Film director Baz Luhmann has consistently turned heads and ears with his visually stunning work like his William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet, Strictly Ballroom, and monster hit "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen). " The rumor mill is buzzing about his latest film project, Moulin Rouge, with the following teases floating about: Fatboy Slim's version of the classic "Can-Can," Beck covering David Bowie's "Diamond Dogs" with production by Timbaland, Ozzy Osbourne's over-the-hills take on the Sound of Music title song, and Jose Feliciano's tango version of The Police's "Roxanne." Whew! The soundtrack will tell the tale of what this all means in December. ... The Narada world label has announced the release of a star-studded Mantra Mix benefit CD due in stores October 24. All royalties from the 15-track collection will be donated to the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition organization, which supports Tibetan refugees throughout the world. The disc is composed of hits, UK-only rarities, re-mixes, and unreleased tracks from R.E.M., David Byrne, Travis, Peter Gabriel, Kula Shaker, Chemical Brothers, and Moby. Look for initial pressings to contain a bonus 10-track CD featuring Phillip Glass, Kissing the Pink, the Namgyal Monks, Sacred Sound System, and more. ... Another benefit CD comes out this Tuesday with the Koch/Aces & Eights Records release of Free the West Memphis Three, supporting three teenagers charged in a brutal murder who proclaim their innocence. Artists coming to their defense include the Supersuckers with guest vocalist Eddie Vedder, Tom Waits, Marc Lanegan of Screaming Trees, John Doe of X, Steve Earle, and the teaming of the former Clash front man Joe Strummer and Long Beach Dub All-Stars. ... If you're hungry for something wonderfully tasty to put between your ears, I suggest two fantastic releases from this Tuesday that have captured my advance-listening ears for weeks - both powerful, original debuts that feel like a baptism of hope against the puerile teen drivel of the times. James Michael's redolent do-it-yourself Inhale album on the Beyond label bursts with power-pop guitars and skinny-tie melodies, certainly influenced by the Michigan native's years spent in late-1970s England. Lyrically devastating with talent, passion, and pine, he wrote, produced, engineered, and played most all the instruments - an intimidating yet alluring feat. Highly recommended for fans of Cheap Trick, Matthew Sweet, and Todd Rundgren. And the sweet, snappy trip of Erin McKeown's Distillation exposes a stunning folk-pop songwriting gift that swings in the Tin Pan Alley vein, hovering her captivating voice over the bluesy plucked instrumentation redolent of 1920s parlor-room jazz. The Signature Sounds imprint release features one cover - the Billie Holiday standard "Didn't They."

Television Alert:
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno welcomes 98 Degrees on Thursday, Barenaked Ladies on Friday, Christina Aguilera on Monday, and Lyle Lovett on Tuesday; The Late Show with David Letterman hosts Jewel on Friday and Merle Haggard on Monday; and Saturday Night Live's season-premiere musical guest this weekend is Eminem.

New Releases Coming Tuesday, October 10:
and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change...

Bare Jr. - Brainwasher (Immortal/Virgin)

Beck - Stereopathetic Soulmanure (Flipside) CD reissue and the first time ever on vinyl - a two-LP set no less, with two bonus tracks - for this 1994 pre-Mellow Gold classic

Jonathan Butler - The Source (N-Coded/Warlock)

Catch 22 - Alone In a Crowd (Victory) pop punk with a three-piece horn section

Cherry Poppin' Daddies - Soul Caddy (Mojo/Universal) serving up a distinctively glam sound on their fourth album

Collective Soul - Blender (Atlantic)

The Comas - A Def Needle In Tomorrow (Yep Roc) second album from this Chapel Hill, North Carolina, band mixing up violin, organ, guitar, drums, and a drum machine, samples, loops, and Moog

Corrosion Of Conformity - America's Volume Dealers (Sanctuary/Metal-Is)

DJ Hurricane - Don't Sleep (TVT) after 13 years with the Beastie Boys, his new album sports a huge guest list with Adrock of the Beastie Boys, Money Mark, Xzibit, The Flipmode Squad, Faith Evans, N'dea Davenport of the Brand New Heavies, Talib Kweli, and - dig this - Stone Temple Pilots' Scott Weiland help on a radically reworked cover of the Queen rock anthem "We Will Rock You"

Downset - Check Your People (Epitaph) currently on the Tattoo the Earth tour

E-40 - Loyalty & Betrayal (Jive) with guests Nate Dogg, Ice Cube, and Too Short

Gaza Strippers - 1000 Watt Confessions (Lookout) featuring front man Rick Sims, formerly of the Didjits

Gomez - Abandoned Shopping Trolley Hotline (Virgin) rarities and B-sides collection

Merle Haggard - If I Could Only Fly (Anti/Epitaph) fantastic return of the country rebel legend taking an unusual walk on the alternative indie label - highly, highly recommended

Hipster Daddy-O and the Handgrenades - Diesel (Slimstyle) new pumped up swing jive

Tony Iommi - Iommi (Divine/Priority) new solo album from the Black Sabbath guitarist featuring guests Phil Anselmo of Pantera, Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters, Billy Idol, Peter Steele of Type O Negative, Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins, and Henry Rollins

Ja Rule - Rule 3:36 (Def Jam)

The Ladies Man - original motion picture soundtrack (Dreamworks) chock full of 1970s smooth soul like Al Green, Grover Washington Jr., Teddy Pendergrass, and Willie Hutch

Laika and the Cosmonauts - Absurdistan (Yep Roc) reissue of this Finnish-only album from 1997 with bonus tracks

Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell (Epic Legacy) expanded edition featuring a 14-minute live version of the title track

Keb Mo - The Door (550 Music/Epic)

Nonpoint - Statement (MCA) new hard rock from the swamps of South Florida

Nothingface - Violence (TVT)

NRBQ - Scraps (Rounder) remastered re-issue from 1972 with three bonus tracks

Orgy - Vapor Transmission (Elementree/Reprise)

Rasheeda - Dirty South (Motown) with guests Nelly, Kurupt, and Kool Ace

Red Krayola - Blues, Hollers, and Hellos (Drag City)

Robb Roy - Happy (Pure Recordings) featuring a cover of Yaz's "Only You"

Martin Sexton - Wonderbar (Atlantic) with bassist Tony Levin of King Crimson

Slash's Snakepit - Ain't Life Grand (Koch) former Guns N' Roses guitarist's second solo album

Spineshank - The Height of Callousness (Roadrunner)

Stitch - Stitch (Prosthetic/Metal Blade) aggravated groove-metal for the masses

Wallflowers - Breach (Interscope) with guests Elvis Costello, Michael Penn, Frank Black, and Mike Campbell

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