davedimartino

[davedimartino]

NEW THIS WEEK 10.13.08

We're veering toward the middle of the year's fourth quarter--a time when nearly every week brings us a handful of new releases that will instantly emerge at the top of the charts and make everybody but us fabulously wealthy!

And sure, some weeks will bring us inevitable No. 1's like rapper T.I. or Metallica, or hot new contenders like Jennifer Hudson or Robin Thicke. On the other hand, however--some weeks won't!

Perhaps signaling a temporary lull in the inevitable sales storm is this week--which aside from heartwarming country hat-wearer Kenny Chesney, offers little today's top record execs can write home to their moms about!

But you know what? It's OK! Look at the bright side: There are a lot of new TV shows debuting, a lot of great new DVDs also out this week, and now, lots of time to spend combing today's hottest social networks looking for old friends and new acquaintances! You could also read a book, but heck: they're expensive! Oh well!

Kenny Chesney: Lucky Old Sun (BNA) Country fave KC throws his ever-present hat in the ring this time out with a hot collection of tracks featuring guest stars such as Dave Matthews, Willie Nelson, the Wailers and Mac MacAnally, and it looks like he's got another surefire winner! Ironically selecting the same title track chosen by former Beach Boy Brian Wilson to highlight his new album--but I assure you that's the only less-than-original idea to be had here--Chesney seems to be looking leftward during these exciting political times, at least if the album cover picture is any indication! For a while my favorite track was "Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven (with The Wailers)" until I realized the words in parentheses weren't actually part of the lyrics, but who knows? It may well be yours! I'm just thrilled with the whole thing!

Keane: Perfect Symmetry (Interscope) Following up a huge debut album with one not quite so successful could be a stumbling block for bands of lesser talent, but England's Keane return here with a winningly melodic, choice third album that I'd call "keen" if, like you, I enjoyed bad puns! One thing's for sure: My notion of them as a sugar-sweet, almost sappy poppish band changed significantly, in light of the upbeat, energetic tracks found here in great number! Additionally, I think any English band with a member named Tim Rice-Oxley is supposed to be good according to some old rock critic rule or something! And I'm as gullible as the next guy! Between you and me, I should probably focus on my craft more!

Nikka Costa: Pebble To A Pearl (Stax/Go Funk Yourself) A welcome return from Miss Costa, a soulful, zesty singer who made big noise a few years ago and is now back awaiting your purchase, listening, and evaluation! Perhaps chastened by the public humiliation of choosing a title for her last album-- can'tneverdidnotthin'--that was both grammatically incorrect and poorly punctuated, Costa soars admirably throughout most of the tracks here, though luckily for all of us, she apparently held tightly to her microphone! Favorite tracks include "Keep Wanting More," "Keep Pushin'" and "Cry Baby," but that may be a factor of my susceptibility to suggestion! I'd suggest buying this and waiting for additional orders!

Johnny Cash: Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison: Legacy Edition (Columbia/Legacy) Sometimes record labels try to milk everything they've got in their archives by slapping a few additional tracks onto a classic album and selling it all over again, but this is absolutely not the case here! Cash's historic 1968 album is loaded to the gills with superb extras--including both shows the country legend gave that day at Folsom Prison, additional performances by Carl Perkins and the Statler Brothers, and a compelling two-hour film documentary included on an additional DVD. One of the year's best reissues by far; if you can't afford it, please don't steal it, as these kind of things don't happen in jails much these days!

Ray LaMontagne: Gossip In The Grain (RCA) Singer-songwriter Ray LaMontagne is still going strong, and this--his third album--is a step up for him in terms of album sound: There are more players, more textures, and lots more to listen to while admiring his well-crafted, highly emotive songs. Back again with producer Ethan Johns, LaMontagne need only drop the pretentious "La" from his last name--I mean, the Royal "we" is so old school--to become good ol' "Ray Montagne" and ascend to the throne of rightly-named singer-songwriter supremacy! And if the cover photograph depicts him telepathically ordering consumers to buy his album, so be it!

Copeland: You Are My Sunshine (Tooth & Nail) Some people contend that all the good songs in the world have already been written--just ask  Kenny Chesney and Brian Wilson--but it must be pointed out that classic track "You Are My Sunshine" is not actually heard here, it's just--let's face it--a dandy album title! I actually like what I hear here, but be forewarned: The first time I heard this band, I thought their lead singer sounded like a male version of Christine McVie! This band shows lots of growth, and facial hair is only partially relevant!

Phoebe Snow: Live (Verve Forecast) When I was just out of college I worked at a magazine that specialized in humorous captions! It was great! One day a woman called up and asked me how come she'd been dropped off the complimentary mailing list, and--get this--it was Phoebe Snow herself! She liked the funny captions! So I put her back on the list! From that point forward, I've had nothing but the greatest admiration for Miss Snow--so I'd like to point out that her new live album, recorded in Woodstock, New York, is a fine assemblage of well-played, well-sung tunes, including her classic hit "Poetry Man," covers of "It's All In The Game" and "Piece Of My Heart," and much more. That said, if her album cover bore a really funny caption--like "The Microphone God was not fooled by Phoebe's false piety!"--it might sell a few more copies in New Jersey!

Ingrid Michaelson: Be OK (Cabin 24) An up-and-coming singer-songwriter who has admirably attached herself to the Stand Up To Cancer organization, Michaelson has assembled this collection of demos, live tracks and cover songs in part to benefit that cause. Word is she's about to launch a "Be OK" tour that will feature a "Be OK" necklace as part of her tour merchandise, the proceeds of which will go to that same fine cause. My advice: Buy the record, promote the cause, but don't give the necklace to anyone named Kay!

Bobbie Gentry: Ode to Billie Joe/Touch 'Em With Love (Raven Australian import) Though I try not to write about albums issue outside this country--it's, like, not patriotic--the fact that this album is available domestically via MP3 download has opened the floodgates! Containing the first and fifth albums by this marvelous and unique singer-songwriter--born in Chickasaw County, Mississippi, no less!--this package is a great collection featuring Billie Joe's title track, the very surreal "Bugs," other great originals, and an array of covers including "Son Of A Preacher Man," "Niki Hoeky," and "You've Made Me So Very Happy." Historic note to Beatle haters: Ode To Billie Joe knocked Sgt. Pepper's off the top of the album charts! She probably laughed evilly when it happened! What more could you ask for?  

Connie Talbot: Over The Rainbow (AAO) An astounding vocalist with a big, big voice, Talbot seems destined for an enormously successful career! And hopefully budding singers will take note that getting an excessive number of facelifts often reaps unexpected results!

[davedimartino]

New This Week 10.20.08

It's a big week for rock 'n' roll fans, as AC/DC--the legendary Australian rock band who set an entire generation on the "Highway To Hell"--has returned with their first new studio album in eight years.

In these days of short-term artists who blaze to the forefront of pop with a giant hit single and then slowly fade away, how nice it is to encounter actual "career artists" in this day and age.

That said, eight years is a long time for any band to stay out of the spotlight--even giants like AC/DC--so the question of whether they still "have it"--that is, whether they still rock like nobody's business or are instead old, washed-up, kangaroo-loving rock hobbyists looking to relive their respective youths all over again--remains.

Plus, High School Musical 3 is out!

  AC/DC: Black Ice (Columbia) In a remarkable retail coup, AC/DC's new album is exclusively available at Wal-Mart, so you can bet your boots that I--like most of my metal-loving friends--was waiting in line this morning to pick my copy right up! Unfortunately, at my Wal-Mart, the music section is sort of at the back of the store. And while walking there I noticed a fantastic deal on Hawaiian Punch--my favorite non-carbonated beverage--and an incredible bargain on one of those hats that have beer can holders and a straw on top! Who could pass that up? Heading toward the music section, I noticed a stylish apron/dishtowel set I just know my mom would love this Christmas, so guess what? My hands were suddenly full! Planning to return after hitting the checkout counter, I ran into some guy with tattoos and a crewcut  who mentioned the album was actually streaming that very minute on the Wal-Mart website! Wow! So I drove home, checked out the site, and am listening to it right now! It's great!

 Various Artists: High School Musical 3: Senior Year (Walt Disney) If you thought High School Musical 2 was something of a shocker--with the original kids slightly older and at a small private college--this sequel will completely astound you! Taking the concept of "senior" to shockingly literal heights, the plot now features the gang white-haired and, frankly, doddering in the confines of an oddly nameless senior retirement home! Thus there are therefore two entirely different meanings to be had with such songs as "Right Here, Right Now," "A Night To Remember," and--perhaps most harrowing--"We're All In This Together (Graduation Mix)" likely to chill the most sensitive among us thoroughly to the bone! So it's pretty cool!

 Labelle: Back To Now (Verve) A great return from the marvelously talented Labelle, a trio whose talents were evident back in the early '60s (as three-fourths of Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles) and highly conspicuous in the early '70s, most notably via the international smash "Lady Marmalade." The three ladies here--Patti LaBelle, Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash--sound like they never left, and the music behind them, by Gamble & Huff, Lenny Kravitz and Wyclef Jean, is contextually perfect. Closing track "Miss Otis Regrets" was actually recorded in 1969, but for the most part, that's the only real backward look from this yet again, very forward-looking trio. Give it a spin and then watch Jason & The Argonauts!  

 Various Artists: Love Train: The Sound Of Philadelphia (Philadelphia International/Legacy) Speaking of legendary producers Gamble and huff, they're all over this superb collection of tracks from the Philadelphia International label--71 songs on 4 CDs, all filled with pure joy and pop standards. With nearly every hit you'd want from such artists as Billy Paul, the O'Jays, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, and countless others, the set pops with a consistency and verve that's almost astonishing in retrospect. Interestingly. the last track on the set, Patti LaBelle's "If Only You Knew," originally appeared in 1983--exactly the same year music stopped being good anymore! Heck, just buy this and move on to other consumer disposables!  

 Lee Ann Womack: Call Me Crazy (MCA Nashville) No, despite all the rumors and the album cover and the title, it isn't true that country star Womack had the upper two-thirds of her body removed in a plastic surgery mishap--because there's plenty of lung-power to be heard here! Featuring guest appearances by George Strait and Keith Urban, Womack's latest set is an expertly produced collection that any self-respecting country music fan will find immensely pleasing!  Call her crazy? Crazy like a fox! But not like that annoying cartoon guy in the comercial!

 Mary Mary: The Sound (Columbia) Inevitable comparisons to Duran Duran notwithstanding, this polished duo merge gospel, R&B and pop in a manner that's as fresh and invigorating as a spring rain or an old-fashioned Orange Julius! With guest appearances by David Banner, Kerra "KiKi" Sheard, and Deborah Winans, The Sound mixes up faith-filled tracks like "God In Me" and "I Worship You" with the intriguingly titled "Dirt" and is inspirational listening throughout! They certainly seem pleasant!

 Brett Dennen: Hope For The Hopeless (Dualtone) Anyone who's seen this appealing singer/songwriter in full performance mode knows how appealing he is, and his recent tours with John Mayer, Colbie Calliat and Sheryl Crow ensured that many people saw him indeed. The follow-up to his So Much More, this CD is--like the singer--warm, emotional, uplifting and so gosh-darned huggable you just want to put it under your pillow and close your eyes so hard you start to see spots! Yeah, just like that!  Incidentally, he's very tall!

 The Dears: Missiles (Dangerbird) From Montreal and acclaimed in their product description as "elder statesmen of the indie rock renaissance"--which is quite an honor, sort of!--the Dears have produced a fine follow-up to Gang Of Losers, and this is it! There's 10 tracks in all, and with titles such as "Meltdown In A Major," perhaps you'll have an inkling of much of this album's subject matter! That's right--the gang is shrunken to microscopic size in a military encampment, strapped into a tiny vehicle capable of being injected directly into an army officer's bloodstream, and forced to photograph the physiological effects of excessive radiation exposure! That would actually be a cool idea, huh?

 Of Montreal: Skeletal Lamping  (Polyvinyl) Since we just discussed the Dears, who are of Montreal, why not discuss Of Montreal, who, I am told, are dears? Certainly near the zenith of that "indie rock renaissance" thing product descriptions are always raving about, these guys are actually getting better by the minute and you should buy all their music or get left behind! Unfortunately, according to group leader Kevin Barnes, there may be a slight problem. "This record is only for broad-minded people," he told Billboard, "who like to dance, make love and freak the f**k out. It's not for most inanimate objects." So what's the problem? Simply this: CD players, turntables and even computers--they're all inanimate objects! Maybe he'll come to your town and hum a few bars of it!

 Hank Williams III: Damn Right, Rebel Proud (Curb) He's back with a new album--though sadly it doesn't feature his recently performed "McCain-Palin Tradition," a rewriting of his earlier hit "Family Tradition."  But it does feature a track called "Candidate For Suicide," which is nearly as good and may even have a longer shelf life! Bless his heart!

[davedimartino]

NEW THIS WEEK 10.28.08

Holy smokes! Usually when I spotlight new album releases each week, there are three or four major albums of interest, a few more that seem promising, and one or two with nice covers!

But this week there's simply too much great stuff!

And of course if I were to simply say that every new album was great, what sort of critic would I be?

Give up?

Tall!

