Funk, Soul
Marty Willson-Piper Nightjar Second Motion Alternative Pop/Rock
New CD Album Releases, 2-24-2009: Chris Isaak, JJ Cale, Jonas Brothers Chris Isaak is back this week with Mr Lucky. It is his first proper album in seven years, and currently as high as #6 at Amazon. Note that he is also starting The Chris Isaak Hour, a weekly talk-music show on A&Es Biography channel.
JJ Cale has made a bunch of albums over time, but I've never heard of him really being much of a seller. But Roll On is rated as high as #11 at Amazon. The last album he made was a duo album with Eric Clapton, The Road to Escondido.
The Jonas Brothers have a concert film, and thus a concert film album, Music from the 3D Concert Experience. Good for them.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases:
Black Lips 200 Million Thousand Vice Garage Punk, Garage Rock Revival
J.J. Cale Roll On Rounder Boogie Rock, Roots Rock, Blues-Rock
Chris Isaak Mr. Lucky Wicked Game/Reprise Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Pop/Rock
And Then There Were None Who Speaks for Planet Earth? Tooth & Nail New Wave/Post-Punk Revival, Dance-Rock, Indie Electronic
Laura Barrett Victory Garden Paper Bag Indie Pop, Indie Rock
Diego Bernal For Corners Exponential Left-Field Hip-Hop, Hip-Hop
Joe Bonamassa The Ballad of John Henry J & R Adventures Blues-Rock, Modern Electric Blues
Pete Brown & His Battered Ornaments A Meal You Can Shake Hands with in the Dark Repertoire Prog-Rock/Art Rock, Soul
Pete Brown & Piblokto! Things May Come and Things May Go But the Art School Dance Goes on Forever Repertoire Prog-Rock/Art Rock, Rock & Roll, Soul
Pete Brown & Piblokto! Thousands on a Raft Repertoire Jazz-Rock, Prog-Rock/Art Rock Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band Safe as Milk Buddha Proto-Punk, Psychedelic, Prog-Rock/Art Rock, Blues-Rock, Experimental Rock
Johnny Cash Original Sun Singles '55-'58 Sundazed Rock & Roll, Traditional Country, Rockabilly, Country-Pop
Clem Snide Hungry Bird 429 Indie Rock, Alternative Country-Rock
Company of Thieves Ordinary Riches Wind-Up Indie Rock
Norman Connors Star Power Shanachie Smooth Jazz, Quiet Storm, Crossover Jazz, Urban
Shemekia Copeland Never Going Back Telarc Modern Electric Blues, Soul-Blues
Brian Dewan Ringing at the Speed of Prayer: Brian Dewan with the Liverpool Cathedral Bell Ringers Innova Romantic & Contemporary Arrangements for Bells & Tuned Stones
John Fred & His Playboy Band With Glasses: The Very Best of John Fred and His Playboy Band Fuel 2000 Pop/Rock, Frat Rock, AM Pop, Blue-Eyed Soul
Bill Frisell The Best of Bill Frisell, Vol. 1: Folk Songs Nonesuch Folk-Jazz
Green River Ordinance Out of My Hands Virgin Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Pop/Rock
Uri Gurvich The Storyteller Tzadik Avant-Garde Jazz, Progressive Jazz, Folk-Jazz, World Fusion
Lightnin' Hopkins Blues from Dowling Street Fuel 2000 Electric Texas Blues, Electric Blues, Country Blues, Acoustic Texas Blues, Texas Blues
Jonas Brothers Music from the 3D Concert Experience Hollywood Pop/Rock, Teen Pop
K'naan Troubadour A&M/Octone Alternative Rap, Political Rap, Underground Rap
Kinky Barracuda Kin-Kon/Nettwerk Alternative Dance, Rock en Español, Alternative Pop/Rock
L'Arpeggiata Monteverdi: Teatro d'Amore Virgin Classics Baroque Vocal Music
Lamb of God Wrath Epic Death Metal/Black Metal
Jerry Lee Lewis Sun Singles Collection Sundazed Rock & Roll
Kurt Masur Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 8; Liszt: Wanderer-Fantasie Apex Romantic Orchestral Music
Jackie McLean Bluesnik [RVG] Blue Note Hard Bop, Post-Bop
Original Soundtrack Coraline Koch Original Score, Soundtracks
Jake Owen Easy Does It RCA Neo-Traditionalist Country, Contemporary Country
Pan-American White Bird Release Kranky Experimental Ambient, Dark Ambient, Post-Rock/Experimental, Electro-Acoustic
Shawn Phillips At the BBC Hux Jazz-Rock, Folk-Rock, Soft Rock, Singer/Songwriter
Roberto Juan Rodriguez The First Basket Tzadik Jewish Music, Avant-Garde Jazz, Hebrew, Son, Rhumba, Klezmer, Latin Folk, Mambo, New York Salsa, Salsa, World Fusion
Tom Rush What I Know Appleseed Contemporary Folk, Singer/Songwriter, Folk-Blues, Traditional Folk
Daphna Sadeh and the Voyagers Reconciliation Tzadik Continental Jazz, World Fusion
School Boy Humor School Boy Humor Vagrant Emo-Pop
Screaming Blue Messiahs Live at the BBC Hux Alternative Pop/Rock, Hard Rock
Horace Silver The Tokyo Blues Blue Note Hard Bop, Soul-Jazz
Various Artists Adventures in Sound: Schaeffer, Stockhausen, Xenakis, Varèse, Henry El Modern & Contemporary Electronic & Electro-Acoustic Music
