It's all kilts, libraries, and rock 'n' roll in a new disc that pairs hip Scottish musicians and hip Scottish writers. Next week Chemikal Underground Records releases Ballads of the Book, a CD conceived by Roddy Woomble of Idlewild after working with author Edwin Morgan on the band's Remote Part album. While I must admit I'm not familiar with the literary pedigrees of each of these 18 collaborations, the music side of the page includes Mike Heron of the Incredible String Band, Aidan Moffat of Arab Strap, Norman Blake, King Creosote, The Trashcan Sinatras, and Vashti Bunyan.
More musical brain food is due Tuesday with Sola Scriptura, a prog-rock concept album from Neal Morse meaning "Only by Scripture" in Latin. The Metal Blade Records release from the Spock's Beard co-founder is based on the life of Christian reformer Martin Luther, the German monk who railed against papal corruption in the 1500s. Backing Morse is drummer Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater and Mr. Big bassist Paul Gilbert. One ear-raising song from this new rock opera has the pope proclaiming, "I may have a mistress, but at least I'm a hetero."
A new benefit CD supporting the efforts of Habitat for Humanity is worth searching for. This coming Tuesday the Evil Teen Records label is releasing Warren Haynes Presents: The Benefit Concert Volume 2, capturing Haynes' annual Christmas jam from 2000. The two-CD set features The Allman Brothers Band, the Bottle Rockets, Aquarium Rescue Unit, Edwin McCain, John Popper of Blues Traveler, and Kevin Kinney of Drivin' & Cryin'. Highlights include Gov't Mule's cover of Tom Waits' "Goin' Out West" and Haynes, Kinney, Popper, and McCain together covering Bob Dylan's "I Shall Be Released."
Television Alert:
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno welcomes Diana Ross tonight, Korn on Thursday and Buckcherry on Friday; Late Night with Conan O'Brien boasts Son Volt on Thursday overnight, Relient K on Friday overnight, Beastie Boys on Monday overnight, and Gnarls Barkley on Tuesday overnight; The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson hosts Cat Empire on Thursday overnight and John Mellencamp on Friday overnight; Last Call with Carson Daly features house band the Silversun Pickups this week; and Jimmy Kimmel Live presents LL Cool J this evening overnight, Locksley on Friday overnight, and Madeleine Peyroux on Tuesday overnight.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, March 6:
... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change.
300 - original motion picture soundtrack (Warner Bros) score by Tyler Bates
Air - Pocket Symphony (Astralwerks) featuring guest vocalists Jarvis Cocker and Neil Hannon, and the use of unusual Japanese instruments
Alabama Thunderpussy - Open Fire (Relapse) featuring new singer Kyle Thomas
Antibalas - Security (Anti) adventurous Afrobeat jams from this global 12-piece collective, produced by John McEntire of Tortoise
Aqualung - Memory Man (Columbia) new from Matt Hales, with guest vocalist Paul Buchanan of The Blue Nile on "Garden of Love"
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible (Merge) also available as a 180-gram vinyl audiophile LP, or in a deluxe-edition CD box set with two nifty "flip books"
Blackfield - Blackfield II (Atlantic/We Put Out Records) new from Steve Wilson of Porcupine Tree and Israel's Aviv Geffen
Cashman - Texassippi Stomp (219 Records) lonesome back-porch acoustic Delta blues and wicked, wang-dang, floorboard-shakin' electric roar from this duo
Chimaira - Resurrection (Ferret Music) on tour now with Killswitch Engage
The Cinematics - A Strange Education (TVT) majestic, highly danceable Brit pop from Scotland with a delicious nervous snap, on tour next week with Mute Math
Consequence - Don't Quit Your Day Job (Good Getting Out Our Dreams Records) with John Legend, Kayne West, and DJ Khaled