P!nk: Funhouse (La Face/Zomba) It's hard not to admire P!nk for her sheer ability, sense of fun and daring, and literal ownership of a part of the color spectrum! Her new album features the single "So What" and includes a heady batch of collaborators including Max Martin, Butch Walker and Billy Mann, among others. It's kind of neat! As always, P!nk skirts the outer limits of danger here--but perhaps wisely has avoided the tempting trap of following her previous album I'm Not Dead with one called Oops, Now I Am for kicks! In sum, any woman who knows full well that by calling herself "P!nk" she will force any potential male fan to utter the words "I like Pink" is OK by me!

Toby Keith: That Don't Make Me A Bad Guy (Show Dog Nashville) Getting a new album by Toby Keith is always cause for celebration in my house, especially when we all try to interpret the meanings of his great songs! In this case, I’m kind of bowled over by the title track, which as far as I can tell was the result of his getting an overdue notice from his local library for keeping If I Ran The Zoo and Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus well past their due date! Dude, I'm sure all of us agree that you've got a lot on your plate, and having an overdue library book is much less of a big deal than, say, not telling your cable company that you're getting extra channels you're not paying for! They're all winners, but "You Already Love Me" may be the most gripping track!

 Queen + Paul Rodgers: The Cosmos Rocks (Hollywood) It's difficult to argue with the title of this, the first new album to bear the Queen name since Freddie Mercury's death, since by all indications, the Cosmos does rock! But though "Queen" comes first, it's the vocal talent of Paul Rodgers--formerly of Free, Bad Company and the Firm--that's up-front and center on most of these recordings! Fans of Rodgers' singular talent will be overjoyed by what they hear here, but those who admired the multi-tracked excesses of Queen at their best might find much of this more basic than they'd hoped for. But as many have noted, had the band called themselves "King," "Prince" or even "Rex"--as some were hoping--more than a few German Shepherds might have taken offense!

  John Legend: Evolver (G.O.O.D. Music/Columbia) I’m a big fan of John Legend and think he's one of the most talented musicians playing music at the moment, and I'm pleased to report that this album yet another step upward for the man. Featuring such talents as the marvelous Estelle, Andre 3000, and Kanye West--whom I'm told is quite good--this is polished, well-played music that bears the stamp of sophistication in the figurative sense and approaches the perfection of the Beatles' Revolver in the alphabetical sense! Plus, you've got to figure a guy named "Legend" who makes records for a label called "Good Music" can't be bad or there'd be a lawsuit!

Snow Patrol: A Hundred Million Suns (Polydor/Fiction) Though one-hit wonders come and go, bands like Snow Patrol--who've really been at it for some time now--continue to show increased strength with each and every new record they make. This, their fifth--which doesn't even count singer Gary Lightbody's work with the Reindeer Section--is packed to the brim with wonderfully textured, melodic songs that carry with them a sort of understated sense of drive that truly makes them unique. Plus, after hearing about this album for several months, many longtime fans are pleased to discover that "Suns" is actually spelled with a "U." They may be more famous than ever, but using an "O" would've been unseemly!

 Lady Gaga: The Fame (Interscope) I’m a bit taken with Lady Gaga, whose blend of pop, dance and R&B carries with it a high level of sophistication both in terms of influence and application. Plus, she's hot! Though her bio mentions such names as Peggy Bundy and Donatella Versace--whose albums, I must admit, I've never heard--and her album contains tracks like "Boys Boys Boys"--which, candidly, you should be careful listening to when driving around with your windows open--she's accessible in the very best sense and often wears sunglasses! Marry her!

 The Cure: 4:13 Dream (Suretone) Having been a fan of the Cure from the get-go, I was a bit puzzled when I found no need to listen to the many singles that preceded the release of this album! Had I grown tired of this great band after all this time? Had in fact the mixture of melody and subtlety that marked all of their early, best work up to, say, The Head On The Door slowly and inexorably faded, leaving nothing but a meager, thrashing husk of what once was? Nope, I was just fixated on the first three Hawkwind albums! I’m over it now and plan to get into this new album as soon as this movie's over!

 Kaiser Chiefs: Off With Their Heads (Universal) Though I've always given the Kaiser Chiefs credit for being a brash and catchy, popular newish Brit band, I've never quite made the leap to total fandom, But this new disc gets top marks for the enormously catchy track "Addicted To Drugs," which boasts the compelling lyrical couplet "You might as well face it / You're addicted to drugs" and repeats it gloriously, interminably, and, in all, quite admirably. It's catchy!

Various Artists: A Technicolor Dream (DVD)  Anyone hip to the UK underground scene of the '60s will enjoy this documentary, which details the events leading up the near-legendary "musical happening" which took place at London's Alexandra Palace on April 29, 1967. Contemporary interviews with Pink Floyd's Roger Waters and Nick Mason, the Soft Machine's Kevin Ayers and the Pretty Things' Phil May and several influential Brit writer types mix with historic footage and lay down a history that's admirably thorough--especially for Americans, who were more enmeshed with the San Francisco music scene at the time, for the most part. Though there's a scarcity of live footage from the concert itself--which had one of the most incredible lineups in pop history--there's plenty of interesting early Pink Floyd performances and a significant emphasis on former Floyd leader Syd Barrett. Highly recommended.

 Ryan Adams & The Cardinals: Cardinology (Lost Highway) Today's new Adams album seems a bit better than yesterday's, but not as good as last Friday's! Word is, though, that this Thursday's is really going to be hot! This is getting great!

[davedimartino]

NEW THIS WEEK 11.04.08

As I write this, it's mere hours before what may be the most important election in American history!

Tensions are fierce among many, as all of us--each and every one--perhaps engage our friends in heated discussion, study the evidence, and, finally, consider the ramifications of our vote!

And I for one am ready!

Though I usually find it distasteful to use this forum to further my own political opinions, so be it:

After prolonged and serious study, and carefully considering their respective merits, I have decided that yes--between the two of them, Britney Spears is hotter than Christina Aguilera!

Hopefully the world will agree!

  Hinder: Take It To The Limit (Universal Republic) Recently a local music critic here in L.A. has taken to referring to the sort of music Hinder plays--you know, that whole mish-mash of testosterone-inspired Nickelback, 3 Doors Down, Daughtrey kind of stuff--as "Flyover Rock." I mean, you've got to love her actually coming up with a term to describe it, true, and I suppose if the entire world did start using the expression, she might start to feel just the tiniest burst of pride about being the person responsible for its creation!  I, however, am the old-fashioned sort, and prefer to describe this sort of music as "Glorp Rock!" As do most people! But I do give Hinder some credit: Between them and the Eagles Of Death Metal, Don Henley sleeps easier tonight! And isn't that what it's all about?

  Brad Paisley: Play (Arista Nashville) Wow! Give Brad Paisley a Grammy for Best Country Instrumental Performance and look what happens next! An entire new album devoted to the craft of guitar-playing--featuring guests such as B.B. King, Buck Owens, and Keith Urban! And if the cover is any indication, Paisley himself has been turned into an old, beat-up guitar! Let's hope the Grammy people don't have a mean streak and give him another Grammy for Best Rap Collaboration just to experiment!

 Q-Tip: The Renaissance (Universal Motown) One of hip-hop's all time greats, Q-Tip made his name via his pioneering group A Tribe Called Quest, and he's finally back with a brand new album--loaded to the gills with rhythms, beats and other hip synonyms for that stuff as well as guest artists like D'Angelo, Norah Jones and Raphael Saadiq! He's pretty good! All told, though everything here sounds fresh and contemporary, there's a respect for tradition that permeates nearly every one of the masterful tracks to be found here!  My only question: What the hell happened to his head?

 Shiny Toy Guns: Season Of Poison (Universal) Far be it from me to imply that nervous record executives at Universal are now making their artists release albums with titles that evoke artists and eras long past, when records sold in the trillions and everyone was having a great time making money, but all I know is the day I got this, I played it for a few minutes and then decided to go watch Bret Michaels on his VH1 show! My attention span is so short now nearly anything will set it off! Say, have you seen my new car?

 Sarah Brightman: Winter Symphony (Manhattan) Like many people, I tend to view Sarah Brightman as the sort of person who might draw a large crowd on international levels were she to be pitted against, say, Celine Dion in a televised tag-team wrestling match! But there's more to her than that! And on this fine Christmas release, between well-sung versions of "Silent Night" and "Ave Maria," there's a fab cover of my all-time favorite seasonal single--Roy Wood's "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day"--that will surely bring you joy if you're fortunate enough to hear it! What say you do just that, then spring for a cup of hot cocoa and meet me for a seasonal romp?

 Mavis Staples: Live: Hope At The Hideout (Anti) A sheer and utter joy, this stripped-down live performance by Staples--a member of the distinguished Staple Singers--could just as easily have been recorded 40 years ago on the basis of the warmth and authenticity that's present throughout. Filled with classics of the civil rights era, capped with an encore of "I'll Take You There," and wrapped with a cover that would look at home in an Atlantic Records catalog circa 1968, it's a fairly stunning release by any standard. Except that of a major label!

 Johann Johannsson: Fordlandia (4AD) Admittedly I was distracted when I picked this up and put it in my CD player, so can I be blamed for my disappointment when I discovered my favorite song of all time--you know, the one about a guy named John Johnson who lives in Wisconsin and works in a lumberyard?--was nowhere to be found? But no worries! This guy's a heavy hitter--an Icelandic composer who puts together groovily hypnotic orchestrations and melodies that tear into your very heart and soul, baby! Top track is the pulsing, nine-minute "Melodia (Guidelines For A Space Propulsion Device Based On Heim's Quantum Theory)," but with that title, how could it not be? Here's hoping Britney covers it!

 Honeyhoney: First Rodeo (Ironworks/Universal Republic) This charismatic pair popped up into the Yahoo Music offices a few weeks ago and gave us a low-key but charming performance, and we were hooked! Accessible pop, folk, indie rock, jazz--pick a genre and they fit right into it. Good songs, good playing, and lots of opportunity awaiting them. Had they only named this debut album Sugar, superstardom would be theirs for the asking!

 Hushpuppies: Silence Is Golden (Minty Fresh) Chicago label Minty Fresh continues to introduce some of the world's most interesting artists to a Stateside audience, and the arrival here of France's Hushpuppies continues that classy tradition. Loud and catchy rock with lots of character, none of it hampered by those bothersome French accents that French people often have! Word is that their track "You're Gonna Say Yeah" is featured on the upcoming Guitar Hero World Tour vidgame franchise, but like you, I'd be much more interested in learning if they could introduce me to Alizee!

 Travis: Ode To J. Smith (Red Telephone Box) While it's true this band was once poised for a massive international breakthrough that would sadly never take place, their current strategy--titling their albums with very common names in hopes that owners of those names would actually buy them--may prove to be problematic! Eventually!

[davedimartino]

REVIEW: Van Morrison Live, Hollywood Bowl, 11.07.08

It was an historic occasion by any standard, but not one without precedent. In the last decade or so, major artists such as the Who, Brian Wilson, Arthur Lee & Love and even the Zombies have taken to performing in concert the albums that have cemented their status in the pantheon of popular music legendary artists. Quadrophenia, Pet Sounds, Forever Changes and Odessey And Oracle have enjoyed that treatment, and on Nov. 7th and 8th--unbelievably, to many longtime fans--Astral Weeks was performed by Van Morrison at the Hollywood Bowl.

Originally released in 1968, Astral Weeks is regarded by nearly every cultural commentator as one of the high points of popular music, Morrison's best-ever work, and indeed among the top three or four albums ever recorded. And in the 40 years since its release, with the exception of "Cypress Avenue," fans have had little to no chance to ever hear Morrison performing any of the material from this classic disc; indeed, aside from his earlier hits "Brown Eyed Girl," "Gloria" and Here Comes The Night"--the latter two by his mid-'60s rock group Them--Morrison has focused most of his live performances on material that appeared on Astral Weeks' successor, Moondance, and the many albums that would follow.

Promoted as a one-time only affair, which would be recorded and filmed for swift release on DVD, this was the veritable chance-of-a-lifetime for any rapid fan of Van Morrison--and in the course of four decades, there are many rapid fans indeed.

The verdict? You should have been there.

Divided into two halves, the performance opened with a sampler of Morrison's more interesting non-Astral Weeks material, much of which he's performed throughout his career. Notably, though, the focus was on some of the dreamier, extended material he's recorded--"And The Healing Has Begun," "All In The Game/You Know What They're Writing About," and "Angeliou," for example--as well as "St. Dominic's Preview," "Wavelength," and--perhaps inevitably, since it was a night of looking deliberately backward--"Moondance," "Brown Eyed Girl" and "Gloria." I for one was hoping for a taste of Morrison's other milestone--Veedon Fleece--but, sadly, it was not to be.

Following the break, the second set was wholly devoted to Astral Weeks. Morrison's band was large and accomplished--though bassist Richard Davis, who'd played on the original album and had been promised, was absent and longtime Morrison bassist David Hayes stood in--and the initial moments, when the band began playing the opening chords of the album-opening title track, were absolutely chilling. Morrison is in fine form vocally, and his tendency to scat and embrace verbal repetition--a trademark for him, really--worked this classic material's advantage.

