In the way of actual new albums this week, best likely hip pick would be They Might Be Giants' The Spine. They sometimes get dismissed as some kind of novelty act, but they have consistently put out decent actual SONGS for 20 years. Some of their stuff is better than others, but it's always worth a listen.

Paul Simon's solo albums are being re-issued on Rhino with bonus tracks. Mostly, the bonus tracks appear to be demos or alternate recordings. Most such things are less than necessary, to put it mildly. However, these would be alternate takes on Paul Simon classics.

Besides which, there appear to be some actual new songs, or at least ones with which as adamant a Simon fan as myself is still unfamiliar with. This version of Rhymin' Simon, for example, has something called "Let Me Live in Your City."

His most criminally unappreciated classic album Songs From the Capeman comes with a bonus song "Shoplifting Clothes." There should be a whole bunch of other songs from that Broadway musical to work with. Indeed, there should be cast album with ALL the damned songs, and for that matter at least a simple DVD of the Broadway performance.

Jimmy Buffett has officially and finally and beyond all question gone to complete useless seed with his new contemporary country album License to Chill, with guest appearances by every boring contemporary country MOR dumbass he could line up, including Kenny Chesney, Martina McBride and George Strait.

This week's major releases, from All Music Guide:

Karel Ancerl Dvorak: Concerto pour violon; Symphonie No. 8 Praga
Post-Romantic Orchestral Music

Beenie Man Back to Basics Virgin
Dancehall, Ragga

Blues Traveler Live on the Rocks Sanctuary
Jam Bands, American Trad Rock, Blues-Rock, Rock & Roll

Carbon Leaf Indian Summer Vanguard
Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Celtic Pop, Folk-Rock, Jam Bands

Dr. John N'Awlinz: Dis Dat or d'Udda Blue Note
New Orleans R&B, R&B

Ensemble Gilles Binchois Perotin & l'Ecole de Notre Dame Ambroisie
Medieval Vocal Music

The F-Ups The F-Ups Capitol
Punk-Pop

Lars Frederiksen & The Bastards Viking Hellcat
Hardcore Punk, Punk Revival

The George W. Bush Singers Songs in the Key of W Oglio
Political Comedy

Guttermouth Eat Your Face Epitaph
Punk Revival

Jesse Harris/The Ferdinandos While the Music Lasts Verve/Forecast
Americana, Singer/Songwriter

Jimmy Buffett License to Chill RCA
Contemporary Country, Country-Rock, Pop/Rock, Singer/Songwriter

B.B. King Anthology: Sound+Vision [2 CD & DVD] Geffen
Contemporary Blues, Electric Blues, Modern Electric Blues, Soul-Blues

Metallica Some Kind of Monster [EP] Warner Brothers
Heavy Metal, Thrash, Speed Metal

Nanook of the North The Taby Tapes Hidden Agenda
Indie Electronic, Indie Pop

The Notorious B.I.G. Ready to Die: The Remaster Bad Boy
East Coast Rap, Gangsta Rap, Hardcore Rap, Hip-Hop, Pop-Rap

The Fiery Furnaces Blueberry Boat Rough Trade
Indie Rock, Garage Rock Revival