And so it begins. We have what I believe is the first Christmas album on a New Album Release column since I started doing this earlier this summer. Your winner for the unofficial first Christmas album of 2009: Rodney Carrington. On that yuletide note, we have unofficial confirmation that Bob Dylan is releasing a Christmas record later this fall. Many sources have reported it but we have, as yet, no confirmation from Dylan or his label. Yet. Dylan Does Christmas. We'll keep you posted. With that, let's look at the albums coming out this week.
Jimi Hendrix
Live 1968 Paris/Ottawa
It's not really a fair fight, but the sheer tonnage of what has been released in Hendrix's name compared to what the legendary guitarist released during his lifetime is staggering. Equally staggering is the quality of so much of what has been unearthed and the fact so much of what Hendrix did 40 years ago stands up today. What was groundbreaking then becomes pedestrian and then even ancient. Much of the Hendrix catalog still sounds fresh, daring, and exciting. I've collected quite a bit of the posthumous music and even though I feel like I'm feeding the greed of those cashing in on his name, I rather imagine I'll check this one out for myself.
Jessie James
Jessie James
I would have known nothing about this record other than it was coming out were it not for the interview our own Clayton Perry did with Jessie. I'm expecting this album will make noise on the Billboard charts and that we'll be talking about it on an upcoming iTunes Chart Watch.
George Strait
Twang
My wife is an avid reader of Dean Koontz. I've never seen a writer more prolific in my life. I tease my wife that Koontz keeps a team of monkeys churning out the pages at warp speed. I marvel at his pace. She loves (most of) the books. It's nice to be a fan of someone who keeps the work coming. I wish a few of my favorites would take a seminar from the guy!
George Strait seems to have been with us forever and not only will he live eternally, he's going to keep recording. I'm reasonably opposed to country music so I offer no conclusions as to whether or not it's a good thing he keeps going, but I think we're getting close to triple-digit album releases for Mr. Strait.
Here are this week's new album releases:
Cobra Starship
Hot Mess
Jessie James
Jessie James
The Rumble Strips
Welcome to the Walk Alone
Mindy Smith
Stupid Love
George Strait
Twang
Various Artists
Woodstock: 40 Years On: Back to Yasgur's Farm [Box Set]
After Midnight Project
Let's Build Something to Break
Gato Barbieri
Tropico
The Bottle Rockets
Lean Forward
Box Elders
Alice & Friends
Randy Brown
Welcome to My Room/Midnight Desire
Dave Brubeck & Paul Desmond
1975: The Duets
Rodney Carrington
Make It Christmas
Cavo
Bright Nights Dark Days
Dead Swans
Sleep Walkers
Destroy All Monsters
74-76
Devil's Anvil
Hard Rock from the Middle East [Bonus Track]
The Dry Spells
Too Soon for Flowers
Fanny
Rock & Roll Survivors
Sue Foley
Queen Bee: The Antones Collection
Robben Ford
Soul on Ten
Marcia Griffiths
Play Me Sweet and Nice
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Live 1968 Paris/Ottawa [CD]
The Herbaliser Band
Session 2
Stephen Hough
My Favorite Things
The Housemartins
London 0 Hull 4 [Deluxe Edition]
Tom Jones
The Body and Soul of Tom Jones/Tom Jones Sings She's a Lady
Tom Jones
Close Up/Tom
Tom Jones
Somethin' 'Bout You Baby I Like/Memories Don't Leave Like People Do
Dave Liebman & the Manhattan School of Music Jazz Orchestra
Sketches of Spain Live
Liverpool Scene
Amazing Adventures Of…
John Martyn
Solid Air [Deluxe Edition] [Bonus Tracks]
Imelda May
Love Tattoo
Malcolm Middleton
Waxing Gibbous
Mojo's
Everything's Alright: The Complete Recordings
Nash Ensemble
Tavener: Canciones Españolas; Requiem for Father Malachy
Willie Nelson
Lost Highway
New Christs
Gloria
Nisennenmondai
Destination Tokyo
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Gershwin: An American in Paris; Rhapsody in Blue; Ravel: Bólero; Pavane pour une infante défunte; Debussy: Prélude à
Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg
Together
Original Soundtrack
Bandslam [Original Soundtrack]
The Proclaimers
Notes & Rhymes
The Reigning Sound
Love and Curses
Sailor
Third Step/Checkpoint
Buffy Sainte-Marie
Running for the Drum
Anna Ternheim
Leaving On a Mayday [Verve Bonus Track]
Hank Thompson
The Quintessential Hank Thompson 1948-1979
Merle Travis
Merle Travis Guitar/Walkin the Strings… Plus
Jim Turner
Jelly Roll Blues: A Tribute to Jelly Roll Morton
Various Artists
Koyaanisqatsi [Original Motion Picture Score]
Grover Washington, Jr.
Reed Seed [2009]
Patrick Wolf
The Bachelor
Zap Pow
Revolution [Bonus Tracks]