Interestingly, Morrison strayed from Astral Weeks' original song sequence: album closer "Slim Slow Slider" came third, after "Beside You," and "Madame George"--audibly sung as "Madame Joy" by Morrison--concluded the cycle. It was bizarre in one sense--if he was actually intent on literally performing the entire album live, why mess with a sequence that is considered near holy by some? That said, though, in the few, rare interviews Morrison has given--and the even fewer times he's referred to Astral Weeks, he's occasionally expressed some reservations with the final result.  [I'm likewise reminded of how another very classic album--Big Star's Third--had its initial sequence "fixed" upon its later CD reissue and, as a result, messed up the storyline personally envisioned by some of that album's more ardent fans. Oh well.]

The performance was wonderful--a little less intimate instrumentally, perhaps, but played and sung remarkably well. And to hear some of these songs actually performed live, onstage--the magnificent "The Way Young Lovers Do," "Beside You" and "Slim Slow Slider"--was very much the definition of magical. That the entire show will be available to the general public via DVD is, speaking as a Van fan, a blessing beyond belief.

In all, how reassuring that Morrison is comfortable enough with his talent to look back and serve up the material that in some ways must represent something of a millstone for him. How often have we been subjected to artists so anxious to prove that they haven't lost it--that their new material is "just as good" as the music that made their career--that we sat passively and watched, waiting for a glimmer of former glories? Morrison closed the night with an encore performance of "Listen To The Lion," and the song--like the man himself--was, as ever, roaring.

(Originally published on Yahoo Music, 11.10.08)

[davedimartino]

New This Week 11.17.08

Conspicuously missing from this week's list of hot new music releases is the latest album by up-and-coming pop star Kanye West--whose long-awaited new album 808s & Heartbreak is, not to worry, coming next week!

Why has it taken so long? Experts agree that West's recent pronouncement that he will "go down as the voice of this generation" might be one very significant reason!

According to one informed observer, the press has yet again blown the lovable West's innocent claims well out of proportion! Because West, whose devotion to higher education has played a part in the nomenclature of all his previous works, made that statement in reference to the petri dish he was holding in his right hand! And it contained a hearty colony of drosophila melanogaster--or common fruit fly--all of whom strongly feel West to be the dandiest vocalist they've heard in their entire lives! But no one reported that, did they?

Sorry, Kanye--but once again, the press wins and you lose! Can't wait to hear the new album, though!

  Beyonce: I Am…Sasha Fierce (Music World/Columbia) A boldly titled album--after all, at least some percentage of Beyonce fans will refuse to purchase it because of its confusing title--but as always, a masterwork beyond reproach! It's a great time in music history for all of us: While Kanye West proclaims himself the voice of a generation, the much more attractive Beyonce announces that her career role model is Barbra Streisand and she is aching to play the title role in the inevitable upcoming Wonder Woman movie! Heck, aren't we all? Deemed by the label as "her most personal, reflective and revelatory collection to date," this record coincidentally arrives prior to the singer's starring role in the films Cadillac Records and Obsessed!  Clearly she is going down as the voice of this generation! Do you think there will be a fistfight?

Nickelback: Dark Horse (Roadrunner) In many ways the voice of a generation, Nickelback represents everything that is great about today's record business! They sell tons of records, they are loved by fans and loathed by critics--and if you ran into 'em in a bar you would avoid eye contact with them in case they were panhandling! For a band with their sales track record, naming a new album after former Beatle George Harrison's less-than-successful former record label might seem a bold move; as would, for that matter, actually being from Canada! But with Mutt Lange's sterling production, such great tracks as "If Today Was Your Last Day," and a legacy that is spoken of with hushed, respectful whispers in parts of Alabama and Cleveland, this is clearly the Nickelback record of a lifetime! Maybe even a mammal's!

 David Cook: David Cook (19 Recordings/RCA) Holy triple threat! First Beyonce, then Nickelback, and now the winner of this year's American Idol competition? Why doesn't everyone else just give up? So let's compare this album to the one released last week by Idol arch-rival David Archuleta! Both are by guys named David, both are by guys who made their careers on a TV show, and both are being released in the compact disk and digital download format! Additionally, when removed from their protective cases and bundled with fishing tackle into cylindrical lots of 50, both would hit the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean at the same time if released from a fishing boat simultaneously! My vote? Heck, they're both the voice of a generation!

 Dido: Safe Trip Home (Arista) For the longest time during the recent presidential election I was waiting for somebody somewhere to make the inevitable "take the `L' out of Palin" joke, but tragically, it was not to be! I think precisely the opposite when it comes to Dido! Frankly I'm glad she's back--word is that posing for this album's cover shot was fraught with difficulty! With the assistance of producers Jon Brion, her brother Rollo, and the remarkably named Citizen Cope, Dido's made a third album that may come to speak for an entire generation! Plus, the CD comes with four Dido postcards! Count me in!

 Mudvayne: The New Game (Epic) While some of us remember with affection the Golden Age of Mudvayne--when its members wore makeup and called themselves Chud, Guug, Rud, and Spug and passports were perhaps predictably hard to come by--there's no denying that this rockin' combo from Peoria are the voice of a new generation! Intriguingly, their former "tough" exterior is roundly rebuffed with this latest album, which reportedly is devoted to the age-old game "Pin The Tail On The Donkey" and features such tracks as "A Cinderella Story" and their loving ode to the Burger King franchise, "Have It Your Way"! If they're in your town, invite 'em to a Sunday brunch with your pastor and start talking business!

 The Doors: Live At The Matrix 1967 (Rhino) Long bootlegged but never sounding as good, these gigs--now finally available commercially--are an eye-opening and curiosity-satisfying glimpse into the Doors during the earliest stage of their career. Recorded in the course of four nights at San Francisco's Matrix, just a few months after the release of the group's first album, the band runs through much of that album's material and tracks soon to come, including "My Eyes Have Seen You," "People Are Strange" and even "Crawling King Snake." While fidelity isn't top notch, it's far better than anything released previously--and an excellent document of the band just stretching out and gigging rather than coping with the enormously legacy that would soon be theirs as the voice of a generation! Welcome and highly recommended but…no nudity!

 Belle & Sebastian: The BBC Sessions (Matador) One of the best bands of the last decade, Belle & Sebastian have released a flood of superb albums, singles, EPs, vinyl LPs, and probably cassettes as well! This collection, which documents the group's BBC exploits since 1996, comes in regular and "deluxe" servings--single and double CD--and is the sort of thing you'd want to have in your house and perhaps even play on occasion. It's quite good! Featuring a batch of material that only the group's staunchest fans have likely heard, it's simply the best representation yet of the high standard that have made Belle & Sebastian the voice of their generation! I'd buy two!

 Sammy Hagar: Cosmic Universal Fashion (Loud & Proud/Roadrunner) The charismatic Mr. Hagar was of course a longtime member of the less-interesting version of Van Halen--the one that recorded the famous For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, a disc from which this new effort takes nominal hints--at least initially! Featured guests include his former Halen buddy Michael Anthony, Matt Sorum, Billy Duffy, and a cadre of aging Republican senators fascinated by Hagar's "red rocker" nickname and  his defiant classic "I Can't Drive 55"! In the world of David Lee Roth replacements, Hagar stands head and shoulders as the true voice of a generation!

 Shontelle: Shontelligence (SRP/SRC/Universal) She's gorgeous, she's from the West Indies, and she uses only her first name! She's got a great hit called "T-Shirt"! No one knows if she likes Fleetwood Mac's "Rhiannon"! Her debut album features tracks with great names like "Plastic People" and "I Crave You"! Is it any wonder that those in her homeland of Barbados consider her the voice of a generation? Also, she's cute!

 Il Divo: The Promise (Syco/Columbia) "We still get nervous about what the reaction will be like when we release something and how people will perceive the new record," confides Il Divo's Seb--but worry no more, Seb! It's the best Il Divo record yet! Featuring "The Winner Takes It All (Va Todo Al Ganador)" and "Amazing Grace," The Promise is a dream come true for an entire generation of Il Divo fans worldwide! Still, scattered accusations of their being a "better-groomed Nickelback" are alarming!

 Blake Shelton: Startin' Fires (Warner Brothers Nashville) Reports are that this a great record, but here's a hint: If you live in LA, walking into a record store this week and telling clerks you're interested in Startin' Fires might be deemed problematic!

[davedimartino]

NEW THIS WEEK 11.25.08

It's a sure thing that the albums released this week--the week of Thanksgiving and its accompanying "Black Friday" of massive consumer consumption--are probably intended to sell by the boatload!

And just take a look at these names! Guns N' Roses, Kanye West, the Killers, Paul McCartney--these are all artists used to massive commercial success!

Luckily, because the music business is better than ever--and because today's hot artists are only concerned with making art instead of money--all these new records are great!

But just for fun, and to keep things from getting too boring, let's pretend they're not!

 Guns N' Roses: Chinese Democracy (Geffen) It would probably be rude of me to mention that I've never been a fan of Guns N' Roses and always considered them horrendously derivative, howlingly obnoxious, and frightfully more famous than God ever intended them to be! Likewise, this much-discussed album has been as "long awaited" at my house as my 2010 tax bill! Upon finally hearing it, I have decided that Chinese Democracy is about as good as any of Guns N' Roses' other albums: bloated, screechy, aimless, reminiscent of concept albums released by the Scorpions and Lucifer's Friend in the mid-'70s, and way, way, way, too long! In short, I am completely taken with Axl Rose's current hairstyle and would like to emulate him at every opportunity!

Kanye West: 808s & Heartbreak (Def Jam) Holy smokes! Isn't this the voice of this generation? How come he sounds like a robot? And doesn't he want to be Elvis Presley or something? Elvis Presley never sounded like a robot! All I know is, I've been forced to watch this nuthead on TV way too many times lately, and 1) He's trying to sing, 2) He can't sing, 3) None of his friends want to upset the gravy train and tell him he can't sing, 4) His album cover looks it's got a picture of a great big, deflated birth-control related item on its cover, 5) And the absolute worst track, "It's Amazing," features the dude proclaiming "my reign is as far as your eyes can see!" No offense, Kanye, but at the moment I'm staring at my jam-packed garbage can wondering whether I can toss an empty can of Diet Coke in it without it bouncing out! It's your best album ever, babe!

The Killers: Day & Age (Island) Considering how low my expectations were for this once sort of interesting band--they lost me with that bogus Springsteen stuff last time out--I'm inclined to say this actually isn't too bad! Unfortunately for them, by mere chance I was watching TV a few weeks ago and saw them playing their new song "Human" and decided that I've never ever seen a lead singer who looked more self-conscious onstage singing! To ease my discomfort, I focused on the song's lyrics, and heard the following passage, repeated frequently: "Are we human or are we dancer?" Well, if we're allowed to vote, I’m human, your bandmates are Donner, Dasher and Blitzen, and your nose is looking pretty red, hot stuff!  In short: A total return to glory!

 Ludacris: Theater Of The Mind (Disturbing Tha Peace/Def Jam) As rap dudes go, I’m inclined to like Ludacris--mostly because he's got a sense of humor! Plus, it must've been weird growing up with that name! A fervent follower of President Bush's Mandatory Guest Star Act, the man's brought on a wealth of visiting talent here, including The Game, T-Pain, Chris Brown, T.I., and--according to the expert testimony of Wikipedia--has also collaborated with Good Charlotte, my personal dream! Ever the helpful artist, Ludacris designed his first single--"What Them Girls Like"--as a superb primer for young teen males aching to ask their dream dates to the prom! In the words of my mother: This album is like heaven in a pair of wooden shoes!  

 Barry Manilow: The Greatest Songs Of The Eighties (Arista) Probably the best album seeing release this week, superstar Manilow's latest effort "Manilowizes" an awesome array of hits by the likes of Journey, Rick Astley, Wham!, Phil Collins, Stevie Wonder, Kenny Rogers and other similar artists, and it's fantastic!  Not to get too technical, but if you accept Manilow's vocalizing as a sort of mathematical function, and apply it to almost anything you've heard before, overall song quality is geometrically increased by virtue of the song being sung! And between you and me, when I hear him singing Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up," I get goose bumps!

 David Byrne & Brian Eno: Everything That Happens Will Happen Today (Todo Mundo) Ever the wiseguys, old pals Byrne and Eno have put together a fascinating album that due to its independent distribution model, may actually make them more money than that garnered many of today's better-known artists, who remain tethered to the remaining major record labels and are suffering accordingly! The downside? This record is, in the tradition of their past work, complex, thoughtful, mature and actually good! So where's the market for that, clownheads? Also: something happened last week, so your album title is wrong, dudes!

 Tom Jones: 24 Hours (S-Curve) Any week I can write about new records by both Barry Manilow and Tom Jones is a great one! The legendary Welsh vocalist returns with his first new album in 15 years, and it's thoroughly contemporary sounding despite featuring songs by Bruce Springsteen and Tommy James…and a guest appearance by Bono and The Edge! Jones' voice remains a powerful instrument, and most refreshingly, of the many virtues here, "camp value" is very low on the list!  The only thing missing? Kanye West chanting "it's amazing" via auto-tune on every track! Maybe next time!

 Tommy James: 40th Anniversary Singles Collection (Collector's Choice) While we're on the subject of artists deemed hip enough for Tom Jones to cover--though Jones' choice "I'm Alive" isn’t represented on this completely fab 2-CD set, the song's original flipside, "Crystal Blue Persuasion," is here among 47 other great pop tunes!  Containing music spanning the years 1962 through 2006, this collection essentially makes the definitive case that James' output through the years has been both substantial and, for the most part, overlooked by authoritative rock critics worldwide! Sort of like Fall Out Boy, but even better!

