I have to be honest and say that I'm not all that excited about the bulk of this week's offerings.
Last week, in his latest installment of the Friday Morning Listen, my sometime cohort here Mark Saleski (who is back this week with his pick, along with Tom Johnson), talked about certain artists he doesn't particularly like, and why. The resulting comments thread, saw yours truly "outed" as a non-fan of the Grateful Dead.
So, you already know I won't be running out to the record store to buy the Mickey Hart reissues this week for starters.
Of course, there are a few other reissued titles this week. Matador is putting out new "definitive editions" of several Mission Of Burma releases. There's also a hits package from New Found Glory.
We also have a couple of interesting indie-rock releases to consider. London pop-punk duo The Kills has Midnight Boom, on which they continue their edgy, minimalist…well, pop-punk. The Bravery has a new "complete" version of last year's The Sun and the Moon, where the original is expanded to include a second disc with new versions of every song.
So, let's talk about the new releases that I actually will be checking out this week:
I'm curious about Haarp, the new CD/DVD package from Muse, because they have developed a reputation as a great live act over the past few years, with ambitious, elaborate shows. This set features highlights from concerts the band performed last year before 90,000 fans at London's Wembley Stadium. With the added bonus of a DVD to check out, this one will help determine if I add Muse to my "watch-list" at Ticketmaster.
But the one I'm really excited about this week is Here Is What Is, the sixth solo release from Daniel Lanois, and the first for his own Red Floor Records. Lanois is of course best known for the often layered, atmospheric soundscapes he has created as a producer — both on his own, and at times with partner Brian Eno — for artists like U2, Bob Dylan, and Peter Gabriel. On this album, he is joined by the Band's Garth Hudson on piano and drummer Brian Blade. Eno also shows up here in spoken word segments.
Now that I've had my turn, let's see what Mark Saleski and Tom Johnson are checking out this week…
There are a handful of female voices out there that'll cause me to stop, listen, and be amazed: Bjork, Diamanda Galas, Rickie Lee Jones, The Roches. Those women rule the landscape with oddball cadences, insane textures, and emotional tones ranging from delicate sensuality to raw violence.
But then there's Meredith Monk. Totally fearless with her conceptions and flawless of execution, Monk never fails to deliver what seem like impossible vocal constructions. If you want to hear something totally different, then you owe it to your ears to check her out.
Here I was, all set to talk about the new Daniel Lanois when this band with the goofy name — Pugwash — popped up on my radar. Pugwash being that weird bastard child we music writers like to talk about — you know, the "this meets that," — and Pugwash is latter day XTC meets Jellyfish in more ways than one.
In one album, in addition to Pugwash's own Thomas Walsh, we find friends from the sadly now defunct XTC, Andy Partridge and Dave Gregory, plus ex-Jellyfish Jason Falkner, and even Michael Penn, all in various supporting roles. If you know the names, you can imagine the sound – and it is lovely. This is poised to be one of the finest pop-rock albums of the year.
Here are all of this week's new album releases courtesy of All Music Guide:
Be Your Own Pet
Get Awkward
Ecstatic Peace
Noise Pop, Indie Rock
Destroyer
Trouble in Dreams
Merge
Indie Rock, Indie Pop, Chamber Pop
DeVotchKa
A Mad and Faithful Telling
Anti
Indie Rock, European Folk, Gypsy, Folk-Rock
Flo Rida
Mail on Sunday
Poe Boy/Atlantic
Southern Rap, Pop-Rap
The Kills
Midnight Boom
Domino
Garage Punk, Indie Rock
She & Him
Volume One
Merge
Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Indie Pop, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Addison Road
Addison Road
Columbia
Alternative CCM, CCM
Oren Ambarchi and Z'ev
Spirit Transform Me
Tzadik
Experimental Ambient
Cyro Baptista
Banquet of the Spirits
Tzadik
