Praises be to the God of your choice, this week we get a new White Stripes album, Get Behind Me Satan. After the Elephant opus, and Jack White's contribution to Loretta Lynn's awesome Grammy winning Van Lear Rose, it is clear that this is Jack White's world, and we are priveleged merely to live in it. This is currently the #2 album at Amazon.
Coldplay also drops their X&Y album. This is supposed to be the Big Statement that breaks them through to being the baddest band on the planet or something. It's the #1 album at Amazon, in any case.
Black Eyed Peas have a new album out, Monkey Business. Somehow they've gotten to be a big act. I guess they look cool and all, but do they have even ONE real song somewhere?
Paul Anka has a new album Rock Swings, on which he covers songs including "Smells Like Teen Spirit" "Eyes Without a Face" and "Wonderwall." I would scoff, but I'm still jammin' on Pat Boone's classic In a Metal Mood.
Highly rated countryish songwriter Beth Nielsen Chapman has a new album out this week, Look.
Junior Brown has a best-of album. It doesn't have everything on it that I'd like, but that'd end up basically being a boxed set of everything he's recorded. If you don't have "Highway Patrol" or "My Wife Thinks You're Dead," then you need this.
Could Ringo Starr's new Choose Love album actually be worthwhile? Stranger things have happened.
Finally, I would be remiss if I did not note a new album from old hero Graham Parker. I haven't been bowled over by anything he's done recently, but this guy wrote "Don't Ask Me Questions" and "Stick to Me," so he rates a listen- though the album title doesn't fill me with enthusiasm: Songs of No Consequence.
Article comments
1 - Marc Moss
Thank you for alerting us to all of the new album releases. I'm particulary excited by Gomez, The Aquabats, and The White Stropes. White Stripes, even though their promo single that we received @ the radio station where I work featured the horrible Comic Sans MS font on the disc itself.
That font should be destroyed.
2 - Mark Saleski
...do they have even ONE real song somewhere?
yes. please turn up your hearing aid.
3 - JR
Junior Brown has a best-of album. It doesn't have everything on it that I'd like, but that'd end up basically being a boxed set of everything he's recorded. If you don't have "Highway Patrol" or "My Wife Thinks You're Dead," then you need this.
Why? You could get them both on Guit With It, while you're saving up to buy the rest of his albums. So far as I can see, this Best Of has nothing new on it.
4 - Tom Johnson
I'm with Al on Black Eyed Peas. I can't stand 'em. They're one of the bands that, given the choice, I'd happily have wiped off the face of the earth. When they sing "get stupid," they sure got that right. Stupid and terrible. And now featured in seemingly every sporting event broadcast on TV. It is simply inescapable, and is absolutely one of the worst songs I've ever heard. Oh the humanities!
5 - BRICKLAYER
But that Fergie is a LOOKER!
6 - Tom Johnson
Fergie has a nice body. The face, however, is nasty. NAAASSSTY.
7 - Eric Olsen
I love the Black Eyed Peas. Songs aplenty.
8 - Al Barger
Black Eyed Peas fans, please tell me what are the memorable songs that they've made? What are the future standards that will be being played and covered by others 20 years down the line? Where's their "Shop Around" or "Purple Haze" or "Kiss"? I'm not hearing any.
JR, I appreciate your point about buying all the Junior Brown albums, but there are about half a dozen. If you're going to just get ONE, this would probably make a really good little father's day item.
9 - Sobriquet Magazine
When I first heard that "Where's the Love?" song, I thought it was a parody of horribly musicianship. I only wish it was.
10 - Sobriquet Magazine
And by "horribly musicianship," I mean "horrible musicianship"...
Anyway, I just can't grasp the Black Eyed Peas. I just don't hear what makes them good. I mean, I understood why people liked Outkast, but I just don't get "Where is the Love?" and the rest of the BEP ouevre.
11 - Phillip Winn
Erik G, I'm not sure I'd advertise my personal failings quite so prominently as you do, but I suppose you're just more honest than I am. Don't worry, we won't think any less of you for failing to recognize the things that make BEP so favored by so many of us. :-)
Al, none that you would recognize as memorable, of course, so what's the point in asking? For most people, however, both Where Is The Love? and Let's Get Retarded will echo around the mind for years to come.
The new album is pretty good, by the way. Not quite as stand-up as Elephunk, but it has some strong tracks.
12 - Phillip Winn
That darned Shakira album is itching my ears quite a bit. I'm tempted to buy it, though I comprende no espanol.