 The Fireman: Electric Arguments (MPL/ATO)  The best thing about being a world-famous international moneymaker--well, OK, maybe the second-best thing--is that you can do anything you want and it's OK! Luckily, former Beatle Paul McCartney has never lost interest in making music, and with the resurfacing of this "side project"--his third studio album with former Killing Joke dude Youth--the sense of informal experimentalism that made his first two solo albums so interesting is back and more accessible than ever! Critics agree: Actually more interesting than his last solo album, Electric Arguments is arguably a shocker! Buy it today!

 Scott Weiland: Happy In Galoshes (Softdrive) This album title puzzled me until I saw him introduce Pink on the American Music Awards! See, he didn't really step in anything!

[davedimartino]

NEW THIS WEEK 12.01.08

Now that Black Friday has come and gone, the year's supply of hot releases is dwindling!

Moments ago I found myself on page 18 of Amazon's list of this week's bestsellers--not a good sign in itself--wondering if it was worth my while, and indeed yours, to announce that Music Elettronica Viva's new 4-CD compilation MEV 40 (1967-2007) was now available to those willing to part with $71.99!

But then, predictably, I noticed the new album by alt-rock legend Burl Ives was out! Done deal!

And then I could stand it no more: I called Britney.

Now find out how you can too!

 Britney Spears: Circus (Jive) Ever since I interviewed Britney Spears 10 years ago, I knew she found me alluring! But I kept her, and my own dark urges, at bay! This week, however, as she celebrates her 27th birthday with Circus, I could stand it no longer! Her constant taunts on the radio--"you're a womanizer," she'd chant, hoping to wear me down--were now stepped up a notch, first via her pleas on this album's masterwork, "Mmm Papi," of "let's make out," and then, even more slyly, with the "clever" pun of "If You Seek Amy"! How she remembered our conversation of a decade ago--when I told her we had a mutual Girl Scout friend named Kamie--I'll never know! But the final blow came when I noticed someone had etched on Circus's cover sticker:  "Call Britney on The B Line: 310-341-4438." I called--and when she picked up and said, "Hi, this is Britney," I quickly hung up and hoped she didn't have caller ID! It's a great record and all--I mean, I really like it--but I'm thinking she should maybe get on with her life and focus on what other people must think! I've got my own life to live, babe!

 Akon: Freedom (Konvict Muzik/Universal Motown) A new album by Akon! He's quite popular--and if his new album cover is any indication, he can finally walk on water! With guest appearances by a stunning array of newcomers--T-Pain, Lil Wayne, Wyclef Jean and Young Jeezy--Freedom is one of the best albums bearing that name ever! There's dance grooves, African sounds, untouchable R&B and so much more that it may well stand head and shoulders above his other albums! Why, you ask?  According to Akon himself, "I'm a lot more conscious than on my first few albums!" Hey, that certainly explains something!

 Original Soundtrack: Cadillac Records (Columbia) Like most of us, when I hear Beyonce sing, I think of two things! And Etta James is one of them! The story of Chess Records finally put to film, sort of, may be one of the year's biggest hits--and with 2 CDs' worth of laudable music covered by the likes of Mos Def, Raphael Saadiq, Jeffrey Wright and Nas and his dad Olu Dara, not to mention Beyonce and her sister Solange, this may inspire a whole new generation to also pick up this music in its original pristine form! Years from now, with pride, let's recall the week the biggest-selling blues record of all time was released!  

 Various Artists: The Best Of Chess: Original Versions Of The Songs in the film Cadillac Records (Chess/Universal) In a perfect world, today's best and brightest will say, "Hey, I liked the music in that new Cadillac Records movie! Let's go to a record store and find a record that contains many of those same tracks sung by the original artists for the Chess Records label back in the old days! I'd like to find out more about Howlin' Wolf, Etta James, Willie Dixon, Chuck Berry, Little Walter and will.i.am!" However, in today's less than perfect world, they will walk for several blocks until finally remembering that all the record stores closed a few years ago! Maybe they'll buy some new shoes instead!

 Panic At The Disco: Live In Chicago (CD/DVD) Now closing in on the tail-end of their career--after two whole albums, a few deluxe boxed sets of those albums, and a celebrated String Quartet Tribute to their vast catalog--why shouldn't Panic At The Disco go out in style? And in what better way, these weeks before Christmas, than a deluxe live CD/DVD package capturing the guys in live performance? I’m inclined to spring for this, but I may wait until next year when it's part of a triple CD commemorative gift box or something! Frankly, I started losing interest when they ditched the exclamation mark!

 Neil Young: Sugar Mountain: Live At Canterbury House 1968 (CD/DVD) I've always felt sort of sappy maintaining that my very favorite Neil Young album ever was the first one he released--I mean, the dude's released 342 albums, and that implies things started going downhill by the time he released Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere a few months later! So it's no wonder I'm pleased as punch--as was the parlance back then--to see this session finally being officially released, and you should be too! An acoustic live set featuring many of his classics from that first album, as well as those he wrote for Buffalo Springfield ("On The Way Home," "Mr. Soul," and "Expecting To Fly" among them), this record might have changed rock history had it been released back in 1968! Especially if someone threw it really hard at David Crosby!

  Scarface: Emeritus (Asylum) After all these years of gaudy rap album covers featuring jewels, money, fancy cars, and scantily-dressed women, what a pleasure it is to see the jacket of this tasteful set! With its coat of arms bearing fancy versions of the letters S and F, as well as a smoking cigar and, I don't know, some lines or something, you just know this is going to be good! Plus, its title is in Latin! Heck, with an awesome array of talent including Lil Wayne, Bun B, Slim Thug, J Prince, and the wonderful Wacko of UTP, Emeritus probably sounds great! In the words of this album's product description, "Scarface is every true hip hop lovers' favorite artist!" I think we'd all agree with that!

 Burton Cummings: Above The Ground (Sony/BMG Canada) In some ways like Scarface--they've both been around awhile--Burton Cummings has aged better than most rockers, largely because Canada's cold winters preserve humans in a state quite similar to suspended animation! Formerly the singer with the wonderful Guess Who--who were deemed cool or uncool during various stages of their career by music writers now sadly deceased--Burton sounds great here with this collection of all-original material. Backed by the Carpet Frogs and, as the album cover indicates, now able to levitate at will per his deal with the C'thulu, who knows where Cummings is going?

  Momus: Joemus (American Patchwork) This was actually was released two weeks ago, but I just got it so let's pretend it's new this week too! A collaboration between the very bright, very musically adept, always surprising singer-songwriter Nick Currie and young Scottish musician Joe Howe--who's worked with the pleasantly named Gay Against You and Germlin--the disc has been described as "Nintendo Glam Rock" that sounds like "the hits of '70s glam rock sensations the Bay City Rollers played on '80s amusement arcade equipment." It's also been described as being out for two weeks but just obtained by me! It's sweet, it's abrasive, it's intimate, it features tracks called "Widow Twanky" and "Strewf!," and you should purchase it because it is, as always, quite good!

Burl Ives: Favorites For Children (Shout Factory) One of Sub Pop's more sinister signings during their hallowed "grunge"era of the early '90s, Ives has created a collection of tracks--including "The Very Scary Witch" and "The Witch At The Well"--that should satisfy longtime fans of both the Screaming Trees and Green River! Yeah, completely!  

[davedimartino]

NEW THIS WEEK 12.09.08

Scant weeks before the holidays, here I sit perusing the week's new releases as Boz Scaggs' Silk Degrees plays in the background. Shoes are off, the fire is roaring, and I’m wondering if this will be the best Christmas ever!

While two distinguished record labels celebrate their very existence via exclusive commemorative box sets, top-notch R&B folks like Common, Avant and Musiq Soulchild release their latest works--and exciting rockers Thrice have seen fit to gift us with a three-CD set recorded live at the House Of Blues!  

Did you ever have the feeling that--I don't know--things are just about as good as they're ever going to get?

Of course, that might be "Lido Shuffle" talking instead of me!

  Common: Universal Mind Control (Geffen) Renowned as a truth-talkin' master o' Hip-Hop with a musical base stronger than many of his contemporaries, Grammy-winner Common returns with a solid set featuring production by the Neptunes and Kanye West and a title track that's getting some radio "traction," if you'll pardon the expression! Predictably the man's knack for candor has him taking on his entire record label--Universal of course owns the Geffen imprint--and its alleged sinister use of high frequency hypnotic tones in its corporate headquarters, so God love 'im for spreading the word! Centuries from now, young record collectors will ask "Is this record rare?"and be told, "No, it's Common!"--so buy it today!

 Brandy: Human (Epic) According to a knowledgeable product description, "Human shows a side of Brandy no one has ever seen before"--and between you and me, Human is actually the album title, so it has positive connotations! Her first album for Epic Records, this disc reunites the attractive young singer with producer Rodney Jerkins, who helped propel Never Say Never to the top of the charts, and together they've crafted a marvelous work sure to please Brandy fans worldwide! Speaking as a man with some degree of copy-editing skills, I’m a tad distressed to note that the spelling of Brandy's name is deliberately ambiguous on Human's cover--does it end with a "Y" or an "I"? Sheesh! Additionally, you wouldn't want to see this sort of artwork on display on any planet containing an intergalactic zoo--but luckily we haven't run into one! Yet!

 Maroon 5: Call And Response (Octone) Heck, if I made albums, I'd try my hardest to get something out in the stores every Christmas! Even if I was lying on a lounge chair in Saint-Tropez with a vodka gimlet in one hand and a hot babe in the other! So why not have a "remix album" put together featuring material from your first two albums messed around with by people like Swizz Beatz, Mark Ronson, Questlove, and, I dunno, maybe Pharrell Williams, too, and simply approve it by phone while your masseuse applies suntan lotion on your back?  Not that this is the case with Maroon 5, mind you--they're cool!--but it's fun to think about!

 Avant: Avant (Capitol) Nothing but nice things to say about R&B ballad specialist Avant, who may be best know for his track "Four Minutes," which made what could have been a very dreary list of microwave cooking instructions "sizzle" with excitement! His soulful sounds shines through on opening track "Sensuality" and on the admittedly rap-friendly title "French Pedicure," and a guest appearance by Snoop Dogg on "Attention" will certainly get yours, if you get my drift! That said, while on one hand he spins a convincing tale--one certain to appeal to the ladies--there is a sense that not all of the story is being sung, that in some ways--ways admittedly hard to pinpoint--careful listeners may find Avant guarded!

 Various Artists: Revolutions In Sound: Warner Bros. Records - The First Fifty Years (Warner Bros.) In the same manner that Sony Music's  100 Years: Soundtrack For A Century was impervious to any sort of relevant criticism because of the mass of its scope--to encapsulate the historic recorded work in its massive vaults--this too is simply unabashedly fantastic if you're a record fan. Plus--between you and me--Warners has always seemed like a cooler label! So here's a collection devoted to the history of the label, jam-packed with pictures, info, historic recordings by people like Frank Sinatra, the Everly Brothers, Jimi Hendrix, Paul Simon, and, of course, Disturbed! Available both in a 10-CD "regular" edition and a deluxe edition featuring lots more--a 240-page book and a USB flash drive --this could only be topped by a large corporate conglomerate actually purchasing Warner Music itself!  Some chance, huh?

 Various Artists: Motown: The Complete No. 1's (Motown) When it rains it pours! Here's every No. 1 single to ever appear on the legendary Motown label, packaged up into a 10-CD set and memorably packaged in a replica of Motown's famous "Hitsville U.S.A." building in Detroit! It's conceptually perfect, the music is inarguably great, and its only flaw--if any--is that a stunning number of Motown classics we all love never quite hit the No. 1 spot, so they're not here! But have no fear, the label offers what may be the best American reissue project out there--the Complete Motown Singles series, currently in it's 11th volume and not to be missed. Get 'em all! On a tight budget? Just buy an actual house in Detroit instead!

Thrice: Live At The House Of Blues (Vagrant) Ever hear the expression "Good things come in small packages"? How about "Deaths always come in threes"?  Boy, there's a cliché for everything! Anyway, this long-awaited collection features two CDs and an extra DVD showing the Thrices performing live at the Anaheim House Of Blues earlier this year! Interestingly, by the look of this album's cover, the House Of Blues is also using Red and Yellow lately, too! I think it may be the best album I've ever heard!

 Musiq Soulchild: OnMyRadio (Atlantic) There's a saying that in the most advanced forms of music, the actual spaces between the notes are more important than that notes themselves. Of course, it was my Uncle Larry who said that, and he was a dope! Oddly, though, the very musical Mr. Soulchild has chosen to remove all spaces from not only the words of his new album's title, but between the words of every song title on the album! If I were a critic getting paid by the word, this would seriously bum me out! Anyway, this record's great and features guests like Damian Marley and the awesome Mary J. Blige, and reportedly "blends old-school soul fervor with new-school hip-hop rhythms"! Heck, that sounds good!