Ry Cooder - My Name Is Buddy (Nonesuch) with guests Van Dyke Parks, Flaco Jimenez, and The Chieftains' Paddy Maloney, and illustrations by Vincent Valdez
Dawn of Man - In the Bronze Age (Postfact) debut CD EP from this arty, whip-smart quintet featuring Brian Clancy of Bluetip
Ferocious Eagle - The Sea Anemone Inside of Me Is Mighty (54 40 or Fight Records)
Forget Cassettes - Salt (Tangled Up/One Little Indian) reissue of the band's indie release on Theory 8 Records
Ron Franklin - City Lights (Memphis International) raw, bluesy, mental slip 'n' slide from this talented multi-instrumentalist, featuring smoking covers of Chuck Berry's "Thirty Days" and Blind Blake's "That'll Never Happen No More"
Future Clouds & Radar - Future Clouds & Radar (Star Apple Kingdom) new from Robert Harrison of Cotton Mather
Grinderman - Grinderman (Mute) import-only project from Nick Cave and members of his Bad Seeds
Albert Hammond, Jr - Yours to Keep (Scratchie/New Line) solo debut from The Strokes' guitarist, with guests Jody Porter of Fountains of Wayne, Sammy James Jr. of the Mooney Suzuki, Ben Kweller, and Sean Lennon
The Higher - On Fire (Epitaph) hook-heavy melodic emo pop from Las Vegas, featuring a bonus remix by Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy
Korn - MTV Unplugged (Virgin) featuring a cover of Radiohead's "Creep," and appearances from Robert Smith of The Cure and Amy Lee of Evanescence
John Lesi & Delta Funk - Dead Cat Bounce (219 Records) funky, barbecue-pit-greasy blues featuring bassist Jimbo Mathus and drummer Cody Dickinson
Lovedrug - Everything Starts Where It Ends (Militia Group)
Lucky You - original motion picture soundtrack (Columbia) featuring a new Bob Dylan song, "Huck's Theme"
Wynton Marsalis - From the Plantation to the Penitentiary (Blue Note)
MRNORTH - Fear & Desire (Rock Ridge)
Jay Munly - Galvanized Yankee (Smooch) reissue of this solo album from the Slim Cessna's Auto Club co-founder, with guest Patrick Stewart of Star Trek fame
My Brightest Diamond - Tear It Down (Asthmatic Kitty) remix CD with Gold Chains and Alias
The Namesake - original motion picture soundtrack (Rounder) score by Nitin Sawhney
Panther - Secret Lawns (Fryk Beat) fractured, buzzing, falsetto soul from the one-man freak machine of Portland's Charlie Salas-Humara, featuring a bonus DVD in the first 1,000 copies
Relient K - Five Score & Seven Years Ago (Gotee/Capitol) featuring guest Jon Foreman of Switchfoot on the bonus track "Deathbed"
Revolting Cocks - Cocktail Mixxx (Megaforce) remixes from last year's Cocked & Loaded album
Shaw-Blades - Influence (VH1 Classic) "cool breeze" covers collection from Tommy Shaw and Jack Blades of the Damn Yankees, harmonizing through The Zombies' "Time of the Season," Steely Dan's "Dirty Work," and ELP's "Lucky Man"
Son Volt - The Search (Transmit Sound/Legacy) all new studio album
Sonics - Busy Body! Live In Tacoma 1964 (Norton) early homegrown recordings, also available on LP vinyl
Maria Taylor - Lynn Teeter Flower (Saddle Creek) new solo album from the Azure Ray co-founder, with guest Conor Oberst on "The Ballad of Sean Foley"
Mary Weiss - Dangerous Game (Norton) solo debut from the former Shangri-Las vocalist, backed by the Reigning Sound
various artists - Jonny Greenwood Is the Controller (Trojan/Sanctuary) fantastic collection of 17 crucial tracks from the Trojan Records vaults personally selected by the Radiohead multi-instrumentalist, featuring Linval Thompson, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Desmond Dekker, and Delroy Wilson
various artists - Radical Turf Presents: Hello Future? (Radical Turf) collection of experimental electronic artists from America and the UK on the Quad Cities label, with the chilled beats of Lens to the queasy broken tumble of Quentzatl
