New album releases are a little thin this week, but I consider that an improvement and a relief after the Satanic onslaught last week of Michael Bolton and the dreaded (but admittedly cute) Dixie Chicks.

There is one main promising new album, an all Carter songs record from Ralph Stanley calledA Distant Land to Roam: Songs of the Carter Family. These old tales of mortality and morality are the stuff the Stanley brothers cut their teeth on and it's been noted by numerous folks already that it's a bit strange he's only cutting a whole album of Carter songs a few months shy of his 80th birthday. Now, I'm not saying Ralph Stanley ranks up there with true visionary artists like Miss Martie and the other Dixie Chicks, but at least he won't consider himself too good to be in the same record collection with Reba.

Les Claypool has an album this week, Of Whales and Woe. Hopefully this will suck as bad as classic Primus.

There's also a promising looking single disc compilation of Johnny "Guitar" Watson, The Best of the Funk Years.

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

Boards of Canada Trans Canada Highway Warp
IDM, Ambient Techno, Electronica

Jim Dickinson Jungle Jim and the Voodoo Tiger Memphis Int'l
Country Boogie, Boogie Rock, Honky Tonk, Roots Rock, Rock & Roll, R&B

Ralph Stanley A Distant Land to Roam: Songs of the Carter Family Columbia/DMZ
Appalachian Folk, Bluegrass, Traditional Country, Traditional Bluegrass, Bluegrass-Gospel

Dave Alvin West of the West Yep Roc
Alternative Country-Rock

Ammoncontact With Voices Ninja Tune
Underground Rap

Asobi Seksu Citrus Friendly Fire
Indie Rock, Shoegaze

BoyJazz In The City Tonight Frenetic
Indie Rock

Chatham County Line Speed of the Whippoorwill Yep Roc
Contemporary Bluegrass

Choir of St. Ignatius Loyola Wondrous Love MSR
Choral Music

Les Claypool Of Whales and Woe Prawn Song
Funk Metal, Alternative Pop/Rock

Crash Romeo Minutes to Miles Trustkill
Punk-Pop, Punk Revival

Placido Domingo Italia, ti amo Deutsche Grammophon
Italian Songs

Eldar Eldar Live at the Blue Note Sony Classical
Post-Bop

The F****** Champs III Frenetic
Heavy Metal, Indie Rock, Instrumental Rock

The Forecast In the Shadow of Two Gunmen Victory
Indie Rock, Alternative Country-Rock

Nikolaus Harnoncourt Haydn: Orlando Paladino RCA
Classical Opera

Herbert Scale K7
Left-Field House, Jazz-House, Club/Dance

Julliard String Quartet String Quartets with Soprano Bridge
Modern and Contemporary Chamber Music

Kris Kristofferson Live from Austin, Texas New West
Outlaw Country, Singer/Songwriter, Progressive Country, Country-Rock

Jas Mathus & Knockdown South Old Scool Hot Wings 219
Modern Delta Blues, Modern Acoustic Blues, Traditional Country

Charles Mingus Take the 'A' Train Back Up
Hard Bop, Progressive Big Band

The Modern Machines Take It Somebody Dirtnap
Indie Rock, Bar Band

The 1900s Plume Delivery Parasol
Indie Pop, Chamber Pop

Noxagt Noxagt Load
Doom Metal, Experimental Rock, Noise-Rock

Original TV Soundtrack Rescue Me Nettwerk
TV Soundtracks, Alternative Pop/Rock, Indie Rock

Peeping Tom Peeping Tom Ipecac
Indie Rock, Electronic, Hip-Hop

Charley Pride The Essential Charley Pride [RLG Legacy] RCA Nashville/Legacy
Country-Pop, Traditional Country, Nashville Sound/Countrypolitan

Procussions 5 Sparrows for 2 Cents Rawkus
Underground Rap

Quietdrive When All That's Left Is You Epic/Red Ink
Alternative Pop/Rock, Emo, Punk-Pop

Jim Reeves The Essential Jim Reeves [RCA Nashville/Legacy] RCA Nashville/Legacy
Nashville Sound/Countrypolitan, Country-Pop, Traditional Country

George Thorogood The Hard Stuff Eagle
Bar Band, Album Rock, Hard Rock, Blues-Rock, Slide Guitar Blues

Various Artists Lou Harrison: Chamber and Gamelan Works New World
Contemporary Chamber Music

Johnny "Guitar" Watson The Best of the Funk Years Shout! Factory
Modern Electric Texas Blues, Electric Texas Blues, R&B, Funk, Modern Electric Blues, Soul

Young Jeezy $Nowman BCD Music Group
Southern Rap, Gangsta Rap

Young Jeezy You Can't Ban the Snowman BCD Music Group
Southern Rap, Gangsta Rap