 Roy Wood: On The Road Again, Super Active Wizzo (Warner Bros.) Guess we're at the historic turning point where labels are reissuing great records in purly digital form--meaning if you liked either of these albums by the former leader of fab English band the Move, the way to get them in 2008 is via digital download from Amazon, Rhapsody and "other" places! Falling later in Wood's illustrious career, 1979's On The Road Again featuring great pop songs, superb playing and singing, and a guest appearance by Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham. The earlier album, 1977's Super Active Wizzo, actually makes its US debut here, finally, and is very welcome, though slightly less accessible than Wood's other classic works. Interestingly, Wood's earlier effort Wizzard's Brew is also available digitally via EMI! Buy them all and look at them at your leisure!

 Zombie Strippers: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Nine Yards) Last week I had both this album and Britney Spears' Circus in my CD changer! I thought it was long for a single disc!

[davedimartino]

NEW THIS WEEK 12.15.08

It would be foolish to envision a bunch of sweating accountants pacing up and down the halls of the world's remaining record labels, warning executives high and low that unless certain albums see release before year-end, their numbers will be at an all-time low!

And who in the world could imagine a scenario wherein matters of "overall musical quality" and "not cutting any corners" were overlooked merely in order to meet a corporate deadline?

Nope! Coincidentally, just one week before the holidays, everybody finished making their new albums at the same time!

And guess what? I'll be meeting them all at Applebee's on their way to the mall! You're welcome to join us! 

 Soulja Boy Tell'em: Souljaboytellem (Interscope) I am nearly rendered speechless by this, my favorite rap album ever--a veritable smorgasbord of sonic delight dripping with profundity on countless levels! With a charming variety of repetitive honks, beats and bleats, Soulja's latest contains 16 tracks of surrealistic, half-garbled phrases largely revolving around the wonderful song titles! Just look at them!: "I'm Bout Tha Stax," "Booty Got Swag," “Wit My Yums On," "Whoop Rico," and--best of all--the revealingly titled "Soulja Boy Tellem"! A careful listening can't help but remind you of that peculiar sensation of being halfway between sleep and wakefulness: familiar words take on new meanings, nonsense phrases make startling sense, and, as always, you suddenly realize that you're not wearing any pants! I would say that my unqualified favorite here is the startling "Yamaha Mama"--which also features the distinguished Sean Kingston and may represent the all-time apex of both artists' storied careers!  In short: anyone who does not instantly love this record is either flawed as a human or simply hasn't heard it yet!

 Fall Out Boy: Folie A Deux (Island) Though I don't count myself as one of Fall Out Boy's biggest fans--I saw some guy at their recent LA show who had to be at least 6'8"!--I was pleasantly surprised by this album! First, I liked its title! French is great! Secondly, cartoon covers are always good! Thirdly, in case you've forgotten, Fall Out Boy is one of those bands who don't employ that same pinched-nose, nasal singing style that Blink-182 popularized and the godlike Yellowcard took to ultimate perfection, so they don't sound stupid and old-fashioned! Finally, there seem to be some real songs on this album--good pop songs--and even Elvis Costello drops by to sing on a track! Wow! Plus one of these guys is married to Ashlee Simpson, so it has to be good! I wish all album reviews could be like this!

 Anthony Hamilton: The Point Of It All (So So Def/Zomba) Returning for his third "official" studio album, singer Hamilton remains one of today's finest R&B singers! He's highly respected, works with many of today's best new artists, and enjoys a stylistic versatility that surpasses many of his more commercial peers! Among the tracks here is "Cool," featuring David Banner! Sadly, he's too good to make fun of--so there's no point in mentioning that he looks like he's about to throw up in a sink on this album cover!

 All-American Rejects: When The World Comes Down (DGC/Interscope) They're a good-hearted bunch, the All-American Rejects, and they've spent the past few years methodically building up a large and loyal fan base that are sure to love this brand new album! They've opened for Bon Jovi, they've promoted milk in a national publicity campaign, and they even covered Britney Spears' "Womanizer" for Yahoo! In short, they're simply perfect human beings and deserving of all your support financial or otherwise! Don't reject them--as they clearly expect on the basis of their name--but instead embrace them! Sure, why not?

 Keyshia Cole: A Different Me (Geffen/Interscope) A highly regarded R&B vocalist who's actually referred to her previous two albums as "painful"--no time to put that in context!--returns with a whammer-bammer showstopper that features a guest appearance by Tupac Shakur as well as Monica (the singer, not the veterinarian assistant) and should sell by the boatload if her well-meaning supporters have their way! That said, this habit of today's most popular vocalists deliberately confusing their money-bearing fans with such album titles as A Different Me and I Am…Sasha Fierce is disturbing--it's harder than ever for consumers to focus these days, gals, so start going with things like Hey Clerk, File Me In Front Of Natalie and I, Beyonce, Would Like You To Buy This! Nice cover, though!

 Plies: Da REAList (Big Gates/Slip-N-Slide) Could it be true that this is "the Ft. Meyers, Florida-based rap superstar's third full length release in just under 16 months"? Hard to believe, considering the extraordinary amount of time the admirable fellow spent penning such new favorites as "Me & My Goons," "F**k U Gon' Do Bout It," and the near-anthemic "Pants Hang Low"! Those wondering how this near workaholic manages to retain his sanity need go no further than the surprisingly candid "I Chase Paper," in which the rapper details how his sadistic school friends often used to bully him while he was earnestly folding newspapers for his paper route! No, wait--that was Fall Out Boy!

 Ghostface Killah: Ghostdeini The Great (Def Jam) There's no denying the enormous influence and impact the Wu-Tang Clan have had in the world of popular music, so this new greatest hits CD/DVD set by founding member Mr. Killah should certainly be welcomed by those who care! Featuring remixes with new verses--it is said--this album is only handicapped by its trite and ubiquitous title, recently employed by the likes of Hilary Duff, Willie Nelson, and Morrissey in just the past six months! Dude, I, Ghostface wasn't taken!

 Saliva: Cinco Diablo (Island) Like you, I've often wondered what it would be like to write about this album while listening to Gerry & The Pacemakers singing "You'll Never Walk Alone"! Boasting--if indeed inanimate objects can actually boast--one of the finest album covers of the year, Saliva fans will likely be "drooling" over the hot sounds on display here! Between you and me, if I were writing its product description for a well-known retailer, I'd probably call this "the ultimate alt-metal post-grunge must-have CD this twisted holiday season!" Then I would get fired and listen to the new Soulja Boy album in my car a lot! Yes, it's that good!

 Jamie Foxx: Intuition (J Records) The second album by actor/singer Foxx, this collection features guest appearances by T.I., Lil Wayne, Kane West, T-Pain,  Ne-Yo, Timbaland, and The Dream, and is highlighted by the stunning cover picture of the singer wearing sunglasses! I don't know, there's just something cool about guys who wear sunglasses! And when you consider the album title--it's like he knows you're intrigued by him! You should definitely buy this!

 Ha Ha The Moose: Alce En Vivo De Los Muertos (Fatboy Records) Years from now I will fondly look back at the time I actually wrote about an album by someone called Ha Ha The Moose! What will you be doing?

[davedimartino]

NEW THIS WEEK 01.06.09

They say that the earliest scents that one encounters in a lifetime are the scents that stay with you the longest--the ones that burrow themselves deep into the nooks and crannies of the brain, waiting to emerge with an unexpectedly powerful burst of recognition many years later. Your grandmother's cupboard?  Vick's Vapo-Rub? Calamine lotion? Take a whiff today and you'll swear you were back in diapers!

Likewise, take a good long look at these, the most compelling of this week's new music-related releases. Study them. For, indeed, this is the first indication of the best 2009 will have to offer!

Smell them!

Who knows? By next December we may be clamoring for the good old days of January!

  Glasvegas: Glasvegas (Columbia) Usually when I compile a list of the week's 10 spotlight releases, the lead item is a no-brainer! This week, however, everything's so good I don't know where to start! Why not begin with one of the latest UK buzz bands, Glasgow's Glasvegas? They've assembled a catchy, deliberately anthemic batch of songs featuring a prominent lead singer who is undoubtedly colorfully opinionated, and they like evoking that early '60s Wall Of Sound thing that Phil Spector popularized years ago! Good for them! Though their more recently recorded megahit-to-be ""F*ck You It's Over" can't be had here, there are two songs unavailable on the UK pressing--including a cover of the Korgis' "Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime," sure to strike a chord in America's brutish heartland! Perhaps they'll be the next big thing!

 BPA: I Think We're Gonna Need A Bigger Boat (Southern Fried) I would be remiss in not mentioning this new release--an exclusive via Amazon.com, mind you--by BPA, better known as the Brighton Port Authority, or Fatboy Slim, or Norman Cook, or that guy from the Housemartins, or the guy who will soon take on one name too many and we'll start confusing him with Norman Whitfield and that'll be it for his concert career, et cetera! Joining the man here are several well-known guests including David Byrne, Iggy Pop, Dizzee Rascal, and Martha Wainwright, all of whom will undoubtedly be pleased to be featured on an album containing the timeless track "Should I Stay Or Should I Blow." Apparently a good time was had by all! Special bonus: The term "historic masterpiece" can be found in this album's product description!

 Erin McCarley: Love, Save The Empty (Universal Republic) A nice collection or material marks the debut of young Ms. McCarley, who has counted Texas, Nashville and even San Diego as home during her brief career. In today's world of getting a song in this TV show or movie soundtrack and establishing a long-term career for one's self, that may well be enough! She recently came up to our offices and sang for us and was quite good--though perhaps I volunteered too much when I mentioned she reminded me of the star of The Sarah Conner Chronicles. Heck, I'm into robots, isn't everybody?

 Neil Sedaka: Waking Up Is Hard To Do (Razor & Tie) As a longtime fan of Mr. Sedaka I am more than thrilled to mention any new release by the man, but this is completely tops! The dude's made a kiddie album featuring redone versions of some of his biggest hits--if the title track doesn't make that clear, "Lunch Will Keep Us Together" should! It is completely, in the parlance, "ear-delicious"! Even if today's younger parents don't remember the original hits, Sedaka's new versions will do the trick regardless! Highly recommended!

 Sesame Street: Elmo Loves You! [DVD]  (Sesame Street) While we're at it, let's not forget this new DVD--which, aside from boasting the finest title of any new release of the millenium also features guest appearances by R.E.M., Trisha Yearwood and John Legend! Combine that with additional appearances by Rosita and Grover and you've got the media event of the year! Can't you just picture Axl Rose and Kanye West--now fully beaten men--shaking their fists at the sky in frustration?

 The Gourds: Haymaker! (Yep Roc) Viewed by some as contemporaries of the Smashing Pumpkins--admittedly, mostly farmers--the Texan rockers return with a powerful new album that in the very words of their label has them continuing their "round trip through the outer reaches of the roots music universe and back again"! In short, it's like they never left! With Haymaker!, the Gourds deliberately attempt to recapture the band's winning live sound and--according to bandmember Kevin "Shinyribs" Russel--the album "really captures the intangible qualities of a Gourds gig in a way that we haven't been able to achieve before"! Don't tell that to Lydia Jenkins, who once rushed out of a Gourds gig claiming she felt a sinking feeling in her stomach and a peculiar detachment from reality that showed no sign of abating for two days! But yeah, they're great!

 Appetite For Self-Destruction: The Spectacular Crash Of The Record Industry In The Digital Age by Steve Knopper  (Free Press) Always happy to showcase a relevant book now and then, and Knopper's account of how things just seem, I don't know, bad as heck lately couldn't be more timely, experts agree! Industry folks probably know most of this stuff already, but for the great unwashed--you know, maybe the people who bought Knopper's earlier The Complete Idiot's Guide To Starting A Band--this may be something of an eye-opener! Those in the industry nervous about losing their jobs are advised to keep this off their desks at all times--especially when the boss walks by! No word on its availability as a PDF file!

 Destroy Destroy Destroy: Battle Sluts (Metal Blade) Metal continues to be a healthy genre, as this new release from this colorful Tennessee combo clearly illustrates! Influences: "The early thrash/hair/glam metal bands of the '80s and '80s to the current sounds of Scandanavian melodic Death Metal and Viking Metal bands of today." Translation: Sort of like Colbie Caillat but louder! As always, I like to envision the band members seated on an airplane next to an elderly lady who asks the name of their band and album so she can pick one up for the grandkids! Cool cover!

 Various Artists: John Peel's Dandelion Records (DVD) (Ozit Records) For the esoteric among us comes this fascinating six-hour long visual documentary of the cultish record label co-founded by legendary British DJ John Peel and Clive Selwood in the early '70s. Featuring many of the fascinating artists that made the label endearingly quirky--including singers Bridget St. John and the late, great Kevin Coyne (as well as his earlier band Siren)--it's a welcome peek behind the scenes that many should enjoy. Sound enticing? In the words of one reviewer: "Those with an aversion to rather old, hairy men might want to steer well clear of this DVD"! Count me in!

Various Artists: Work Out: Pumpin' House (R.E.D. Distribution) Wow! This probably sounds great!

[davedimartino]

NEW THIS WEEK 1.13.09

 Have you ever heard the expression "workmanlike"?

That's a nice way of saying "nothing terribly extraordinary going on, but still…it could be worse."

I wish I could say that this week's new releases represented a "workmanlike" effort on part of today's major labels to release records that America is clamoring for--but, sadly, that would be…incredibly sexist! I mean, women work too!

So, to be diplomatic--and for that matter politically correct--let's just say that everybody, whether male or female, should agree that this week's releases are less than compelling!

