Among the highlights in this week's new album releases:

Van Morrison has a new country album out this week, Pay the Devil. There's something new for him, huh? Van singing "Your Cheatin' Heart" sure sounds like it would be a lot more interesting than one more of those bland half-assed background music jazz records he's spent most of the last few decades on. This might actually be worth hearing.

Kris Kristofferson has been traveling This Old Road for 70 years now. This is his first new album in 11 years. Early reviews are strong, but considering what a crappy vocal performer he was even in his prime, I have to wonder how the guy can even actually begin to actually carry a tune at this point. Still, the guy IS one of the greatest songwriters of his generation.

Cheap Trick has a particularly good re-issue this week. All Shook Up was really outstanding, and never got the credit it deserved. This great George Martin production has been re-mastered. Besides being one of their couple of best albums to begin with, this now includes the Found All the Parts EP as a bonus, which has the outstanding "Everything Works If You Let It."

Personally, I'm not that much into Pink Floyd, but you have to give them props. David Gilmour is somebody, and he has what appears to be but his third solo album and first in 18 years this week, On An Island. It's the #1 album currently at Amazon.

Finally, there's a new Public Enemy album this week, Rebirth of a Nation. They haven't written anything that could reasonably be described as a "real song" in 15 years or so, but they're militant black nationalists or some such - plus they've got Professor Griff there to help keep the Jews down, so I'm sure this is a profound work of street art.

Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases, courtesy AMG:

Kris Kristofferson This Old Road New West
Singer/Songwriter

The Little Willies The Little Willies Blue Note
Americana, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Country-Rock, Country-Rock, Singer/Songwriter

Van Morrison Pay the Devil Lost Highway
Neo-Traditionalist Country, Contemporary Country

Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass Whipped Cream & Other Delights Rewhipped Shout! Factory
Electronica, Funky Breaks, Ambient Breakbeat, Ambient Dub

Victoria de los Angeles Victoria de los Angeles performs Ravel, Debussy & Duparc EMI
French Art Songs

Blondie Greatest Hits: Sound & Vision Capitol/EMI
Pop/Rock, New Wave, American Punk, New York Punk, Punk

Buzzcocks Flat-Pack Philosophy Cooking Vinyl
British Punk, Punk Revival, Punk

Larry Carlton Fire Wire RCA
Crossover Jazz, Contemporary Jazz, Jazz-Funk