Chronicle Books has just issued three fantastic new rock-and-roll books, aimed at teen and pre-teen girls who wanna rock, inspired graphic artists, and anyone who's bowed down at the sexy "graphic-ication" of rock-and-roll poster girls. Featuring a foreword by Carrie Brownstein of Sleater-Kinney and contributions by Beth Ditto of Gossip, Hilken Mancini of Fuzzy, and Sarah Dougher of the SG's, Rock 'n' Roll Camp for Girls is an amazing companion to the not-for-profit Portland, Oregon, "summer camp" that began in 2001. Playfully illustrated and smartly empowering, the nearly 200 pages can take a young girl from rock dreams to putting out a CD and going on tour, holding hands through picking an instrument, writing your first song, forming a band, and booking an all-ages show.
When it's time to craft the perfect logo for your killer riot-grrrl act, look no further than Band ID to get your creativity cookin'. In more than 400 glossy color pages, Bodhi Oser has collected at least 1,000 band logos that most of us can recognize as quickly as stop signs, Coca-Cola, and McDonald's. While there's not much text other than an introduction by Art Chantry and interviews with other graphic artists, rockers young and old can spend hours thumbing through this tome.
Continuing their gorgeous Art of Modern Rock publications, a second volume honors God's gift to the eye in Poster Girls. About 200 examples of the bombastic rock-concert poster are collected, from superstars Derek Hess, Frank Kozik, Vance Kelly, Chris Shaw, and Brian Ewing. Not just limited to the young, saucy set, legends including Loretta Lynn and Nancy Sinatra go under the silk-screen knife.
The imprint is now up to fifty-something volumes in its 33 1/3 series of mini-books, each offering a doctoral thesis on a significant album in about 120 pages. Just released titles include Slayer's Reign in Blood, Richard & Linda Thompson's Shoot Out the Lights, and Mountain Goats' John Darnielle's "fictional" approach to Black Sabbath's Master of Reality. On the horizon: Funkadelic's Maggot Brain, Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Millions, and the Afghan Whigs' Gentlemen.
Chuckles and virtuoso skills don't often meet, but in the case of guitarist Mike Rayburn, the two come together with rip-roaring results. From his guest appearances on the Bob & Tom radio show to consistently sold-out performances and a variety of corporate speaking gigs, he's taken his degree in classical guitar to the adoring yuk-yuk masses. Way Beyond Entertainment has just released a new live CD earned by all that practice, Mike Rayburn at Carnegie Hall. Burning up his acoustic through arrangements of Pachelbel's Canon and nutty originals such as the gender-confused "Wearing My Clothes" and the anti-love song "Bad Luck," the disc racks up the laughs with parody mashes through boy bands and aging rock radio. I dare you not to cough up a milk snort when his twisted mind shakes out Bob Marley singing Garth Brooks, Led Zeppelin singing Dr. Seuss, Dan Fogelberg singing AC/DC, and, in response, AC/DC singing Dan Fogelberg.
Television Alert
The Late Show with David Letterman hosts Wild Sweet Orange on Friday and Coldplay on Monday; The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson presents Three 6 Mafia this evening and Duffy on Tuesday overnight; Jimmy Kimmel Live welcomes Melanie B of the Spice Girls tonight, Cyndi Lauper on Thursday, and We the Kings on Friday overnight; Larry King Live loosens his suspenders with Christina Aguilera this evening; and The View chats up Bette Midler on Friday.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, July 1
Alkaline Trio - Agony & Irony (Epic) also available in a "deluxe edition" in a hardbound-book-style package with a bonus CD of acoustic tracks
The Chap - Mega Breakfast (Ghostly International) third album of fractured London pop, championed by the late John Peel
Dan Craig - Skin Grows Thin (Dan Craig Music) sophomore release from the Denver singer/songwriter, softly boiling in the vein of Damien Rice
Bobby Digital - Digi Snax (Koch) all new from RZA of the Wu-Tang Clan, featuring the single "You Can't Stop Me Now" with Inspectah Deck
Dirty Pretty Things - This Is Where the Truth Begins (Vertigo) import-only
Earlimart - Hymn & Her (Majordomo/Shout Factory!) picture-perfect California pop from the magical duo
Greta Gaines - Whiskey Thoughts (Justice Records) with guests Ian Moore, Willie Nelson, and Raul Malo
Goldfrapp - "Caravan Girl" (Mute) vinyl-seven-inch and two-part CD single, featuring an Animal Collective remix, the video for "Happiness," and an acoustic version of "Monster Love"
Heartsrevolution - Switchblade (Iheartcomix) lush, creepy-cool electronic pop that ranges from chaotic, skittered tumbling to pretty, lifting melodies
HotChaCha - Rifle, I Knew You When You Were Just a Pistol (Exit Stencil) hot Ohio outfit featuring Serbian-raised vocalist Jovana Batkovic, singing in English, German, and French
Vanessa Hudgens - Identified (Hollywood) all new from the High School Musical star
Kansas - Two for the Show: 30th-Anniversary Edition (Epic Legacy) expanded with 10 more tracks, including a cover of J.J. Cale's "Bring It Back"
Los Lonely Boys - Forgiven (Epic) with guest Dr. John
John Mayer - Where the Light Is: Live in Los Angeles (Columbia) two-CD or DVD set recorded last December at the Nokia Theater in three sets - acoustic, electric, and with his John Mayer Trio; featuring covers of Tom Petty's "Free Falling," Jimi Hendrix's "Wait Until Tomorrow," and Ray Charles' "I Don't Need No Doctor"
My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade Is Dead (Warner Bros) CD/DVD rock opera with guest Liza Minnelli on two songs, also available in a limited-edition 64-page black-velveteen book, an enhanced Japanese edition with a bonus track, and an extremely limited edition in a coffin
Night Ranger - Hole in the Sun (VH1 Classic Records) celebrating 25 years
Willie Nelson - Stardust: Legacy Edition (Columbia Legacy) reissue from 1978, featuring a bonus CD of 16 more standards including "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive," "What a Wonderful World" and "Mona Lisa"
Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson - Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson (Say Hey Records) from fragile awakenings to squawking Neil Young-esque rumble rolls, this enigmatic solo debut features guests Kyp Malone of TV on the Radio and members of Grizzly Bear
Snow & Voices - What the Body Was Made for (Elastic Ruby) with drummer Ric Menck, the daydream duo of Lauri Kranz and Jebin Bruni is right in the pocket of Bruni's work with Aimee Mann and Fiona Apple
Frankie Valli - Solo/Timeless, Close Up/Valli, Our Day Will Come/Lady Put the Light Out, and Frankie Valli ... Is the Word/Heaven About Me (Collector's Choice) eight solo-album reissues released in two-on-one CDs, featuring new liner notes and a slew of hits including "Can't Take My Eyes Off You," "My Eyes Adored You," and "Our Day Will Come"
various artists - The Motown Collection (Time Life) 10-CD box set boasting 150 classic tracks