Let's meet for coffee and discuss it further!

 Bee Gees: Odessa (Expanded Edition) (Reprise/Rhino) Oh, what the hell--I just spent two entire minutes writing a review of an album that just got delayed two weeks, so why not start this week's blog off with the album that, brand new or not, is the best thing coming out this week? That of course would be this deluxe reissue of the Bee Gees' spectacular 1969 album Odessa--a masterful work that represented this wonderful band at the peak of their first run at pop stardom. Originally a 2-LP set, this special edition features the same gold-embossed red velvet cover containing 3 full CDs, including the original stereo version, the mono mix, and a batch of related demos and songs recorded during the same sessions.  Hitwise, the set includes "First Of May," which you may have heard--but what you haven't heard is even more impressive. The later levels of fame the Bee Gees obtained via Saturday Night Fever have obscured their status as pop geniuses for some, but a thorough listening to this record will set the matter straight now and forever! Yes! Buy it today and tell all your friends that music "peaked" in 1969 with the Bee Gees! Then see your financial advisor about that bothersome 401K issue!

  Eliane Elias: Bossa Nova Stories (Blue Note) Here's the deal: Go to Starbucks and get some coffee, pick up this album on your way home, then invite a really attractive girl over to listen to records! When she comes, put this on, and as "The Girl From Ipanema" starts the album off, confess to your visitor that you've actually always been "unsure" about most rock music, and that hip-hop generally leaves you cold, but the smooth and soothing music of Brazil has always held an allure for you that continues to grow with each passing year! Soon "Desafinado" will start, and if you play your cards right, if you manage to convey true sincerity as you directly glance into your visitor's eyes, she won't hurl hot coffee in your face and call you a simmering sissy while masked friends of hers invade your apartment, loot all your valuables, and make fun of your taste in music! Yeah, this record is that good!

 The Derek Trucks Band: Already Free (Columbia) People in the know already are hip to the fact that Derek Trucks is quite the good guitarist--including the Allman Brothers, for whom he has played for several years now! Since it's now been officially decided that all pop music is now completely ephemeral and the only thing that matters is musical ability and complete devotion to musicianship rather than blatant careerism, this may indeed by the album that lifts him from his already considerable status as a skilled player to--who knows?--a superstar the likes of which the world hasn't seen in years! Featuring guests like Susan Tedeschi and Doyle Bramhall, the album is additionally aided by a title that will indicate--at least to slower fans--that it's being issued free of charge!  As a result, retail re-orders could be staggering! I'm quite enthused!

 Original Soundtrack: Notorious (Atlantic) Like many, I'm completely stunned that someone in Hollywood thought there would be any money to be had in a hip-hop remake of Alfred Hitchcock's 1946 film classic Notorious, but you know what? This thing works! With the help of modern-day superstars like Jay-Z,  Lil' Kim, Too Short, and newcomer PuffDaddy--not to mention superb singer Faith Evans, apparently in the Ingrid Bergman role--such tracks as ""Kick In The Door," "Notorious Thugs" and the superb "Party And Bulls**t" create an action-packed score likely to recreate the excitement many felt while watching Cary Grant's antics in Hitchcock's original classic! I didn't know rap was even invented then, but what the hey!

Heather Headley: Audience Of One (EMI Gospel) A wonderfully emotive singer who has won Tony awards and received Grammy nominations, Ms. Headley follows two albums in the pop/R&B mode with this brand new gospel album--which may not make newspaper headlines but is certain to wow gospel fans with her vocal prowess and personal sense of religious devotion. Why the change? Apparently Headley was unhappy with the "provocative lyrics" that had lately been supplied to her while planning on making a new record. "I never wanted to compromise anything," she now says. "Now I want to make sure God is happy. This album is for Him." Here's hoping He can find a record store!

 Kreator: Hordes Of Chaos (CD/DVD) Steamhammer/SPV It would be safe to say that fans of Heather Headley's new album probably wouldn't enjoy Kreator's latest and vice-versa! Everyone's favorite German thrash legends--well, not everyone's, especially after their 2005 classic, Enemy Of God--return with a few upbeat numbers including "Corpses Of Liberty," “Warcurse," and personal fave "Absolute Misanthropy" and are bound to make an impression on humans worldwide! Some attribute their negativity to their finally being told that "Kreator" should actually start with a "C" and thus their entire professional career has no meaning! Others simply think their pants are too tight! It's a toss-up!

  Arthur Lee: Arthur Lee /Love Love Live: Whisky A Go-Go 1978 (Friday Music) Following this dissolution of his classic L.A,-based band Love, and prior to his unfortunate prison stint in the '90s, singer Arthur Lee never quite followed through on the promise of his band's earlier, classic work. These two releases, originally issued by Rhino Records during the '80s, document two such periods when he was attempting to make a go of it. Neither are particularly outstanding: The live record, featuring a reunion of sorts of the original '60s band, is fascinating listening for fans but oddly colorless; the solo album is a mishmash featuring some interesting solo tracks and unnecessary covers of Jimmy Cliff's "Many Rivers To Cross" and the Bobettes' '50s hit "Mr. Lee." But both are welcome in CD configuration after all this time, and I suggest that--after buying every other album in Lee's catalog--you seek them out. He's better than nearly everybody!

 Original Soundtrack: Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans (Lakeshore) These Underworld movies are great, of course--though nothing matches In The Folds Of The Flesh, which you should see immediately!--and this soundtrack is pretty groovy, too! If you're like me, you've always thought that the Cure would be immensely aided by the addition of Maynard James Keenan, so you'll enjoy "Underneath The Stars (Renholder Remix) here, which is officially by "The Cure (f/ Maynard James Keeenan/Puscifer and Milla)," certainly a billing the world's been waiting for! Also appearing are tracks by Perry Farrell, Deftones, AFI, Alkaline Trio, Thrice, Blaqk Audio, and a bunch of "those" kind of artists--you know, the ones that people with tattoos like! Jumpin jiminy, you'll declare, I'm going to Bimini!

 Steve Kuhn: Life's Backward Glances (ECM) One of America's finest jazz pianists, Kuhn's released fewer recordings than many of his contemporaries since the '60s, and this package--a limited edition box set--contains three of his finest, all recorded for ECM during the '70s: Ecstasy (1974) Motility (1977) and Playground (1979). The latter features Kuhn with singer Sheila Jordan, with whom he'd later continue to work to great success.  And here's hoping someone somewhere reissues his extraordinary 1971 Buddah album with string arrangements by Gary McFarland. Wonderful stuff.

Late Of The Pier: Fantasy Black Channel (Astralwerks) A great new British band receiving tons of acclaim, this disc features two US-only bonus tracks and an album cover depicting a bunch of musical instruments crashed on a mountaintop! Tell everyone you really liked 'em before the plane crash, then go pick up a sandwich!

[davedimartino]

New this week  01.20.09

What better way to commemorate the swearing in of a brand new president than to purchase brand new albums and give the economy the boost it sorely needs?

If you're asking yourself that question, you're in luck! As new release weeks go, this one's pretty good--up-and-coming bands have returned with solid albums, a few old-timers have returned to the party, and industry icons are seeing their classic work repackaged in fine form!

Superstars are playing at the White House, the Grammys are just around the corner, and troubled rappers being "forced to wear pink" garners major headlines! Meanwhile, Soulja Boy has made the leap and now becomes an actual cartoon!

All told, things absolutely couldn't be finer!

 Animal Collective: Merriweather Post Pavilion (Domino) Eight albums out, Animal Collective have risen to the occasion and released their finest, most commercial and--dare it be said--airplayable album ever! Named after a well-known Maryland live music venue, the album represents those earlier times the band "used to go to shows there while growing up and have fond memories of times spent on the lawn." Reports that We Like Wearing Short Pants And Beanies While Playing Croquet was already in use merely take up valuable review space! As an additional tribute, the album art depicts the upholstery pattern of the back seat band members used to lie on, nauseated, on the ride home!

 Antony And The Johnsons: The Crying Light (Secretly Canadian) Sometimes you can pick up a record, look at its cover art, and instantly know you have to own that album! Other times, you can pick one up, examine it really closely, then drop it instantly, sweating, hoping no one saw you look! Guess which applies here! An intense piece of art, featuring the captivating vocals of Mr. Antony and subtle musical backing by composer Nico Muhly, The Crying Light is an excellently produced, mature art statement that doesn't deserve the implication that the person on the cover is waiting to catch a frisbee! So let's not imply it!

 Mariah Carey: The Ballads (Columbia) I don't know about you, but for me, there comes a time every few weeks or so when I'd like nothing better than to drive around LA, preferably with my top down, listening to Mariah Carey sing her best-known ballads! Well heck, am I in luck! This great new collection, out just in time for Valentine's Day, offers all of her biggest--at least the ones recorded for the Columbia label--in one super-deluxe package! Included among them is the track that first stole our hearts years ago--"Vision Of Love"--and a whole lot more that I absolutely know were huge! And oddly, for some really strange reason, even though I know she's one of the most popular recording artists in music history, that's the only hit of hers with a name I can remember! I'm thinking I'm kind of out of it!

 Andrew Bird: Noble Beast (Fat Possum) Some say that the career of singer-songwriter Bird has really "taken flight" these days, and indeed, with this seventh album, many are expecting to see the highest-charting effort of his career! Available as a single or "deluxe" edition (the latter is titled Noble Beast/Useless Creatures and includes a second disc of unreleased material), this disc has it all, creature-wise--Bird, Beast, Possum--and should put to rest those troublesome comparisons to Budgie, the Byrds, the Eagles, and Pat Benatar!

 Cash Cash: Take It To The Floor (Universal Republic) Usually I scoff at this sort of thing--I mean, wasn't "cash" slang for money once?--but when you combine the fantastic cover graphics recalling the best of Miami's TK label in the late '70s, the charming album title, and the agreeably hitlike "Party In Your Bedroom," you come up with "boisterous techno-pop," as it has been described, that just makes you feel good all over! In an unrelated note, this album's page on Amazon includes a discussion entitled "Is music crappy lately, or am I just getting old?" Clever use of "either/or," clownhead!

       Umphrey's McGee: Mantis (SCI Fidelity) Well known for being one of those trailblazing "jam band" thingies, this group has considerable music skill, a good grasp of melody, and enough discipline to fashion shortish songs (there's about 10 of them here) without the expected over-reliance on instrumental dexterity one might usually find with others of their ilk! Speaking of "ilk," would it be inappropriate for me to mention here that this may be the very worst band name I have ever heard? Yes! Instead, let's have cake!

 Miles Davis: Kind Of Blue: 50th Anniversary Legacy Edition (Columbia/Legacy) If any jazz album was a natural candidate for gala deluxe huzzah massive overkill reissue it would be this one--the first jazz recording most people acquire and generally not the last. Including 2 CDs, a DVD, a 12-inch blue vinyl pressing, book, poster and more, the set is a complete labor of love, and certainly worth picking up if you're in for hearing it all over again. True, the packaging has taken a few hits from consumers regarding the manner in which the CDs and DVD are overly exposed to scratching, and this is about 15th version of this thing, but I just spent this much money at the movies a month ago and my feet got sticky! I want to buy my life over again!

 Jane Monheit: The Lovers, The Dreamers And Me (Concord) Highly respected in that Netherworld where jazz and Broadway-type vocalists meet, Monheit has devoted her ninth album to the works of songwriters she admires--and has drawn from an interesting array of composers both old (Cole Porter, Jimmy Dorsey) and new (Fiona Apple, Corrine Bailey Rae). Well played and slightly slick, this set displays technical excellence (an excellent band, all produced by Matt Pierson) and is just the sort of album you'd want to give to someone who is neither a lover nor a dreamer. Ironically, Monheit already has it!  

 Swervedriver: Raise, Mezcal Head (Second Motion) Right around now is great time for everyone to slap their foreheads and realize that they got it all wrong in the early '90s by making superstars of humans like Vanilla Ice and letting fantastic bands like Swervedriver fall by the wayside--sad, broke and ashamed! But it's not too late! Apparently this fab Brit band's first two albums have been reissued with bonus tracks and--frankly, like most of that stuff back then--it now sounds better than ever and worthy of everyone's instant purchase just to make things right! If you like hard-charging melodic rock verging on excess--and hey, who doesn't?--you're bound to like this! If you don't, well, it wouldn't be appropriate to say you're an idiot, but I could subtly imply it with this very sentence!

 Titus Andronicus: Airing Of Grievances (Beggars/XL) According to knowledgeable Wikipedia experts, "Titus Andronicus may be Shakespeare's earliest tragedy; it is believed to have been written sometime between 1584 and the early 1590s." So how the hell can a play make a CD?

[davedimartino]

NEW THIS WEEK 01.28.09

New releases by Bruce Springsteen, Franz Ferdinand and Hoobastank are always something to consider--and this week we got 'em!

What say we consider using the Springsteen and Franz Ferdinand albums as things to listen to this week?

And maybe use the Hoobastank to, I dunno, patch the ceiling in case it's raining or something?

For that matter, how about we use the Dean Martin as a potential present to members of the older generation--so they can remember their glory days as they begin their inevitable descent into silent, blissful slumber?

And finally, how about we use the rest of these albums as objects that can occupy our time so we can sit around doing nothing as life goes on all around us without our actual participation?

