· In celebration of the 10-year anniversary of the War Child: Help CD that raised funds for the children of the Bosnian war, a new project brings together a who's-who of modern rockers to continue the goal of helping children caught up in warfare worldwide. Just as they did with the first compilation, last week musicians entered recording studios in a single 24-hour period, recorded a new song, and rushed the new benefit project to the presses. Entitled Help: A Day in the Life, the CD is due at the end of the month from Independiente Records, but organizers are hoping fans will purchase digital downloads from (http://www.warchildmusic.com) immediately. Artists include Belle & Sebastian, Radiohead, The Go! Team, Damien Rice, Gorillaz, The Zutons, Bloc Party, and more. Three nifty covers make this project even more enjoyable, with the Kaiser Chiefs turning in Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," Keane and Faultline teaming for a take on Elton John's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," and Mercury Prize winners Antony & the Johnsons getting some help from Boy George on John Lennon's "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)."

· Stereolab is snubbing the compact disc next week as it releases six new songs exclusively on vinyl. The Duophonic/Too Pure imprint is spreading the new material over three separate seven-inch singles titled "Kybermeticka Babicka," "Plastic Mile," and "Interlock." No turntable? Don't fret, as the songs are also available as digital downloads.

· More joys of the "licorice pizza" abound with next week's vinyl-only reissue of Sonic Youth's Goo album from 1990. Expanded to four LPs by the Goofin' Records label, the album is expanded to 31 tracks with demos, outtakes, rare B sides, and a "Goo" interview originally released on flexi-disc. One cool cover makes the set: the band's take on the Beach Boys' "I Know There's an Answer."

Television Alert:

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno welcomes Keane on Friday and Bloc Party on Tuesday; The Late Show with David Letterman hosts Arcade Fire this evening and Institute on Friday; Late Night with Conan O'Brien presents The New Pornographers on Friday overnight and The Redwalls on Monday overnight; The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson boasts Paul Weller of The Jam this evening overnight and Alice Cooper on Thursday overnight; and Last Call with Carson Daly features The Donnas in the house all this week through Friday.

New Releases Coming Tuesday, September 20:

... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change.


A.R.E. Weapons- Free in the Streets (Defend) look for singer Brain McPeck and guitarist Matthew McAuley as a stoned duo in the new film Broken Flowers

Agent Sparks- Not So Merry (Immortal) CD and DVD set

David Banner- Certified (Universal) with guests Jadakiss, 8-Ball, and Twista

Bon Jovi- Have a Nice Day (Island) featuring a duet with Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland

Bon Jovi- Slippery When Wet (Island) DualDisc CD reissue of this hair-teasing hit from 1986

Coheed & Cambria- The Second Stage Turbine Blade (Equal Vision) reissue with bonus material

Cold Blood- Transfusion (Dig Music) all-new studio album featuring guest Michelle Shocked

Sam Cooke- Nightbeat (RCA Legacy) studio sessions from 1963, stripped of orchestrated strings and other embellishments

Desperate Housewives- original television series soundtrack (Hollywood) featuring the single "Shoes" by Shania Twain; other music from and inspired by the series includes the Indigo Girls covering Simon & Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson," and contributions by k.d. lang, Anna Nalick, SheDaisy, and more

Disturbed- Ten Thousand Fists (Warner Bros) politically charged new album featuring a George W. Bush sample on "Deify" and a cover of Genesis' "Land of Confusion"

Jerry Douglas- The Best Kept Secret (Koch) with guests Bela Fleck, John Fogerty, Allison Krause, and Derek Trucks

Bob Dylan- No Direction Home (Paramount Home Video) two-DVD set of the Martin Scorsese film debuting on PBS later this month

Earth, Wind, & Fire- Illumination (Sanctuary Urban) with guests Big Boi of OutKast and Kelly Rowland of Destiny's Child on "This Is How I Feel"

Echo & the Bunnymen- Siberia (Cooking Vinyl) all new and back in the heady, spinning nature of the group's earlier albums

Everything Is Illuminated- original motion picture soundtrack (TVT) with music by Gogol Bordello, Tin Hat Trio, and The Con Artists

Felt 2- A Tribute to Lisa Bonet (Rhymesayers) MCs Slug and Murs are back with the funk, following up 2002's A Tribute to Christina Ricci; released in collaboration with a comic book by Jim Mahfood

Forty Shades of Blue- original motion picture soundtrack (Memphis International) blues-soaked soundtrack to this year's winner of the Sundance festival Grand Jury Prize for Best Dramatic Feature

Franz Ferdinand- "Do You Want to" (Domino) new import-only single

Iron & Wine/Calexico- "In the Reins" (Overcoat) collaborative CD EP

The Kingsbury Manx- That These Things Could Be Ours (Yep Roc) co-produced by Wilco keyboardist Mike Jorgensen

Lords of War- original motion picture soundtrack (Lakeshore) with music from Mazzy Star, Jeff Buckley, The Flying Lizards, and David Bowie

Man Alive- Open Surgery (Militia Group) pop-punk from Israel

Eric Marienthal- Got You Covered! (Peak) featuring the jazz saxophonist's covers of the Beatles' "I Will" and Billy Joel's "New York State of Mind"

Maroon 5- Live at the Santa Barbara Bowl (Octone/J Records) CD and DVD set featuring a cover of Oasis' "Hello"

Mr. Oizo- Moustache: Half a Scissor (Mute) cut-and-paste audio madness

Bif Naked- Superbeautifulmonster (Bodog Music)

New Order- Item (Rhino) two-DVD set collecting all the band's videos with a bonus documentary and interviews

Old 97's- Alive & Wired (New West) two-CD set recorded this past June in Austin, Texas

Sista Monica Parker- Can't Keep a Good Woman Down! (Mo Muscle) after her recent success fighting cancer, this scorching R&B soul singer includes covers of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come" and Willie Nelson's "Funny How Time Slips Away"

Pilotdrift- Water Sphere (Good Recordings) Texas quartet's debut album on the label owned by Tim DeLaughter and Julie Doyle of Polyphonic Spree

Jon Randall- Walking Among the Living (Epic) with guest Patty Loveless on "I Shouldn't Do This"

Billy Joe Shaver- The Real Deal (Compadre) with guests Big & Rich, Nancy Griffith, and Flaco Jimenez

Three- Hallucienda (System) mix CD featuring music by Rabbit in the Moon, Q-Burns Abstract Message, and Reverse Computer

Timeout Drawer- "Exorcist" (Consumers Research) seven-inch single featuring the group's Moog twist on Mike Oldfield's "Tubular Bells" theme

Times New Viking- Dig Yourself (Siltbreeze) featuring a hand-screened jacket for the vinyl LP edition

Traffic- The Last Great Traffic Jam (Epic) DVD of the group's 1994 reunion tour, featuring guest guitarist Jerry Garcia on "Dear Mr. Fantasy"

Tupac- Live at the House of Blues (Death Row) recorded July 4, 1996, on the Sunset Strip

We Are Wolves- Non-Stop Je Te Plie En Deux (Fat Possum) from Montreal

various artists - Autonomous Addicts (Designed Disorder) electronic compilation featuring Tipper, Eight Frozen Modules, Twerk, and more

various artists - The Killer in You: A Tribute to Smashing Pumpkins (Reignition) featuring 32 Leaves, Vaux, Eighteen Visions, Armor for Sleep, and more

various artists - This Is My Bag (Lookout) CD and DVD package featuring Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, Engine Down, The Oranges Band, and more

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