Various Artists Elliott Carter: A Nonesuch Retrospective [Box Set] Nonesuch Contemporary Vocal, Chamber & Orchestral Music
Various Artists Singing Through the Hard Times: A Utah Phillips Celebration Righteous Babe Neo-Traditional Folk, Folksongs, Folk Revival
Baby Face Willette Stop and Listen Blue Note Hard Bop, Soul-Jazz
Tony Williams Spring Blue Note Post-Bop, Avant-Garde Jazz
New CD Album Releases, 2-17-2009: Psapp, Morrissey, Robyn Hitchcock This week we are blessed to get the American release of the third album by Psapp, The Camel's Back. Carim Clasmann and Galia Durant are sometimes credited as the creators of a new genre to be called "toytronica" based on being prone to using nominal toy instruments in their productions - though I'd say that such things are maybe a little more subtle or less obvious than previously. I'd broadly describe their sound as a light, pop oriented electronica.
This is the best set of compositions, actual songs, they've come up with, which perhaps minimizes the need for electronic gimmicks that would probably distract from some of these songs. I've been listening to this for awhile, and the album's got some staying power.
There are at least several outstanding songs here. I'm to understand that "The Monster Song" is supposed to be a single, but that's one of the less interesting songs here - though decent in it's own right. But "Fickle Ghost" really particularly does it for me. This gets up a pretty fair sense of drama for a band so set on whimsy. They get a particularly tight, righteously rocking start on the album with "I Want That." "The Camel's Back" and "Part Like Waves" are damned catchy as well.
Robyn Hitchcock has his 275th album this week, Goodnight Oslo. I know I've listened to a half dozen Hitchcock albums, but couldn't for the life of me tell you any particular song. But there he is, if you're really into such things.
Then there's the ridiculousness that is Morrissey. The Smiths sucked so thoroughly on so many levels that I needn't burden you with most of them. But the main most important level of the Morrissey/Smith suckingness is the lack of memorable melodies. Having heard at least two thirds of the guy's output, I couldn't call forth even one hook out of his entire career of miserable whining. He once ludicrously called an album Meat Is Murder - which may be true, but still in my mind a lesser crime than the murder of my eardrums by the sound of his crappy records. His solo career has only been even less artistically distinguished. This week he has Years of Refusal. Enjoy.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new releases:
...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead The Century of Self Justice Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
Robyn Hitchcock Goodnight Oslo Yep Roc Alternative Pop/Rock, Neo-Psychedelia
Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit Lightning Rod Alternative Country-Rock, Roots Rock, Southern Rock
Morrissey Years of Refusal [CD/DVD] Lost Highway College Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
M. Ward Hold Time Merge Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Indie Rock
Cranes Loved [Bonus Tracks] Cherry Red Dream Pop, Alternative Pop/Rock
Death For the Whole World to See Drag City American Underground, American Punk, Proto-Punk
Dorian Wind Quintet Retrospectacular Summit Chamber Music for Winds
Benjy Ferree Come Back to the Five and Dime Bobby Dee Bobby Dee Domino Indie Rock, Alternative Singer/Songwriter
John Lee Hooker Anthology: 50 Years Shout! Factory Detroit Blues, Blues Revival, Delta Blues, Country Blues, Electric Delta Blues, Acoustic Blues, Electric Blues
Tommy Keene In the Late Bright Second Motion Pop Underground, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Christof Keymer Moritz Moszkowski: Samtliche Klaviertranskriptionen Berlin Classics Post-Romantic Transcriptions for Piano
Living Things Habeas Corpus Jive/Zomba Punk Revival, Post-Grunge, Alternative Pop/Rock, Hard Rock
Mi Ami Watersports Quarterstick Post-Hardcore, Noise-Rock, Indie Rock
Miniature Tigers Tell It to the Volcano Modern Art Pop Underground, Indie Pop
New CD Album Releases, 2-10-2009: India.Arie, Lily Allen, Van Morrison There's definitely at least new album worth listening to this week. India Arie Simpson has Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics. She makes music that gets the benefits of r&b and also of singer-songwriters. There are some actual songs with hooks and melodies here, and pretty much the whole album is consistently good. The mostly gentle r&b swing is effective at buoying up the introspective parts, thus avoiding the kind of wistful drag of songwritery introspection.