Hah! Just kidding! That's what always happens whenever I use the word "Hoobastank"!

  Bruce Springsteen: Working On A Dream (Columbia) It's an old cliché that most rock critics tend to look favorably upon "The Boss" because he reminds them of former glories, personal or otherwise, but here's the scoop: This is a very good album. His best since Tunnel Of Love, which came out in 1987. No kidding. I'll tell you why, if you don't mind a personal aside. Way back in 1978, when Springsteen was touring to promote Darkness On The Edge Of Town--my personal fave of his works--I met him backstage with a friend who worked for his label. Two things struck me: He mentioned that he'd put "Tell Me" by the Dirty Angels on the intermission tape playing before his set because he loved the song, and he told a guy standing next to me who was wearing a "Thank God For Girls" button that he liked Benny Mardones (who'd called his just-released new album that), too. I find this relevant because with all that's come in Springsteen's career since then, his basic roots as a rock 'n' roll guy with a great sense for pop melody and hooks have been overlooked for the serious "statements" he's been compelled to make since then. Which is all well and good, but bottom line is that I've been less than thrilled with his conspicuous embracing of the Woody Guthrie legacy or the political "significance" of such tracks as "The Rising." So while I haven't thought about this aspect of Springsteen in years, I found myself noticing that weird musical references were popping up here and there--distinctly Byrdsian harmonies on "What Love Can Do," topped off by dual-voiced instrumental ending riff very much in stylistic keeping with the Mike Hugg-era of Manfred Mann, which if you know what I mean you'll instantly hear. Furthermore there are instrumental sweeps--and overall instrumentation--significantly more adventurous and pop-embracing than anything the man's recorded in a few decades. And to top it off, right in the middle of the soccer-mom embracing "Queen Of The Supermarket"--this from the dude that used to write about Queens of Arkansas, no less--the man kills all chances for radio airplay with a proudly sung F-bomb, for which I congratulate him. In all I would say this is an inspired, major return to form for Springsteen and one of the best albums I've heard from a major pop artist in a couple of years. What happened?

 The Bird And The Bee: Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future (Blue Note) Another great album by an artist not as well known as Springsteen, but similarly groovy. The second by The Bird And The Bee--the duo of singer Inara George and multi-instrumentalist Greg Kurstin, who played a great set in our studio a few years back--this set is sophisticated lyrically, gorgeously melodic, and features a much-needed tribute to David Lee Roth called "Diamond Dave," a song that should have been written years ago. The intelligence at work here never fails to impress, and the songs themselves--particularly "Witch"--are absolute standouts.  They should be perceived as major artists--while outside, mysteriously, pigs fly!

  Hoobastank: FOR (N)EVER (Island) Imagine a hard-rockin' band that scores an unexpected radio smash with a ballad that launches a thousand prom dances and spends the rest of their career trying to reclaim their hard-rockin' credibility! Yep, those poor Goo Goo Dolls! Meanwhile, Hoobastank--it's got to be a name thing--sit there similarly wondering whether they should rock out or sing earnest ballads that men won't know but little girls will understand! And just as the CD booklet can be inserted into the CD case backwards or forwards--signifying two distinct moods of the 'tank--so too does this music had two sides! Who will win? The wimps? The rockers? The people that put the CD back in its rack and go buy ice cream?  Nope! The winner will be a guy named Larry, in Allentown , Pennsylvania--who'll find a sack filled with hundred dollar bills in a Best Buy parking lot, leave without buying anything, and take a year off reading the complete works of John Lilly and J.G. Ballard! Money is funny that way!    

 Franz Ferdinand: Tonight: Franz Ferdinand (Domino/Epic) Though I've been a longtime fan of Franz Ferdinand and wish them the best, I suspect they will forever be living in the shadow of their incredible early single "Take Me Out"--and as a result, all of their work since then will inevitably be compared to it and judged inferior. Luckily, back home, their moms are extremely influential in their respective social circles and will eventually change the tide of public opinion! Sadly, though, record companies will then no longer exist, so we'll have to dance around humming loudly! Do you think that bothers them?

 Dean Martin: Amore (Capitol/EMI) As it closes in on Valentine's Day, why not take the time to buy your loved one this fabulous collection of romantic tracks, bring home a bottle of champagne, and celebrate the fact that despite all the difficulties out there in the real world--the unemployment, the crime, the decreased housing values--you still have each other? If anything will then warm your heart, it'll be the 15 tracks here--from "Just In Time" and "Let Me Love You Tonight" to the album's namesake, "That's Amore"! On the other hand, if you live alone and tend to focus on the various opportunities you've missed in the course of leading your life, such as it is--skip the CD and buy two bottles!

 Crooked X: Crooked X (EMI) They're young, they claim AC/DC and Metallica as inspiration, and they find jokes about "John Doe and Exene Cervanka gone bad" difficult to understand! Until their parents shake their heads in discuss and wonder what their kids are getting into! Their music's been in Rock Band , they've opened for Kiss in Sweden, and they were just the subject of an MTV special called Rock'N' Roll Dream. Perhaps most interestingly, they're from a town in Oklahoma called Coweta! I wish I was in that band!

 Peter Cincotti: East Of Angel Town (Warner Bros) While we're discussing crooner types, let's not forget the brand new album by skilled pianist-singer Peter Cincotti, whose skill at "combining old and new," as his bio has it, has made him a chartbuster from the veritable get-go! Fans of the man are sure to fall deeply in love with this new effort--producers include David Foster and Humberto Gatica--just as fans of the English language are sure to fall for his bio, should they happen to read it! Apparently he has "two successful albums under his belt"--which, frankly, must make sitting down difficult!

 James Brown: The Singles, Volume Six: 1969-1970 (Hip-O Select) If ever a record should be in your collection, it's this great collection of Brown tracks, including "Mother Popcorn," "I Don't Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing (Open Up The Door I'll Get It Myself)," the quite famous "Funky Drummer," "Talking Loud and Sayin' Nothin,"and --one of my personal favorite Brown tracks ever, due to its persuasively diplomatic title--"Let A Man Come In And Do The Popcorn."  If you're a multi-sensate, buy this and the Cincotti  CD and put' em both on shuffle play!

 Brian Wilson: That Lucky Old Sun DVD (Capitol) Very happy to recommend this DVD of former Beach Boy Wilson performing his latest album live in the Capitol Records studios--not to mention the bonus Yahoo-produced footage--shot earlier this year. Excellently produced and filled with a rich array of bonus material, it's a grand showing by one of pop music's living legends, and pretty rich musically as well.  Check it out!

 Leathermouth: Xo (Epitath) This side project of My Chemical Romance guitarist Frank Iero seems destined for massive radio airplay, largely due to hit-in-the-making "I Am Going To Kill The President Of The United States Of America"! May I suggest you don't look for it via any search engines?

[davedimartino]

NEW THIS WEEK 02.02.09

After that fabulous Superbowl show--just imagine, Bruce Springsteen, Jennifer Hudson and Faith Hill all in one place--and next week's Grammy Awards, I, like you, think this may be the most exciting week in music history!

And indeed, it's this week--when the movers and shakers congregate in Los Angeles for their beloved awards--that they'll be anticipating the sales figures of this week's new releases, arguing whether it's likely Melinda Doolittle will outsell Cannibal Corpse, and discussing what exactly that whole "digital download" thing is in the first place!

Sure, there may be a few fistfights, and sure, some record label folks won't feel comfortable having to hitchhike home due to ongoing budget cuts, but one thing’s for sure: When it comes to this week's new releases--just like next week's Grammys--everyone's a winner, baby!

 The Fray: The Fray (Epic) From seemingly out of nowhere comes the Fray, the Denver-based band whose rise to international stardom came with their smash single "How To Save A Life," which most people who stayed home and watched TV heard on Grey's Anatomy, while other, more popular, people went out and enjoyed living! Well, their new album's here and it's at least as good as that last one--in fact, I'd suggest it's even better--and if you like melodic rock with hooks galore, this is precisely the album you need to pick up this very minute! In fact, if you're so inclined, please go here this Wednesday (Feb. 4th, 2009) to watch a live videostream of the band performing live at Webster Hall! It's all coming together marvelously!

 Dierks Bentley: Feel That Fire (Capitol Nashville) You know what? When I think of the grand tradition of Country Music, I think of names like Hank, Waylon, Willie, and Dolly. Sadly, the name "Dierks" doesn't really roll off the tongue quite so easily! But, of course, what's in a name? Give up? Letters! And yes, letters have been written left and right about Mr. Bentley's growing fanbase! Many have suggested that the already enormously popular rising country star--who was nominated for a Grammy for his prior Long Trip Alone--may at this very moment be reaching his artistic zenith! With its catchy title track and the interestingly titled "I Wanna Make You Close Your Eyes" I wouldn't be at all surprised! Get in on the action!

Melinda Doolittle: Coming Back To You (Hi-Fi) I think the entire world would be stunned if American Idol "reject" Doolittle decided to make her very first album a tribute to Bob Dylan's 1963 album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan--and title it after her favorite song by Leonard Cohen, Maxine Brown and Mungo Jerry respectively! Luckily, that's not the case at all! But sure enough, in the grand Idol tradition, she's singing two Robert Johnson covers here! All in all, that's quite a last name!

 Wynonna: Sing: Chapter 1 (Curb) Referred to by some as the album that "has become known as Wynonna's musical DNA"--hopefully they weren't biochemists!--Sing: Chapter 1 is country star Judd's seventh solo album and an ambitious one at that! Drawing from all the music that's ever inspired her, including multi-genre classics like "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," "Anyone Who Had A Heart," "I Hear You Knocking" and "Ain't No Sunshine," the disc is well-sung, well-intentioned, and well, out now! Rumors that a miniature stuffed Big Bird was repeatedly hurled in the air during the cover photo session are simply not well intended! Wynonna is tops in my book!

 Leona Lewis: Spirit: The Deluxe Edition (J) Certainly one of 2008's major success stories was that of charming Leona Lewis, who's likely to win an award or two this Sunday, and in turn has recently awarded us with this "deluxe" edition of her solo album--newly bedecked with a bunch of music videos and four previously-unreleased-in-the-U.S. tracks, including her UK #1 smash cover of Snow Patrol's "Run." As an additional bonus, the album comes with an album cover featuring a great new picture of the singer! Hey, she's quite attractive!

 Willie Nelson And Asleep At The Wheel: Willie And The Wheel (Bismeaux) Country legend Nelson's pairing with Western Swing champs Asleep At The Wheel was long in coming; apparently the team-up had been suggested by distinguished record producer Jerry Wexler way back in the early '70s, but it never came to be. If you're a fan of either artist--or Western Swing--you'll likely love this collection of classics; if, on the other hand, you dislike all three, you should check out some of the latest DVDs at Blockbuster! I love this thing!

 Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: He's Just Not That Into You (New Line) I'm completely into any movie that includes italics in its title--heck, I just listened to Lisa Loeb's Cake And Pie last week--and I suspect this album will greatly appeal to fans of this movie! Just look at the line-up of artists: The Human League, R.E.M., the Replacements, the Cure, Corinne Bailey Rae, Lily Allen--it's a chick-flick attendee's dream come true! So I guess those rumors about this film being based on a sex therapist's diagnosis were simply nasty and nothing more! Let's go see it!

Graham Nash: Reflections (Rhino) A 3-CD collection by any solo artist might seem excessive, but in the case of Graham Nash--whose career began with the Hollies in the '60s and then fully bloomed in Crosby, Stills & Nash and their various permutations--it really just scratches the surface. The man who supplied the high harmonies and pop hooks to CSN&Y--he was writing "Marrakesh Express," "Our House," and "Teach Your Children" while his good pal David Crosby was singing about almost cutting his hair--Nash is a sturdy and economical writer, and his work in this collected context sounds surprisingly impressive.  You should buy it!

Asa: Asa (Downtown) Very impressive American debut by a young French/Nigerian singer (pronounced Ah-Shah), this disc skirts the boundaries between pop and R&B and shows a worldly collection of influences--American R&B, Jamaican and African among them--displaying a serious artist at work. Classic rock fans with poor vision: there is no "I" in this name. Palindromically spectacular!

 Cannibal Corpse: Evisceration Plague (Metal Blade) A long-awaited CD/DVD set by everyone's favorite Brutal Death Metal band, this features great tracks like "To Decompose" and the surprisingly thoughtful "Skewered From Ear To Eye" and--ultimately--is a joy through and through! "I think it's the tightest and most musically competent record we've ever done," notes Corpse member Alex Webster. "Not that the other ones weren't competent…" Oops! Out of room!

[davedimartino]

NEW THIS WEEK 02.10.09

Sorry I'm a little late with this week's exciting blog, but--if I may share a little personal information--I forget to pay my Internet bill last month and couldn't write it!

But wait, you say--how could access to the Internet affect this guy writing his blog? Couldn't he just write it at home and then bring it in to work and post it there?

Hah! How can I write intelligently about music without finding out what everybody else thinks?