Carnival, Brazilian Folk, Avant-Garde Jazz, Brazilian Jazz, Folk-Jazz, Latin Folk, Post-Bop, Samba, Ethnic Fusion, World Fusion
Big Dipper
Supercluster: The Big Dipper Anthology
Merge
College Rock, American Underground, Alternative Pop/Rock
The Bravery
The Sun and the Moon: Complete
Island
New Wave/Post-Punk Revival, Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
Kenny Burrell Trio
A Night at the Vanguard
Chess
Standards, Ballads, Cool
Bury Your Dead
Bury Your Dead
Victory
Hardcore Punk, Death Metal/Black Metal
Sera Cahoone
Only as the Day Is Long
Sub Pop
Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Folk
Clark
Turning Dragon
Warp
IDM
Gussie Clarke
Dread at the Controls Dub
Auralux
Roots Reggae, Ragga, DJ, Dancehall
Crystal Castles
Crystal Castles
Last Gang
Indie Electronic
Danity Kane
Welcome to the Dollhouse
Bad Boy
Contemporary R&B, Urban, Dance-Pop
Paul Desmond
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Verve
Cool
Fairport Convention
Cropedy Festival 2002
Recall
British Folk-Rock, Progressive Folk, British Folk, Folk-Rock
The Feelies
Crazy Rhythms
A&M
American Underground, College Rock, Jangle Pop, Alternative Pop/Rock
Good Riddance
Remain in Memory: The Final Show
Fat Wreck Chord
Punk Revival, Hardcore Punk, Straight-Edge
Adam Green
Sixes & Sevens
Rough Trade
Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Alternative Pop/Rock, Anti-Folk
Mickey Hart/Diga Rhythm Band
Diga Rhythm Band
Rykodisc
Worldbeat, Ethnic Fusion
Mickey Hart
Planet Drum
Rykodisc
Pan-Global, Worldbeat, Ethnic Fusion
The Hush Sound
Goodbye Blues
Decaydance/Fueled By Ramen
Indie Pop, Alternative Pop/Rock
Ernie K-Doe
Here Comes the Girls
Great American Music
New Orleans R&B
King Tubby
King Tubby on the Mix, Vol. 1
Original Music
Dub, Roots Reggae
King Tubby
King Tubby on the Mix, Vol. 2
Original Music
Dub, Roots Reggae
Daniel Lanois
Here Is What Is
Red Floor
Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Singer/Songwriter
The Matches
A Band in Hope
Epitaph
Punk-Pop
Denis Matsuev
Unknown Rachmaninoff
RCA Red Seal
Post-Romantic Piano Music
Mission of Burma
The Horrible Truth About Burma: Definitive Edition
Matador
American Punk, Post-Punk, Indie Rock
Mission of Burma
Signals, Calls and Marches: Definitive Edition
Matador
American Punk, Post-Punk, Indie Rock
Mission of Burma
Vs.: Definitive Edition
Matador
American Punk, Post-Punk, Indie Rock
Mogwai
Mogwai [EP+6]
Chemikal Underground
Experimental Rock, Post-Rock/Experimental
Gil Morgenstern
20th Century Duos for Violin and Cello
Engine Company
Modern and Contemporary Chamber Music
Muse
Haarp [CD/DVD]
Warner Bros.
Alternative Pop/Rock
Oliver Nelson
Fantabulous
Verve
Hard Bop, Post-Bop, Modern Big Band, Modern Creative
Neon Neon
Stainless Style
Lex
Indie Electronic, Alternative Dance
New Found Glory
Hits
Geffen
Punk-Pop, Punk Revival, Emo
Murray Perahia
Bach: Partitas Nos. 2-4
Sony
Baroque Keyboard Music
John Schneider
Lou Harrison: Por Gitaro – Suites for Tuned Guitars
Mode
Contemporary Chamber Music
Original Soundtrack
21
Columbia
Alternative Dance, Indie Rock, Soundtracks, Alternative Pop/Rock, Indie Electronic
Original Soundtrack
Electric Apricot: Quest for Festeroo
Hip-O
Jam Bands, Soundtracks, Blues-Rock
Original Soundtrack
Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns
Atlantic
Contemporary R&B, Soundtracks, Neo-Soul, Urban
Playradioplay!
Texas
Island
Indie Electronic, Indie Pop
Rocko
Self-Made
Island
Dirty South, Southern Rap, Hardcore Rap
Sheek Louch
Silverback Gorilla
Koch
East Coast Rap, Hardcore Rap
Switches
Lay Down the Law
Interscope
Indie Rock
Tall Firs
Too Old to Die Young
Ecstatic Peace!
Post-Rock/Experimental, Indie Rock
The Teenagers
Reality Check
XL
Indie Rock, New Wave/Post-Punk Revival
These New Puritans
Beat Pyramid
Domino
New Wave/Post-Punk Revival, Indie Rock, Experimental Rock
Various Artists
Buzzcuts
Razor & Tie
Post-Grunge, Alternative Pop/Rock, Punk-Pop
John Zorn
The Dreamers
Tzadik
Modern Composition, Anime Music, Cartoon Music, Television Music, Film Music, Surf
Bar Kokhba Sextet
Lucifer: The Book of Angels, Vol. 10
Tzadik
Jewish Music, Avant-Garde Jazz, Modern Composition, Chamber Jazz, World Fusion, Modern Creative