On a couple of days exposure, I'm not necessarily saying that it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. It's not going to make you forget, say, What's Going On. But I found myself listening to the whole album four or five times consecutively last night during crazy stormy winter weather, and I found it very comforting in the kind of situation where I'd usually be reaching for familiar comfort food, Kind of Blue or Motown maybe.
I'm not sure there's any single track quite up with "Promises" or "Video" but I'll definitely be giving some continuing time to "Ghetto" and the good rockin' "Better Way." Plus, I'll take her bonus track "Beautiful Day" over the U2 hit of the same name. This may be Miss India's best album overall.
Lily Allen has her second album this week, It's Not Me, It's You. The smug shallow self-righteousness of the album title is not contradicted by mediocre songs like "Not Fair."
It is most convincingly confirmed by "F&*k You." The cutesy girly tone and production gimmicks might almost would make a minimally listenable pop song, but smug hatefulness and utterly unearned presumptions of intellectual and moral superiority running through the whole album get condensed into an obvious and shallow swipe at W. Still, musically it's probably the best song on the album. It's also a pretty good encapsulated example of a particularly ugly netroots leftist hypocrisy. "We're so tired of all the hatred you harbor" Juxtapose that with the title, and (lyric sites don't include this part) "It's people like you that need to get slew." This whole album is full of hatred, political and personal.
The personalized hatefulness of this whole record (both political and personal) sounds particularly sour and unappealing compared to the India.Arie record. Now, besides the fact that India is talented and a real songwriter, she's benevolent and nice. The whole tone of the liberal impulses behind stuff like "Better Way" reflect an actual concern with the welfare of the downtrodden, rather than with proud displays of hateful personal or moral superiority to ex-presidents or ex-boyfriends.
In short, if you're one of those nouveau Dixie Chicks fans who bought their crappy Taking the Long Way album and consider it great art because they hate BusHitler and most everyone else, then you might dig It's Not Me, It's You. That describes enough people to make this album #10 currently at Amazon.
Van Morrison recorded Astral Weeks: Live at the Hollywood Bowl in November 2008. This was apparently the first time he has performed his classic 1968 album live in its entirety as a song cycle. I haven't heard this, but reviews seem rather ecstatic. He's apparently, as you might expect from someone of his stature, done more than just play the old songs, but expanded on them with some improvisatory expansions that go to the jazzy nature of the original record.
Here's the complete list of the week's major new album releases.
