can't wait for Outkast, System of a Down (!), or Queens of the Stone Age.

*sigh*

That's a surprisingly strong kick-off to the year, music-wise.

I had no idea that a new Beck album was in the offing -- he's one of my favorite artists, period: I don't care if he's mellow, funky, weird, noise-art, singing "MTV Makes Me Want to Smoke Crack," etc.

Also: I heard on the radio a few years ago that System of a Down had broken up. I thought at the time, "well, there goes that then." I'm glad to see that they're back: they display that "hard music" can include dynamics, good singing, and actual musicianship.

Looking forward to the Garbage and especially Weezer as well.

Great job on the early '05 music outlook.

Eric Berlin
Dumpster Bust: Miracles from Mind Trash
http://dumpsterbust.blogspot.com

much goodness will come out this year. Pearl Jam will have a new album, Billy Corgan (of the Smashing Pumpkins) will hae a new album, Courtney Love (of Billy Corgan) will have a new album, Tenacious D will have an album out which will be the soundtrack to their Biopic 'In the pick of Destiny', you can bet that Glenn Phillips (of Toad the Wet Sprocket) will probably knock out an album too.

it's all good. Especially, as you mentioned, the Foo Fighters. They are putting out a double disc of new original material. One disc will be acoustic, and the other will be electric.

Good additions Lono.

The first single from the new Beck is purported to be a gospel inspired tune. Jack White of The White Stripes will appear on another album track too.

Beck is an absolute master of reinvigorating and revitalizing "dead" genres while adding his own ironic yet not satiric flavor to the enterprise.

Jack White and Beck together? Wow.

~ Eric B.

January 2005
Weezer - Untitled

Where did you find this, Chip? Last I heard they'd dumped everything they'd recorded and were going to record an entirely different album, and had barely even begun doing so. I highly doubt we'll even see a new Weezer album this year, actually.

excellent information very much appreciated Chip - thanks!

I personally tend to avoid the anticipation-disappointment dynamic by having a very short attention span that is taxed almost to the breaking point by taking in the here and now. But that's just me.

I saw Weezer listed on a few sites,

The Jan date was from Music Target, http://www.musictarget.com/new_releases.shtml

Metacritic (no date attached): http://www.metacritic.com/music/upcomingreleases.shtml

Also on MTVe, which says "Rivers Caumo did what all fans feared the most. He went back to Harvard. But fear not, geek-punk's superhero is also finding time for his favorite hobby. Weezer's fifth album is near completion and is soon to be released as the band spent months recording it with none other than über producer Rick Rubin."

They have a cool list of upcoming releases at http://www.mtve.com/article.php?ArticleId=5250

Hmm, weird. I would have figured some of the Weezer sites, especially the official one, would indicate something positive like this. I won't turn down the offer of new Weezer, of course . . .

The Garbage album is slated to be released on April 12th in North America (11th everywhere else). So that's sort of outside of the first part of 2005. I'll remain patient until then though.

Oh and it's going to be called Bleed Like Me I believe, rather than Hand on a Hard Body.

I removed the listing of Garbage and Weezer from the date-specific release calendar as the release dates are uncertain.

But I do have them in the final paragraph along with other expected releases without specific dates.

Thanks for the update info and keep it coming.

I think Glen Phillips (of Toad the Wet Sprocket fame) is supposed to have an album in Feb. or March. Doves is slated for Feb.

Some good stuff on tap.

can you say

PEARL JAM