The big commercial item this week would be Norah Jones' third album, Not Too Late. This sounds like something of a turning point, being her first album of all original songs and her first album without the services of the late Arif Martin. This is currently the #1 seller at Amazon.
Endless Highway: The Music of the Band features Jack Johnson, Bruce Hornsby, and even my beloved Roches singing the songs of Robbie Robertson's boys. The Allman Brothers playing "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" sounds especially promising.
If the high school glee club is your idea of great music, you're in luck — we've got another American Idol album out this week, Katharine McPhee.
Harry Connick Jr has a new disc, Oh, My Nola. Generally, I've never understood why anyone would bother with this guy when they're still selling Frank Sinatra records. However, early word does sound like the devastation of Katrina might have put a little bit more emotional grit in this Louisiana homeboy's work. I note that this is rated as high as #4 on the current Amazon sales chart.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases, courtesy AMG:
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah Some Loud Thunder Clap Your Hands Say
Indie Rock, Lo-Fi
Harry Connick, Jr. Oh, My Nola Columbia
Contemporary Jazz, New Orleans Jazz, Jazz-Funk, Traditional Pop, Standards
Norah Jones Not Too Late Blue Note
Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Jazz Blues, Contemporary Jazz, Singer/Songwriter
Katharine McPhee Katharine McPhee RCA
Pop/Rock, Teen Pop, Dance-Pop
Alkaline Trio Remains [CD/DVD] Vagrant
Punk Revival, Punk-Pop, Emo
Lily Allen Alright, Still Capitol
Pop/Rock, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Ars Nova Copenhagen Riley: In C Dacapo
Early Minimalism
Authority Zero 12:34 Big Panda
Punk Revival, Ska Revival, Post-Grunge
The Boswell Sisters Nothing Was Sweeter Than El
Harmony Vocal Group, Vocal Jazz, Traditional Pop, Classic Jazz, Swing, Tin Pan Alley Pop
Bowed Piano Ensemble Stephen Scott: The Deep Spaces New AlbionContemporary Music for Bowed Pianos
Bracken We Know About the Need Anticon
Indie Electronic, Experimental Techno
Busdriver RoadKillOvercoat Epitaph
Underground Rap, Alternative Rap, Indie Rock
John Chen Henri Dutilleux: Complete Solo Piano Music Naxos
Modern French Piano Works
Gilby Clarke Gilby Clarke Spitfire
Album Rock, Hard Rock
Natalie Cole Love Songs [2007] Elektra/Rhino
Adult Contemporary, Quiet Storm, Urban
Philip Dukes Rebecca Clarke: Viola Sonata; Dumka; Chinese Puzzle; Passacaglia on an Old English Tune Naxos
Early 20th Century Works for Strings
The Early Years The Early Years [Bonus CD] Beggar's Banquet
Indie Rock
Emerson, Lake & Palmer The Essential Emerson, Lake & Palmer Shout! Factory
Prog-Rock/Art Rock, Album Rock
Gandalf Gandalf II Sundazed
Pop/Rock, Folk-Rock, Singer/Songwriter, Rock & Roll
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