Lily Allen It's Not Me, It's You Capitol Pop/Rock, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Chilliwack Wanna Be a Star Solid Gold Pop/Rock, Soft Rock
Gerald Cleaver/William Parker/Craig Taborn Farmers by Nature Aum Fidelity Avant-Garde Jazz, Free Jazz
Ben Folds Stems & Seeds Epic Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock, Pop Underground, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter
Stan Freberg Singles DRG/EMI Musical Comedy, Novelty, Satire
Alice Giles Carlos Salzedo: Works for Solo Harp Tall Poppies Modern Music for Harp
Grant Green Grant's First Stand Blue Note Hard Bop, Soul-Jazz
Guarneri Quartet The Hungarian Album Sony Post-Romantic & Modern Music for String Quartet
Jon Hassell Last Night the Moon Came Dropping Its Clothes in the Street ECM Structured Improvisation, Experimental, Space, Avant-Garde, Ambient
Buddy Holly Memorial Collection Geffen Rockabilly, Rock & Roll
Hot Panda Volcano...Bloody Volcano Mint Indie Rock, New Wave/Post-Punk Revival
George Jones Step Right Up: 1970-1979 A Critical Anthology Raven Nashville Sound/Countrypolitan, Honky Tonk, Country-Pop, Traditional Country
Jorma Kaukonen River of Time Red House Neo-Traditional Folk, Old-Timey, Acoustic Blues
Ryan Leslie Ryan Leslie Casablanca Contemporary R&B, Pop
Lorraine Hunt Lieberson Recital: Lorraine Hunt Lieberson at Ravinia Harmonia Mundi Baroque, Romantic, Classical, Modern & Contemporary Music for Voice & Piano
The Lonely Island Incredibad [CD/DVD] Republic Musical Comedy, Novelty
Motorhead Ace of Spades [Deluxe Edition] Sanctuary New Wave of British Heavy Metal, British Metal, Heavy Metal, Hard Rock
Motorhead Bomber [Deluxe Edition] Sanctuary New Wave of British Heavy Metal, British Metal, Heavy Metal
Motorhead Iron Fist [Deluxe Edition] Sanctuary New Wave of British Heavy Metal, British Metal, Speed Metal, Heavy Metal, Thrash, Hard Rock
Motorhead Overkill [Deluxe Edition] Sanctuary New Wave of British Heavy Metal, British Metal, Heavy Metal, Hard Rock
Leo Parker Rollin' with Leo Blue Note Hard Bop
Horace Parlan Up & Down [Bonus Track] Blue Note Hard Bop, Soul-Jazz
Miranda Lee Richards Light of X Nettwerk Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Alternative Pop/Rock, Neo-Psychedelia
Dexter Romweber Duo Ruins of Berlin Bloodshot Rockabilly Revival, Psychobilly
Bobby V. The Rebirth Blu Kolla Dreams/EMI Contemporary R&B
Various Artists NCIS: The Official TV Soundtrack CBS Television Music, TV Soundtracks
Dan Zanes and Friends The Welcome Table! Songs of Inspiration, Mystery & Good Times Festival Five Children's Folk, Sing-Along, Contemporary Gospel, Country Gospel, Inspirational ****************** India Arie Simpson INDIA.ARIE PICTURES 123456
New CD Album Releases, 2-3-2009: Steve Martin, Melinda Doolittle, Wynonna Judd I haven't heard the whole album yet, but The Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo from Steve Martin sounds pretty exciting. He's been known for banjo playing in his comedy act from the beginning, but has only just put out his first actual banjo music album. Fourteen of the fifteen songs are original Steve Martin compositions, some of them written decades ago.
The first song "Daddy Played the Banjo" is available for free download from Amazon, and it's quite excellent. It's a beautiful and lonely lament for a past that never was from a banjo player who has no child to share his banjo love with. This song will likely be on my best of 2009 list.
On a much more upbeat note, he sang another song from the album, "Late for School." It's a spritely but touching little number from the point of a boy who's missed the bus and running to make it to class, over the creek, jumping lawn ornaments and such.
Also, unlike most things that carry the name now, this is sounding like real country music. That pretty well tells you it'll never be played on country radio. This is definitely a must-have album.
Melinda Doolittle was the #3 finisher on American Idol in 2007. Coming Back to You is her debut album, an r&b record described as something in the range of Gladys Knight and the Pips.
Sing: Chapter 1 is the seventh solo album from Wynonna Judd. She describes it as a multi-genre collection of standards.
