Forever remembered for her three James Bond soundtrack theme songs, the big, bold voice of Dame Shirley Bassey is back with a powerhouse new album that defies her 70 years. Next week Decca Records releases Get the Party Started, a collection of her previous hits and graceful covers including the title track by Pink, Lionel Richie's "Hello," and Grace Jones' "Slave to the Rhythm." After knocking out the crowd at last year's Glastonbury festival and thrilling new listeners for the past few decades with cool collaborations with Yello and the Propellerheads, a handful of hip producers and remix agents have spun 10 of her classics for a new age. Revisiting "You Only Live Twice," "Big Spender," and "What Now My Love," smoking new beats, guitar lines, and orchestral thunderclaps make this a must-hear experience.
Two hot bands from the 1980s and 1990s are getting the deluxe treatment this coming Tuesday with reissues packed with bonus material. On their own Sleep It Off Records imprint, Less Than Jake offer new artwork and bonus DVDs in People's History of Less Than Jake, Goodbye Blue & White, Pezcore, and Losers, Kings, & Things We Don't Understand (peppered with rare seven-inch tracks and covers of the themes to The Dukes of Hazzard and Laverne & Shirley). Also up for re-examination is the catalog of Mission of Burma from Matador Records, including a bonus DVD with Signals, Calls, & Marches, Vs., and The Horrible Truth About Burma. Vinyl versions of the reissues promise more goodies and free MP3 download "coupons."
Television Alert:
The Late Show with David Letterman boasts British Sea Power tonight, BellX1 on Monday, and The Cribs on Tuesday; The Tonight Show with Jay Leno hosts Paula Abdul on Friday and The Bravery on Monday; The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson unleashes the Wicked Tinkers on Friday overnight; Late Night with Conan O'Brien features the return of Billy Bragg on Monday overnight; Jimmy Kimmel Live presents Sheryl Crow this evening and Fat Joe on Friday overnight; the gals of The View snuggle up to Snoop Dogg on Friday; and Saturday Night Live's musical guest this weekend is Janet Jackson.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, March 18:
21- original motion picture soundtrack (Columbia) featuring LCD Soundsystem, Amon Tobin, UNKLE, Junkie XL, and a Soulwax remix of The Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want"
The A.K.A.s (Are Everywhere) - Everybody Make Some Noise (Metropolis) featuring a spoken-word intro by Jello Biafra and guests from Anti-Flag and Hawthorne Heights
Ananda Project - Night Blossom (Nite Grooves/King Street) two-CD set revisiting last year's Fire Flower album with remixes by King Britt, Jazz Massive, Blaze, and the Pasta Boys
Joseph Arthur - Could We Survive (Lonely Astronaut) the first of four CD EPs he will release this year
Audiocrash - Time Sensitive Material (Dirty Garage) full-length debut from the former frontman of The Numbskulls, benefiting the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Kevin Ayers - The Unfairground (Gigantic) highly anticipated return from the former member of Soft Machine, packed with guests Phil Manzanera, Hugh Hopper, and members of Neutral Milk Hotel, Teenage Fanclub, Architecture in Helsinki, and The Ladybug Transistor
Be Your Own Pet - Get Awkward (Ecstatic Peace)
Big Dipper - Supercluster: The Big Dipper Anthology (Eleven Music) 48 tracks over three CDs, featuring their debut EP Boo-Boo, two full albums, and bonus tracks
Body of War: Songs That Inspired an Iraq War Veteran - original documentary soundtrack (Sire) with a vinyl edition released next month, this two-CD set features Bright Eyes, Neil Young, Serj Tankian, Tom Morello's Nightwatchman, Bruce Springsteen, Bad Religion, Tori Amos, and the first single, "No More," by Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder with Ben Harper
The Bravery - The Sun & the Moon Complete (Island) two-CD expanded reissue from last year, featuring a second disc remixed and "re-imagined" by helmsman Sam Endicott
Bury Your Dead - Bury Your Dead (Victory) debuting the band's new singer on tour now with Machine Head and Hellyeah
Dead Boys - Return of the Living Dead Boys: Halloween Night 1986 (Imax) DVD with an introduction by Joey Ramone and a cover of The Stooges' "Search & Destroy"
