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.
"Big Ears." I've perhaps used this description too many times but, man…it fits! Many of my favorite musicians display this tendency. They draw musical elements from a variety of genres, extract the juice, and then produce a mix that sounds nothing like anything you've ever heard before. Check bassist Doug Wimbish's bio and you'll see the extremes: from playing on Grandmaster Flash's seminal The Message to taking part in the sonic brutality and brilliance of Living Colour. In the middle was Tackhead, another tough to pin down outfit.
I don't know anything about this release save the samples I've listened to. "Trippy" about does it. Sign me up.
As a long-time fan of the group, I've simply come to expect to be perplexed by what electronic-noise pioneers Autechre put out. And, as it turns out, the more perplexed I am upon immediate inspection of the new material, the longer I tend to be interested. First reaction may simply be "Jesus, what is this?" but something always calls me back. After multiple listens, something starts to jell. Somewhere, under the layers of twisted aural wreckage, there lies uncommon, awkward beauty. Despite giving a listen to the previews on Bleep.com I still don't really know what to expect – except the old cliche of the unexpected.
Here are all of this week's new album releases courtesy of All Music Guide:
Autechre
Quaristice
Warp
IDM, Experimental Techno, Glitch
The Black Crowes
Warpaint
Silver Arrow
American Trad Rock, Southern Rock, Blues-Rock
Carlene Carter
Stronger
Yep Roc
Neo-Traditionalist Country, Roots Rock, Contemporary Country
The Gutter Twins
Saturnalia
Sub Pop
Alternative Pop/Rock
Alan Jackson
Good Time
Arista
Contemporary Country
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks
Real Emotional Trash
Matador
Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Singer/Songwriter
Cannonball Adderley
Sextet in New York
Riverside
Hard Bop, Soul-Jazz
Eric Alexander
Prime Time: In Concert
Highnote
Modal Music, Post-Bop, Modern Creative
American Horn Quartet
Myths & Legends
MSR Classics
Contemporary Music for 4 Horns
Autistic Daughters
Uneasy Flowers
Kranky
Post-Rock/Experimental
Todd Barry
From Heaven
Comedy Central
Observational Humor, Standup Comedy
Bauhaus
Go Away White
Cooking Vinyl
Post-Punk, Goth Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
Black 47
Iraq
United For Opportunity
Celtic Rock, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Born Ruffians
Red Yellow & Blue
Warp
Indie Rock
Martyn Brabbins
Cyril Scott: Symphony No. 1; Cello Concerto
Chandos
Modern Music for Orchestra
Jackson Browne
Solo Acoustic, Vol. 2
Inside Recordings
Folk-Rock, Singer/Songwriter
George Cables
Morning Song
Highnote
Hard Bop, Post-Bop, Modern Creative
Cadence Weapon
Afterparty Babies
Anti
Underground Rap, Alternative Rap, Garage Rap/Grime
Johnny Cash
The Definitive Collection
Mercury Nashville
Traditional Country
Chatham County Line
IV
Yep Roc
Alternative Country, Neo-Traditional Folk, Contemporary Bluegrass
Eddy Clearwater
West Side Strut
Alligator
Electric Chicago Blues, Modern Electric Blues, Soul-Blues, Rock & Roll
Elvis Costello
This Year's Model [Deluxe Edition]
Hip-O
British Punk, New Wave, Singer/Songwriter, Rock & Roll, Pop/Rock, Punk
Days of the New
The Definitive Collection
Geffen
Post-Grunge, Alternative Metal, Alternative Pop/Rock
The Doors
Live in Pittsburgh 1970
Rhino
Album Rock, Hard Rock, Rock & Roll
Kathleen Edwards
Asking for Flowers
Zoe
Alternative Country-Rock
Epicurean
A Consequence of Design
Metal Blade
Power Metal, Neo-Classical Metal, Progressive Metal
The Felice Brothers
The Felice Brothers
Team Love
Americana
Flogging Molly
Float
Side One Dummy
Punk Revival, Punk-Pop
Sascha Funke
Mango
Bpitch Control
Techno, Ambient Techno, Club/Dance
Helena Noguerra
Fraise Vanille
Universal
French Pop, Film Music
Howlin Rain
Magnificent Fiend
Birdman
Neo-Psychedelia, Acid Rock, Rock & Roll, Indie Rock, Hard Rock, Blues-Rock
Jean Michel Jarre
The Complete Oxygene
Dreyfus
Progressive Electronic, Electronic
Kelley Polar
I Need You to Hold on While the Sky Is Falling
Environ
Left-Field House, Indie Electronic, Alternative Dance
Smokin' Joe Kubek & Bnois King
Blood Brothers
Alligator
Modern Electric Texas Blues, Electric Texas Blues, Modern Electric Blues
Ladyhawk
Shots
Jagjaguwar
Indie Rock
Lil' Flip
All Eyez on Us
Real Talk
Dirty South, Southern Rap, Hardcore Rap, Gangsta Rap
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Street Survivors [Deluxe Edition]
Geffen
Album Rock, Boogie Rock, Southern Rock, Arena Rock, Hard Rock, Blues-Rock, Rock & Roll
Michael McDonald
Soul Speak
Universal Motown
Adult Contemporary, Pop/Rock, Blue-Eyed Soul
Miss Kittin
Batbox
Nobody's Bizzne
Techno, Neo-Electro, Electro-Techno, Club/Dance
David Russell
Air on a G String
Telarc
Baroque Music for Guitar
Adam Summerhayes
Gypsy Strings
Chandos
Traditional Melodies Arranged for Two Violins & Orchestra
Mark Pickerel and His Praying Hands
Cody's Dream
Bloodshot
Americana
Rakim
The Archive: Live, Lost & Found
Fast Life
East Coast Rap, Hip-Hop
The Ruby Suns
Sea Lion
Sub Pop
Indie Pop
The Raymond Scott Quintette
Ectoplasm
Basta
Swing, Third Stream
Ashton Shepherd
Sounds So Good
MCA Nashville
Contemporary Country, Country-Pop
Valet
Naked Acid
Kranky
Dream Pop, Indie Rock
Various Artists
Cage: The Number Pieces, Vol. 5
Mode
Contemporary Music for Two Pianos
Various Artists
Conquer the World: The Lost Soul of Philadelphia International Records
Philadelphia International/Le
Smooth Soul, Pop-Soul, Quiet Storm, Philly Soul, Urban, Soul, Disco, Funk
Various Artists
Don't Stop: Recording Tap
Numero
Post-Disco, Club/Dance, Urban, Old-School Rap
Various Artists
The Sound of Philadelphia: Gamble & Huff's Greatest Hits
Philadelphia International/Le
Smooth Soul, Pop-Soul, Quiet Storm, Philly Soul, Urban, Soul, Disco, Funk
The Waco Brothers
Waco Express: Live and Kickin' at Schuba's
Bloodshot
Americana, Alternative Country, Alternative Country-Rock, Indie Rock
What Made Milwaukee Famous
What Doesn't Kill Us
Barsuk
Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
Whiskeytown
Strangers Almanac [Deluxe Edition]
Geffen
Americana, Alternative Country-Rock, Roots Rock
Jim White
Transnormal Skiperoo
Luaka Bop
Americana, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Folk
David Wilcox
Airstream
What Are?
Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Folk, Singer/Songwriter
Mary Lou Williams
A Grand Night for Swinging
Highnote
Standards, Classic Jazz, Stride, Post-Bop, Swing, Bop