Here's the complete list of the week's major new releases:
Steve Martin The Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo 40 Productions Bluegrass
Dierks Bentley Feel That Fire Capitol Contemporary Country
Melinda Doolittle Coming Back to You Hi Fi Neo-Soul, Contemporary R&B
The Fray The Fray Epic Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, American Trad Rock
Graham Nash Reflections [Box Set] Rhino Pop/Rock, Singer/Songwriter, Folk-Rock, Soft Rock, Album Rock, British Invasion, AM Pop
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus Lonely Road Virgin Alternative Pop/Rock, Emo-Pop, Screamo
Marin Alsop Marin Alsop Conducts MacMillan, Adès & Higdon LSO Live Contemporary Orchestral Music
The Bad Plus For All I Care Heads Up Post-Rock/Experimental, Post-Bop
Bibio Vignetting the Compost Mush Indie Electronic, Post-Rock/Experimental
Larry Blank Rodgers & Hammerstein: Allegro Sony Musical Theater
Ann Hampton Callaway At Last Telarc Vocal Jazz, Standards
Chicago Chicago 18 Rhino Flashback/Warner Bros. Pop/Rock, Adult Contemporary, Soft Rock
Heartless Bastards The Mountain Fat Possum Indie Rock, Garage Punk
Iran Dissolver Narnack Noise Pop, Indie Rock
The James Gang Bang Rhino Flashback/Atco Album Rock, Hard Rock, Rock & Roll
Wynonna Judd Sing: Chapter 1 Curb Contemporary Country
Ben Kweller Changing Horses ATO Alternative Country-Rock, Indie Rock
Leona Lewis Spirit [Deluxe Edition] [CD/DVD] [Bonus Tracks] J-Records Pop Idol, Contemporary R&B, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Adult Contemporary
Majesty Crush I Love You in Other Cities Full Effect Dream Pop, Indie Rock, Shoegaze, Alternative Pop/Rock
Dent May The Good Feeling Music of Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele Paw Tracks Indie Pop
Ronnie McNeir Ronnie McNeir [1972] Dusty Groove Smooth Soul, Soul
Willie Nelson/Asleep at the Wheel Willie and the Wheel Bismeaux Productions Western Swing Revival, Western Swing, Traditional Country
Daniel Taylor The Voice of Bach Sony BMG Europe Baroque Vocal Music
David Zinman Mahler: Symphony No. 5 [Hybrid SACD] RCA Red Seal Post-Romantic Orchestral Music
Original Soundtrack He's Just Not That into You [Soundtrack] New Line Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Film Music, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Soundtracks, New Wave, Alternative Pop/Rock
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart The Pains of Being Pure at Heart Slumberland Indie Pop, Noise Pop, Shoegaze
Phosphorescent To Willie Dead Oceans Indie Rock, Alternative Folk, Lo-Fi
Telefon Tel Aviv Immolate Yourself Bpitch Control Experimental Techno, Alternative Dance
Aaron Tippin In Overdrive Country Crossing Truck Driving Country
Two Tongues Two Tongues Vagrant Emo-Pop, Alternative Pop/Rock, Punk-Pop
Various Artists Money Will Ruin Everything: The Second Edition Rune Grammaphon NW Structured Improvisation, Glitch, Sound Sculpture, Avant-Garde Jazz, Experimental Ambient, Experimental Dub, Electronica, Ambient Techno, Ambient Dub, Electro-Acoustic
Various Artists Yuanlin Chen: Away from Xuan Innova Contemporary Orchestral and Chamber Music
Von Bondies Love Hate and Then There's You Majordomo Garage Punk, Indie Rock, Garage Rock Revival
Jim White A Funny Little Cross to Bear Luaka Bop Americana, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Folk
The Zero Boys History of the Zero Boys Secretly Canadian American Underground, Hardcore Punk, Alternative Pop/Rock
Zero Boys Vicious Circle Secretly Canadian American Underground, Hardcore Punk, Alternative Pop/Rock
New CD Album Releases, 1-27-2009: Bruce Springsteen, Kylie Minogue, Paul McCartney Look, as far as the music business goes, Bruce Springsteen is one of the biggest corporate whores going. You know it, I know, and the American people know it. The Seeger album was an extraordinary and commercially hopeless piece of art - unique in his catalogue. Other than that, it's been all downhill since Darkness 30 odd years ago. The music has become horribly homogenized Springsteen industrial strength music food product, with lots of cheesy off the shelf Woody Guthrie self-mythologizing shtick.
The new Working on a Dream has been criticized as being a disconnected set of workmanlike crafted songs, hurried along to be out in time for his big Superbowl halftime show coming up in a few days. The big industrial strength roll out of this trips the triggers of some folks who are real invested in his big cheesy personnae.