 Lily Allen: It's Not You, It's Me (Capitol)  Everyone's favorite Popular Female British Singer of a few months back returns with her second album in her dutiful quest to become everyone's favorite Popular British Singer for the next few months, and the big question is: Can she pull it off? I say yes! This is an upbeat, personality-filled album greatly aided by American producer Greg Kurstin--the onetime Geggy Tah member who's also doing marvelous work with his duo the Bird & The Bee--and Ms. Allen seems so charming, sassy and colorful, who can resist her enticing personality? I'm especially taken with her upbeat track "F**k You"--a song that's certainly been long in coming, I'm sure you'll agree--and am particularly curious how it will sound on the "CLEAN" version of this album, also available in fine stores and thus absolutely OK to buy for minors of all shapes and sizes! Once it tops the charts, everyone will be singing it!

 Beastie Boys: Paul's Boutique--20th Anniversary Edition (Capitol)  Yes, it's hard to believe a full 20 years has passed since this groundbreaking album was released! So much has happened since then! But the record that set the stage for a million careers is back, it's digitally remastered, it's available in regular, deluxe, Fine Fine Supafine Collectors' Editions, and generally all over the place on the Internet at the moment. I suggest you go here to get the whole story, including a free track-by-track audio commentary, user photos, blogs, factoids, and everything else that makes the Internet (and music itself) fantastic when you pay your bills on time! Check it out today. As a special bonus: It's pretty good!

 India.Arie: Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics (Motown)  A very welcome return from Ms. Arie, who with a select few others--most conspicuously Erykah Badu, who's also into this whole Volume 1/Volume 2 business--is taking contemporary R&B into warm and sophisticated 21st Century places and sounding better with each new album. Guests include Musiq Soulchild, veteran MC Lyte, and the intriguingly named Gramps Morgan, and the overall lyrical content--as is this artist's norm--is uplifting, captivating and enlightening. Sort of like those commercials she's been in lately, but with better music!

 Buddy Holly: Memorial Collection (Geffen)  The only upside of Buddy Holly's premature demise 50 years ago--and admittedly, there could be significantly bigger upsides--is that the bulk of his extraordinary recording career can be manageably contained within a limited number of CD sides. This three-disc set contains his best-known material, and so well known is that material, it's likely that almost any contemporary teenager will recognize at least a few of these tracks. "Peggy Sue," "That'll Be The Day," "Rave On," "Not Fade Away, "It's So Easy" are among the most famous, and there's much more classic stuff within the 60 tracks to be had here. That said, I wouldn't recommend buying this for the easily influenced kids in your household, telling them, "Weezer have really gone all out with this one," and then looking through their drawers and private papers while they're obliviously listening to their new present!  Too bad about that glasses thing!

 Jon Hassell: Last Night The Moon Came Dropping Its Clothes In The Street (ECM) Yet another album bearing this ubiquitous title, avant-trumpter Hassell's latest continues in the tradition of his previously non-traditional recordings with--in the world o' avant-rock--people like Brian Eno and Peter Gabriel--and is thus a smooth, otherworldly listen throughout all of its 10 tracks. Word is the man's about to tour the US for the first time in 20 years, so make it a point to see him if you have the inclination. Perhaps you'll meet the person who noted on this album's Amazon page, "I wish the title realized the Moon is feminine"! Don't we all, babe!

 Joni Mitchell: Joni Mitchell's The Fiddle And The Drum  (DVD) (Koch Vision) It may be hard to believe, but in my distinguished career as a music journalist and documenter of all things of great cultural import, I have rarely attended the ballet! Imagine the shame I would feel if some of my closest friends walked into my living room last week and saw me watching this DVD--which features the music of Joni Mitchell and a bunch of people dancing in leotards! But I admire Ms. Mitchell's music greatly, not to mention her great skill as a painter, and if she calls what's contained here "the best project of her career," who am I to do anything but sit reverently on my couch and watch it? And yeah, OK, so maybe I did knit a little while watching it, but if I hadn't, I would've knocked back a half-dozen wine coolers!

 Trouble Andrew: Trouble Andrew (Capitol) If you're a fan of snowboarding and you like music, you apparently already know who Trouble Andrew is and will be grateful that his LP of two years ago has now been remixed, remastered and rekindled! If you're a fan of Santogold, you may also know that Trouble Andrew is her boyfriend! And if you like a mixture of punk, electronica, and scuzz-rock, you've probably heard this album already and don't even know it! However, if you're not familiar with any of the things I've just mentioned, I've got this great ballet DVD you can borrow while I drive to the store!

 Ryan Leslie: Ryan Leslie (Next Selection/Bad Boy) The maker of "Diamond Girl" who apparently scored 1600 on his SATs but somehow forgot that Seals and Crofts had a hit of the same name, who has pointed out "They try to put me in a box--it's impossible!" without specifically pointing out who "they" are--are they the people who casually note that both his first and last names are gender-neutral?--and the man who, after a reputable career as a producer, is now emerging with his very first solo album is, uh, the guy who made this album! I think it's pretty good--but then any album with a last track actually called "Gibberish" has already won half the battle!

 Bobby Valentino: The Rebirth (Blue Kolla/EMI)  A skilled R&B singer likely to appeal to that lovable "older demographic" who remember when Bobby Womack was a member of the Valentinos but now desperately need bifocals, Bobby V is featured here with Lil Wayne, Timbaland, Raphael Saadiq, Yung Joc and several musicians not nearly so famous! His fans love him, those who haven't heard him would like him if they did hear him, and he's back and better than ever! Celebrate him home!

 Glen Campbell: Greatest Hits (Capitol)  Though his recent "career revitalization" album didn't take off as strongly as some anticipated, this new collection of 16 hits--remixed for a contemporary feel--theoretically might even serve him better. For songwriting alone, such standards as "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" and "Gentle On My Mind" sit very nicely alongside lesser-known hits such as "Dreams Of The Everyday Housewife"--hey, I just saw a housewife yesterday!--and in total present a welcome summation of Campbell's distinguished and colorful career. From the highs of Jimmy Webb's "Wichita Lineman" to the low of the Foo Fighters' "Times Like These," it's all here! Skip certain tracks at your leisure!

[davedimartino]

NEW THIS WEEK 02.16.09

As you may have surmised, part of my job in compiling this much-loved weekly blog comes in anticipating which new releases are the ones most likely to excite the entire world, sell the most copies, and/or have the best covers!

Just a few weeks ago, I scratched my head, looked at a then-current release list, and determined that--in the absence of any surefire blockbusters by Mariah Carey, Bruce Springsteen, or Alicia Keys--new albums by Animal Collective, Andrew Bird and even Antony & the Johnsons would likely be among the week's biggest winners! And as a special bonus, they all started with "A"!

Heck--I was right! And even Antony & the Johnsons entered the charts at No. 65! Who could have imagined this three years ago?

Some would say it's an indicator that good ol' independent music is finally taking its rightful place as a sales leader! Others would say it's an indicator that sales have gone so far down the tubes that only indie artists with loyal followings--which is to say not Hoobastank--actually sell records anymore!

All I know is, any week where Morrissey has the biggest new release is OK by me!

  Morrissey: Years Of Refusal (Attack/Lost Highway) When it comes to contemporary pop albums featuring infants and toddlers with facial decorations, it's Morrissey and Lil Wayne all the way! Arriving with his best album in several years, a fine cover illustration and title, and more than a few songs that suggest the glories reached in his former band the Smiths, I'm inclined to point out that after all these years, he simply hasn't lost it! Best track to these ears--the ones that my thumbs are now pointing to--is "It's Not Your Birthday Anymore," which aside from bearing a catchy tune features the snazzy lyric, "there's no need to be kind to you," a sentiment that in contemporary songcraft is rarely expressed and, when you come right down to it, encapsulates all that is unique about the man. That and the fact that he once featured cows mooing on an album!

 Annie Lennox: The Annie Lennox Collection (CD/DVD) (Sony) Well, if you haven't figured it out, here's what's happening. Record companies introduced CDs back in the '80s and a generation of vinyl buyers started buying their collections all over again on CD! Then they got old! Meanwhile, a younger generation of cassette and CD buyers--who watched a lot of MTV--started getting old, sloppy, and sentimental! And now that their elders have stopped buying music entirely, it's their turn to step up to the plate and relive their past! So why not pick up this package, which features a worldwide superstar admittedly past her commercial peak, an entire batch of great video clips, and two brand new recordings as well? And it is a quality package, any way you look at it--but it's also a reminder that the next generation coming up probably won't be able to be serviced with a similar package in a few years because nobody has distinguished careers anymore--just short term peaks! Then they vanish into oblivion! Nah--just kidding!

 Various Artists: Dark Was The Night (4AD) A stellar and comprehensive collection of exclusive tracks put together by Aaron & Bryce Dessner of the National to benefit the Red Hot Organization--a charity devoted to raising AIDS awareness--this 2 CD set features 31 tracks by what would appear to be the hippest artists imaginable. Not to bore you with a simple list, but featured here among many others are Bon Iver, Iron & Wine, Feist, Arcade Fire, Spoon, My Morning Jacket, Andrew Bird, and just about every indie-rock senstion of note emerging in the past few years. Plus Yo La Tengo! Now more than ever, in a playlist-driven world, this set seems made to order in terms of quality content, a great cause, and offering  a way to figure out if Yeasayer and Beirut are as hip as they're supposed to be! Buy this and it'll be OK to be mean for a few minutes--you've earned it!

Al Kooper: 50/50 (Sony Legacy) Al Kooper is an extremely skilled musician who's had a hand in some of the biggest and best albums in pop history--Highway 61 Revisited, Let It Bleed, The Who Sell Out--but more importantly has a vastly impressive recording catalog of his own. A former member of New York's Blues Project and the founder of Blood, Sweat & Tears--whose Child Is Father To The Man album, the only one featuring Kooper, is one of the finest pop records ever--Kooper released a string of excellent albums beginning with 1968's I Stand Alone, and most of them can be sampled here. A 50-track digital only release, the set is artfully sequenced and without a single moment of filler. I would suggest you find all his albums--especially 1969's You Never Know Who Your Friends Are, which approaches the BS&T album in its greatness--but in the meantime, check out this collection of a taste of this artist's fab greatness.

 Charlie Wilson: Uncle Charlie (Jive) It would be the height of crassness to actually use another human's opinion as the basis for one's one review, but as one consumer review on Amazon astutely asked, "Is Charlie still a funkateer or a modern day R&B mackdaddy?" And that indeed appears to be the question with this new release by former Gap Band dude Wilson, who oozes charisma, class, and at times, the mackdaddiness of which that reviewer spoke! Featuring guest appearances by T-Pain and Jamie Foxx, a fine single in "There Goes My Baby," and some welcome flashes of funk, this collection is healthy, positive in spirit, and in its way, quite classy. Perhaps you'd like it!

 Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3: Goodnight Oslo (Yep Roc) The highly credible, long-lived and still pretty good career of Robyn Hitchcock proceeds according to plan here: His combo the Venus 3 includes Peter Buck, Scott McCaughey and Bill Rieflin, guests include the Decemberists' Colin Meloy, and the batch of songs he's assembled are even sturdier than usual. His friendship with director Jonathan Demme, documented in the latter's excellent concert film a while back, has continued and resulted in the appearance of "Up To Our Nex," heard here, popping up in the soundtrack to Demme's well-reviewed Rachel Getting Married film. Hey, considering how long the dude has been around, he's quite good!

 Steve Kilbey: Painkiller (Second Motion)  In a week in which some of the hottest new releases are by such '80s notables as Morrissey, Annie Lennox and Robyn Hitchcock, it's worth mentioning that the latest album by the Church's Steve Kilbey--his first solo set in seven years--is out and surprisingly groovy. Mind you, he's rarely been less than groovy, but as career trajectories go, he came from the fringes with the Church, entered the mainstream in one blinding flash in the '80s with "Under Thee Milky Way," then gradually, methodically, headed toward the fringes once more. The music here swirls, as you might expect if you're familiar with his work, but there are melodies that catch your attentions, rhythms that pulsate, and some fairly biting lyrics popping up that will remind you of his artistic worthiness, if that's slipped your mind. Do check this out.

 Soft Machine: Drop (Moonjune) Fans of this pioneering, much-loved British band will be thrilled with the unexpected release of this disc, a live set recorded in Germany in 1971, as it captured that brief sliver in the band's history when departed drummer Robert Wyatt's replacement, Australian Phil Howard, joined the band and raised its overall energy level absurdly high. A continuous slab of cacophonous playing--10 tracks running together consecutively--the music is powerful and at times oddly nerve-racking, as Howard's free-jazzy drum pounding is an odd complement to that portion of Soft Machine's music which dwelled in soothing drones and precise song structures. Familiarity with this material, which surfaced in the band's third, fourth and fifth albums--Howard played on only half of the latter--will make this fascinating listening for fans of the band regardless. Highly recommended.  

 N.A.S.A.: Spirit Of Apollo (Anti) In the same manner that the Dark Was The Night compilation brings together just about anybody who is anybody, this fascinating set has a guest list like you wouldn't believe: Tom Waits, Karen O, the ghost of Ol' Dirty Bastard, Kool Keith, David Byrne, Chuck D, Kanye West, Santogold and countless others. But the 17 tracks here have been put together by the pair that call themselves N.A.S.A.--Squeak E. Clean and DJ Zegon--and the overall effect is less a personality circus and more a complete, multi-rhythmic work that oozes personality on a track-by-track level. Intricate but always surprisingly accessible, this is a "wave of the future" kind of thing, if you're keeping track. I am!

 Thursday: Common Existence (Epitath)  That pretty much sums it up!