This week's batch of new album releases is a mixed bag to be sure. What you've got here is a little bit of just about everything you can imagine. There are the returns of a few faces who have been missing in action for awhile, some interesting new indie-rock releases, as well as your usual obligatory — but perhaps not-so-necessary — reissues.
Oh, and of course my musical co-conspirators Mark Saleski and Tom Johnson live up to their well-earned reputations as connoisseurs of all things obscure with their respective picks this week.
In other words, it's business as usual.
The biggest buzz out there appears to be for The Black Crowes new album Warpaint, thanks in no small part to the controversy generated by a certain review in Maxim — which was written without the writer actually hearing the entire record beforehand.
The word from those who have actually heard Warpaint (and I'll confess here and now that I haven't received my copy yet), is that it finds the Robinson Brothers returning to the sloppy, yet endearing rock and roll form of early releases like Shake Your Money Maker. Personally, I always loved the Crowes take on the whole Faces-Humble Pie-Exile-era Stones thing, so I can't wait to hear this.
Carlene Carter's appropriately titled Stronger is being described as her most personal record to date, coming as it does on the heels of her experiencing the deaths of her famous parents (Johnny and June Carter Cash for those who weren't aware), as well as her longtime lover. The album is also said to be a return to her musical roots in the country tradition. It was recorded in Nashville, with much of it being a collaborative work with her brother John Carter Cash.
Two new releases that should excite fans of alternative or indie-rock are Real Emotional Trash from Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks, and the latest collaboration between Mark Lanegan and Greg Dulli as the Gutter Twins, Saturnalia. Country fans will likewise no doubt be anxious to hear if Alan Jackson has any new patriotic or 9/11-themed songs on his latest album Good Time. Jackson Browne has a second volume of his Grammy nominated live Solo Acoustic series of records.
There are also deluxe reissue editions of seminal albums by Lynyrd Skynyrd (Street Survivors) and Elvis Costello (This Year's Model) — which in Costello's case at least, makes this something like the 96th time this album has been brought back in a new "definitive version." The Doors vault of live recordings also continues to be scraped bone dry with this week's Live in Pittsburgh 1970.
Article comments
1 - Glen Boyd
Wow. The page actually broke perfectly this week. The writing and the picks are on page 1, and the list is on page 2. Nobody got clipped. How about that?
So just to be clear, I better not get any complaints about the page breaks this week. Are we clear on that?
-Glen
2 - Josh Hathaway
My copy of Gutter Twins arrived last night from Sub Pop and I'm finally getting a chance to listen this morning. I have a good feeling about this one.
3 - Tom Johnson
The notable thing about "this year's model" of This Year's Model is that it has that tempting live album tacked on as disc two. I think Costello may be shooting himself in the foot not releasing these live discs separately - I think they'd sell a lot better by themselves than paired with the albums all of us already own at least once, if not multiple times. Let's see - on CD, there's the old Columbia pressing, then the Ryko remasters with a few bonus tracks, then the Rhinos with bonus discs, then last year the Hip-O Select with NO bonuses whatsoever, and now this version. Not to mention vinyl, cassette, etc. What's extra annoying is that this REALLY is the best version of the album to get - aside from one lone BBC version of "Stranger In The House," it has everything the Ryko and Rhino issues had PLUS a live album. Which means I'm going to get suckered in to this thing eventually.
4 - Kevin Eagan
I'm looking forward to hearing The Gutter Twins and the Stephen Malkmus albums.
5 - Josh Hathaway
Kevin, the Gutter Twins record is FANTASTIC, surpassing my expectations.
6 - Glen Boyd
Tom,
I'd buy the live EC thing on it's own (or find a source to download it maybe), but much as I usually like what Hip O does as a label, the Costello reissues are kinda being done to death at this point. I stopped at the Rhino reissues myself, and am perfectly happy with those.
Kevin and Josh,
I'll have to check out the Gutter Twins (cool Stones reference in the name). I always dig Lanegan's solo stuff, but have always been kinda indifferent about the Afghan Whigs. The album does sound interesting though...
Thanx as always for the comments (and no bitching about the page breaks, lawd' be praised!).
-Glen
7 - Mark Saleski
i'd love the live content too, but i'm not buying yet another reissue. i think i've got the Rhino reissues...those are the ones with the demo? yeah, that's it.
8 - Kevin Eagan
Josh, I just bought my copy of the Gutter Twins' album and you're right, it's excellent!
9 - Josh Hathaway
I'm listening to it (still) as we speak. I've already posted a bit about it over at Fanboy. I'm working on a review proper.
Fantastic record.