But it's really just as well, so far as I'm concerned - never having bought all the shtick in the first place. Everybody's trying to put some political spin on it - with Springsteen's encouragement - some BS about a reflection of the optimism of the new Obama era. The good thing is that this is just pure marketing BS, and such dumbassery has little or nothing to do with what's on the actual album. It was that cheap grasping for Deep Meaning that so badly made me want to stick that horrible exploitative 9/11 album up The Boss's ass.
The actual new album Working on a Dream is not going to make anybody forget Born to Run, but it's more listenable to my ears than anything Springsteen's been involved with in the last 15 or 20 years, again excepting Seeger. This album is halfway listenable - way better than Springsteen's recent average. Maybe it's just that he's put his efforts here mostly into composition rather than concocting political/sociological BS.
Most of all, this whole album is at least minimally justified by one fairly outstanding song, the epic eight minute opening track "Outlaw Pete." For starters, this thing's pretty catchy. I'm wandering around singing pieces of it, which is my surest sign that he's got something.
He's been called out in some quarters for nicking a bit of the big Kiss disco hit "I Was Made For Loving You." But this is a textbook example of GOOD nicking. He's used just one bit of instrumental hook, dropped into a whole different emotional and musical context. It's not the main point of the song, and not enough to be really a ripoff. It's really interesting and worthwhile thinking through how this little disco lick cleverly becomes part of a Western epic.
I don't know how "profound" this big ol' epic exactly is, but it's got at least a halfway distinctive melody and some good dynamics. Plus, I like some of the early imagery of the three month old Pete in his diapers and bare feet holding up his first bank. At six months old, he'd done three months in jail. It's almost in Paul Bunyon territory there. This song will likely end up on my 2009 records list.
Beyond the 800 pound corporate gorilla, there's an album of Kylie Minogue remixes, Boombox. If you're into such things, this has a lot of first-time-on-an-album rarities, including the Kylie/New Order mash-up "Can't Get Blue Monday Out Of Head".
Amoeba's Secret is a four song live EP from Paul MCartney, from a small show promoting Memory Almost Full. It has two songs from there ["Only Mama Knows" and "That Was Me"] plus "C Moon" and "I Saw Her Standing There."
Here's the complete list of this week's major new releases:
The Bird and the Bee Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future Blue Note Indie Pop, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Franz Ferdinand Tonight Domino New Wave/Post-Punk Revival, Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
Bruce Springsteen Working on a Dream Columbia Album Rock, Pop/Rock, Singer/Songwriter
Louis Armstrong Satchmo at Pasadena Verve Mainstream Jazz, New Orleans Jazz, Traditional Pop
Ashford & Simpson The Real Thing Burgundy Soul, Pop-Soul, Smooth Soul, Contemporary R&B
Zuill Bailey Zuill Bailey: Russian Masterpieces for Cello and Orchestra Telarc Romantic & Modern Music for Cello & Orchestra
Gato Barbieri Chapter One: Latin America Verve Latin Jazz, World Fusion, Free Jazz
Ran Blake Driftwoods Tompkins Square Avant-Garde Jazz, Standards, Post-Bop, Ballads
James Brown Singles, Vol. 6: 1969-1970 Hip-O Select Funk, Soul, Blaxploitation
Cappadonna Slang Prostitution Chambermusik Hardcore Rap, East Coast Rap
Peter Cincotti East of Angel Town Sire/ London/Rhino Vocal Jazz, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter
Cotton Jones Basket Ride Paranoid Cocoon Suicide Squeeze Alternative Singer/Songwriter
Dälek Gutter Tactics Ipecac Left-Field Hip-Hop, Alternative Rap
Pat DiNizio & Buddy Holly Pat Dinizio/Buddy Holly Koch Pop-Metal, Garage Rock Revival, Rock & Roll
Dry Branch Fire Squad Echoes of the Mountains Rounder Progressive Bluegrass, Appalachian Folk, Old-Timey, Contemporary Bluegrass, String Bands, Traditional Bluegrass
Chris Duarte 396 Blues Bureau Modern Electric Blues
John Frusciante The Empyrean Record Collection Emo, Indie Rock
The Full Blast Black Hole Atavistic Avant-Garde Jazz, Free Jazz, Modern Free
