Alright, this week's new album releases don't look like much. Plus, we've got an election going on and I've got places to BE. So, let's keep this short and sweet.
The only new album that looks like anything is the tribute album Enjoy Every Sandwich: Songs of Warren Zevon. For starters, I really like that album title, from a comment in Zevon's final Letterman interview.
The good side of this is that there are some unusual and less than obvious choices of songs. I bet Don Henley does a bang-up job on "Searching for a Heart." Likewise, I could see Steve Earle doing something special with "Reconsider Me." I'm not holding my breath, however, over finding out what Adam Sandler has done to "Werewolves of London."
On the other hand, the unusual song selection also means picking some of his lesser songs. It's cool to have Dylan, but "Mutineer" just wasn't one of Zevon's best songs. It'll be worth a listen.
Hometown hero John Mellencamp has put out a two disc hits album, Words & Music: John Mellencamp's Greatest Hits. Even at two discs though, it doesn't get all the goodies. I'm simply appalled that there's no "Play Guitar" on this album, nor "Lovin' Mother for Ya." For that matter, I would like to see "Small Paradise" up in the mix. Mellencamp is just that good.
Friends finished Elliot Smith's final album, From a Basement on the Hill. None of his other songs sound like much, but he was depressed and killed himself, so he's probably a great artist. I'm guessing that it was President Bushitler that pushed him over the edge.
Rod Stewart's Stardust...The Great American Songbook, Vol. 3 sounds incredibly underwhelming to me. Rod singing "For Sentimental Reasons"? I might start reconsidering William Hung's Hung for the Holidays. Still, Stewart's set is ranked currently as the #1 bestseller at Amazon.
Here's the complete list of this weeks major new albums, courtesy of AMG:
Various Artists Enjoy Every Sandwich: The Songs of Warren Zevon Artemis
Singer/Songwriter, Album Rock, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
John Mellencamp Words & Music: John Mellencamp's Greatest Hits Utv
Heartland Rock, Album Rock, Pop/Rock, Roots Rock, Hard Rock, Bar Band
Air Surfing on a Rocket [EP] Astralwerks
Ambient Pop, Electronica, Trip-Hop
Astaire Don't Whisper Lies Wax Divine
Dream Pop, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Ambient Pop
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Article comments
1 - visualsimplicity
What? No props to Jin, the first Asian American rapper?
2 - Matt Wardlaw
I got the Mellencamp, 2 CDs @ 13.99 at Best Buy.
It's a nice collection, but you're right, it doesn't have Play Guitar on it! I also noticed it didn't have Big Daddy on there, which I recall getting a bit of radio play.....never really wanted to hear it, until I thought about whether it was on there, and sure enough, it isn't!
I just checked, and Play Guitar wasn't on the last collection either - overall, this looks more complete, with the luxury of having 2 CDs to spread it across - looks like Without Expression, which I think was the "new" tune on the last collection, has been omitted on this collection, so if you have the previous best of, I guess you might want to hang on to it.
Overall, it's nice to have a collection that collects all of the stuff from all of the labels that he has been on - good to see that they spent the money to license the more recent Columbia stuff.
3 - godoggo
I was going to recommend "Original Soundtrack Alfie," but then I realized that the title was a misnomer.
4 - Free Prescription Medicine
Does anyone even buy discs anymore? Each artist should just crank out liner notes and cover art and tell you where you can burn it and print the former....
5 - Al Barger
Actually, yes they do still sell a lot of CDs. A couple of weeks ago, Billboard was reporting US CD sales up around 6% versus a year ago.
6 - Matt Wardlaw
I absolutely still buy discs. I am a liner notes freak - and printing stuff out just doesn't cut it for me...
ultimately, I want something that is non-MP3 in it's original form....if I choose to make MP3s of it for listening on the go, that is my deal, but I like CDs, no doubt.
7 - Mark Saleski
discs? heck, i still buy vinyl records!