DeVotchKa - A Mad & Faithful Telling (Anti/Epitaph) all new, hot on the tail of the band's score for Little Miss Sunshine
DGAF - DGAF (Suburban Noize) Kottonmouth Kings spin-off featuring a fold-out poster and a call to stencil the planet with its logo
The Dodos - Visiter (Frenchkiss) second album of the duo's tumbling psychedelic folk
Fish - 13th Star (Zeit) all new from the former Marillion vocalist
God Fires Man - A Billion Balconies Facing the Sun (Indegoot) featuring former members of Into Another, Errortype:11, and Gay for Johnny Depp
Good Riddance - Remain in Memory: The Final Show (Fat Wreck) 31-song swan song recorded last May in Santa Cruz
Gossip - Live in Liverpool (Red Ink/Columbia) CD and DVD set featuring a cover of George Michael's "Careless Whisper"
Great Northern - Sleepy Eepee (Eenie Meenie) on tour now with the Gutter Twins; the song "Home" showed up in Nissan's Super Bowl ad
Haale - No Ceiling (Channel A Music) soaring mystic swirl grounded in her native Iran, sung in both English and Persian with a spiritual nod to Radiohead and PJ Harvey
Jarvis Humby - Assume the Position (Wicked Cool) retro British Invasion fueled by a monster Hammond organ
Jarboe/Justin K. Broadrick - J2 (The End Records) featuring members of the Swans, Unsane, Napalm Death, and Godflesh
Daniel Lanois - Here Is What It Is (Red Floor) songs from the upcoming documentary, featuring guests U2, Brian Eno, Sinéad O'Connor, Emmylou Harris, and Willie Nelson
Paul Manousos - Common Thread (Shock & Fall Recordings) featuring a smooth glide through Merle Haggard's "Silver Wings"
The Matches - A Band in Hope (Epitaph) with producers Mark Hoppus and Tim Armstrong
Meat Loaf: In Search of Paradise - original motion picture soundtrack (Eleven Seven) from the looks of the film's trailer, this documentary of his tour last year looks amazing as the singer breaks down and battles his demons
Mindless Self Indulgence - Never Wanted to Dance (The End Recordings) six-song CD EP with remixes by the Birthday Massacre, Tommy Sunshine, and Ulrich Wild
Mogwai - Kicking a Dead Pig: Mogwai Songs Remixed (Chemikal Underground) with knob-twiddling via U-zig, Alec Empire, Arab Strap, and My Bloody Valentine's Kevin Shields
Mooney Suzuki - CBGB Masters: The Bowery Collection (CBGB Records) recorded live on a sweaty night in 2001
Moreland & Arbuckle - 1861 (Northern Blues) killer blues from the storming guitarist and sizzling harp blower, featuring a few choice covers by R.L. Burnside and Hound Dog Taylor
National Lampoon Presents Electric Apricot: The Quest for Festeroo - original motion picture soundtrack (Hip-O) with Gov't Mule and Bob Weir, this faux-documentary is from the twisted mind of Primus' Les Claypool
Nine Pound Hammer - Sex, Drugs, & Bill Monroe (Acetate) Blaine Cartwright and Scott Luallen of Nashville Pussy are back with 14 tracks of wild, frolicking white-trash bliss, featuring "Mama's Doin' Meth Again," "I'm Your Huckleberry," and a cover of John Anderson's "Black Sheep"
Ours - Mercy: Dancing for the Death of an Imaginary Enemy (American/Columbia) produced by Rick Rubin
Flo Rida - Mail on Sunday (Poe Boy/Atlantic) with guests Rick Ross and T-Pain
She & Him - Volume 1 (Merge) new from M. Ward and actress Zooey Deschanel, featuring a cover of the Beatles' "I Should Have Known Better"
Keith Sweat - Just Me (Atco/Rhino) all new with guests Paisley Bettis, Keyshia Cole, and Kut Klose's Athena Cage
Switches - Lay Down the Law (Interscope)
Teenage Prayers - Everyone Thinks You're the Best (True Love Through Better Music) produced by Steve Wynn of The Dream Syndicate
These New Puritans - Beat Pyramid (Domino) full-length debut from this quartet of teenagers from the UK, wonderfully channeling elements of old-school Wire, The Fall, and Gang of Four into a thrusting, hypnotic, shadowy whip
Unwed Sailor - Little Wars (Burnt Toast Vinyl) former punks who've matured into composers of gorgeous, awakening instrumental jams
Bobby Watson - From the Heart (Palmetto) all new from the stellar saxophonist and former music director of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers
various artists - OM: Miami 08 (Om) teaser CD for the label's big bash later this month, with music by Samantha James, Chuck Love, and Fred Everything