The Green Fields of America The Green Fields of America Compass Traditional Irish Folk, Traditional Celtic, Irish Folk
Pat Green What I'm For BNA Contemporary Country, Pop/Rock, American Trad Rock
Tom Harrell Prana Dance Highnote Post-Bop
Hoobastank For(n)ever Island Post-Grunge, Alternative Pop/Rock
Incredible String Band Tricks of the Senses Hux British Folk-Rock, British Folk, Folk-Rock, Psychedelic
Nickel Eye The Time of the Assassins Rykodisc Indie Rock
Of Montreal An Eluardian Instance (Jon Brion Remix EP) Polyvinyl Indie Pop, Neo-Psychedelia, Club/Dance, Dance-Pop
Mark Olson/Gary Louris Ready for the Flood Hacktone Americana, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Country-Rock
Renee Olstead Skylark Reprise/143 Traditional Pop, Vocal Pop
QUaX Ensemble Cornelius Cardew: Treatise Mode Avant-Garde Chamber Music
Thomas Quasthoff Italian Arias Deutsche Grammophon Classical Opera Arias
Enrico Rava New York Days ECM Post-Bop, Modern Creative
Rihanna Good Girl Gone Bad: The Remixes Def Jam Club/Dance, Dance-Pop, Urban
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Old Money Stones Throw Experimental Rock, Space Rock
Roses Kings Castles Roses Kings Castles Sycamore Club Indie Pop, Indie Rock
Saffire -- The Uppity Blues Women Havin' the Last Word Alligator Modern Acoustic Blues, Folk-Blues
Jamie Saft Black Shabbis Tzadik Doom Metal, Heavy Metal, Death Metal/Black Metal
Duncan Sheik Whisper House RCA Victor Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Pop/Rock, Singer/Songwriter
Matthew Shipp Harmonic Disorder Thirsty Ear Avant-Garde Jazz
Frank Sinatra Seduction: Sinatra Sings of Love [Deluxe] Rhino Traditional Pop, American Popular Song
Doug Stone Live at Billy Bob's Texas Smith Music Group Neo-Traditionalist Country
Various Artists Grammy Nominees 2009 Rhino Pop Idol, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary R&B, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Pop, Adult Contemporary
Various Artists Michael Fiday: Same Rivers Different Innova Modern Vocal & Chamber Music
Volcano Suns All-Night Lotus Party [Bonus Tracks] Merge American Underground, Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock, Post-Hardcore, College Rock
Volcano Suns The Bright Orange Years [Bonus Tracks] Merge American Underground, Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock, Post-Hardcore, College Rock
Gene Watson Reflections/Should I Come Home Hux Country-Pop, Nashville Sound/Countrypolitan
Tyrone Wells Remain Republic Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Paul Weston A Life in Music: Songwriter, Composer, Arranger JSP Traditional Pop, Mood Music, Instrumental Pop
Katt Williams It's Pimpin' Pimpin' Warner Bros. Observational Humor, Standup Comedy
New CD Album Releases, 1-20-2007: Animal Collective, A.C. Newman, Mariah Carey So it looks like President Obama is going to close Gitmo. Speculation is that this will make the detention center there available for the underground White Stripes Nation militia to use as an Imaginationland re-education camp, reportedly to be named.Camp Mimi This will be considered a substantial upgrade to current officially unacknowledged facilities in Iraq at Abu Ghraib. Camp Mimi can address various forms of opposition to the iron-fisted rule of Jack White, but most especially Mariah Carey fans are sometimes sent out for re-education - or actually a first education.
This week Sony Legacy puts out The Ballads of Mariah Carey. This is the first half of her career, then. It's hard to explain how much exactly the same every Mariah Carey song ever from then till now sounds. I am at a loss to understand how people tell them apart. I remember the titles from the track listing enough to know that many of these songs were big #1 singles at the time, back in the 80s. But even listening to the samples at Amazon now to refresh my memory, it's just formless corporate goo spread over endless identical generic drum machines.
This album should be considered reasonable evidence to convince anyone with any sense of geometry and theology as to why a Camp Mimi is necessary. Tens of millions of people have bought these Mariah Carey records, showing their distressing disconnect from music - and most especially their disconnect from soul music of any description. Like Obama with Gitmo, you might be squeamish about the means and methods - but these people HAVE to be Dealt With in some way. You got a better idea?
There are a couple of actual new releases this week that have gotten some interest, though I'm agnostic on both upon at least an initial listen. Animal Collective has Merriweather Post Pavilion. This is their ninth album, and is currently as high as #8 in Amazon sales. That's pretty good for a band I don't remember ever having a hit single.
Listening to it, I'm not bowled over. It sorta sounds OK, and is acceptable background noise for writing because it has no discernible hooks to catch your attention and distract you from work. It sounds kinda dreamscapy and nice in a wallpaper sort of way, but I'm not hearing anything striking.
I'd give a little more point of interest to the A.C. Newman album Get Guilty. I'm not entirely knocked out, but I'm hearing a little bit more at least marginally distinctive compositions. Plus, it's somewhat more aggressive in sound. This might be called Beatle-y, just in the broad range. If you just ache with a jones for anything of a Beatles aesthetic, you could definitely do worse than this record. If you're looking for a little sample, you might start with tracking down "Like a Hitman, Like a Dancer."
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The big find this week is Los Lobos Goes Disney. Obviously, this outstanding and flavorful band coupled with some of the best pop songs of the last six or seven decades offers many choice goodies. "The Bare Necessities" rocks righteously. They pick also several lesser known songs from the canon, including "Grim Grinning Ghosts" and "The Ugly Bug Ball." I'm particularly pleased to note that they picked two songs from the Robin Hood movie, which is to say Roger Miller songs. I'm a little disappointed though that they didn't take a crack at "The Phony King of England," which would seem like the most obvious song for them there. But it's all good, however you want to look at it.
Whitney Houston is back after a half dozen years of the tabloid crapola with I Look to You. Frankly, I never saw what the big deal was about her in the first place. She was second only to Mariah Carey as someone whose music would cause me to change the radio station.
Haven't had the opportunity to hear it, but Georgia Anne Muldrow is back this week with Umsindo. I know she's got talents as a singer and a songwriter and arranger, as creator of one of the 
Not a hell of a lot new in this week's album releases that any sensible person would really have any reason for spending money on. 
Levon Helm
Michelle Shocked 
Rascal Flatts are Unstoppable this week, with their fifth album. They've been running since 1999, so a decade now. They've sold something near to 20 million albums, won every kind of industry award repeatedly, and are generally THE face of modern commercial country music. I can't quite remember any of their songs, but I'm sure they're really good. As THE face of modern country music, I can at least say in defense of Rascal Flatts that they are not the traitorous 
Doves 
Beastie Boys 
Flo Rida 
Looking thin for new releases of interest this week. Martina McBride has Shine, her 352nd album. I can't quite remember any of her songs, but she's sold something like 18 million albums, had 20+ top 10 country hits, a Grammy and a bunch of CMA awards. 
Yanni has Voices, which at least sounds like an interesting experiment. He's always been an instrumental artist. Here he has recruited four young singers (Nathan Pacheco, Ender Thomas, Leslie Mills and Chloe). Then he had them write their own lyrics to melodies of some old and some new compositions. This is on Disney records, and as such is the #1 children's album currently at Amazon, and the #7 album on all the charts.
Coheed and Cambria 
Martina McBride 
Chris Cornell (born Christopher John Boyle on July 20, 1964) has been a busy beaver in his career as a leader of Soundgarden, Audioslave and Temple of the Dog - besides numerous solo albums and side projects. For all that, I remember one song, "Rusy Cage" and that is because of Johnny Cash singing it. This week, he puts out a joint called Scream. 
Then there is the continuing attack on any decent standards of Geometry and Theology that is made up of every single person who has ever appeared on the damned American Idol show. If you're totally lacking in any interest in music, you might go find their albums. I'd tell you the names of the albums, but I don't care enough to scroll down the page to find them. 
Chris Cornell 
Taylor Hicks 
The personalized hatefulness of this whole record (both political and personal) sounds particularly sour and unappealing compared to the India.Arie record. Now, besides the fact that India is talented and a real songwriter, she's benevolent and nice. The whole tone of the liberal impulses behind stuff like "Better Way" reflect an actual concern with the welfare of the downtrodden, rather than with proud displays of hateful personal or moral superiority to ex-presidents or ex-boyfriends.
Bruce Springsteen
