• Stubbs the Zombie, an upcoming new video game, takes players back to the good ol' zombie-killing days of the late 1950s, collecting modern acts time-traveling as well, covering early pop-rock classics for the modern age on the accompanying soundtrack. Jumping on board behind the joystick with creators Aspyr Media, the Flaming Lips contribute "If I Only Had a Brain" from The Wizard of Oz, Death Cab for Cutie croons through the Penguins' "Earth Angel," and The Dandy Warhols tackle the Everly Brothers' "All I Have to Do Is Dream." Other highlights include Cake's walk through "Strangers in the Night," Ben Kweller's lick on "Lollipop," and The Raveonettes' justified rumble of "My Boyfriend's Back." Only one song on the 13-track set isn't a cover - Phantom Planet's contribution of its original "The Living Dead."
• NOFX is also time-traveling, vinyl style, with news that the band is debuting its own seven-inch singles club in February. Limited to pressings of 3,000 45-RPM singles, each month subscribers get a colored wax nugget shipped directly to their home, with cover artwork designed and submitted by the fans themselves. Details can be found at (http://www.nofxofficialwebsite.com/7inchclub/).
• With winter winds whipping through the cracks of the storm windows, curling under a heavy quilt with a good book is just what the doctor ordered. I recently had the luxurious experience of falling under the spell of Blankets, a heartbreaking, deeply pensive graphic novel by Craig Thompson, and its accompanying CD, and I can't say enough good things about both. Truly a tome at 588 hand-drawn and -inked pages, Thompson's memories of childhood, first love, sexual exploration, and questioning his guiding faith in rural Michigan and Wisconsin are brutally honest, yet breathtakingly tender, enough so that one can smell the cold Midwest air and damp flannel hung on coat hooks above radiators. Already a winner of last year's Harvey Award for Best Graphic Novel (the Oscar of smart, grown-up comic-book endeavors), last month the Film Guerrero Records label honored the work with an inspired CD soundtrack from the eclectic collective known as Tracker. Grainy, atmospheric, and haunting, the soundtrack is a lo-fi gem, beautifully housed in a cardboard slipcase adorned with Thompson's artwork. A perfect stocking stuffer (if you can find a big enough stocking), look for the book on the Top Shelf Productions imprint.
Television Alert:
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno welcomes Alison Krauss tonight, Chris Isaak on Friday, and Bruce Hornsby on Monday; The Late Show with David Letterman hosts Marilyn Manson tonight and John Mayer on Thursday; Late Night with Conan O'Brien features Velvet Revolver this evening overnight, The Zutons on Thursday overnight, Sparta on Friday overnight, and The Killers on Tuesday overnight; The Late Late Show features Mathew Sweet this evening overnight and Aimee Mann on Monday overnight; and Jimmy Kimmel Live boasts Gwen Stefani this evening overnight, The Shins on Friday overnight, Joss Stone on Monday overnight, and Simple Plan on Tuesday overnight.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, November 30:
... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change
Aerosmith - You Gotta Move (Columbia) live DVD featuring a behind-the-scenes look at the making of their Honkin' on Bobo album
All Parallels - Formulate a Tragedy (OTR Records)
Anthrax - The Greater of Two Evils (Sanctuary) 14 songs selected by their fans are newly recorded live in the studio
Band Aid 20 - "Do They Know It's Christmas" (Universal) import-only CD single
Blade: Trinity - original motion picture soundtrack (New Line) with the RZA, Crystal Method, Lil' Flip and Dirt McGirt; also available in a deluxe edition featuring an animated DVD from the creators of the Blokheds
Bonnie "Prince" Billy - No More Workhouse Blues (Drag City) CD EP featuring a CD-ROM video directed by Harmony Korine
Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway (RCA)
Dirty Vegas - ONE (Capitol)
Erasure - The Tank, the Swan, & the Balloon Live! (Mute) DVD of their performance at the Manchester Apollo in 1992
The Exies - Head for the Door (Virgin)
Fishbone - Critical Times: The Henhouse Sessions (Music Video Distributors) DVD documentary of the band's recording process in 2001
The International Submarine Band - Safe at Home (Sundazed) CD re-issue for this 1968 album featuring Gram Parsons
John Frusciante - A Sphere in the Heart of Silence (Record Collection) the fifth new album in six months from the Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist, this time featuring Josh Klinghoffer in a retro electronic environment
Josh Groban - Live from the Greek (143/Reprise) CD/DVD set featuring guest Bela Fleck, and a riff on Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" with vocalist Lucia Micarelli
Jay-Z & Linkin Park - Collision Course (Roc-a-Fella/Warner Bros) studio CD and live DVD
Gerald Levert - Do I Speak for the World? (Atlantic)
Living Legends - "Blast Your Radio" (Up Above) 12-inch single produced by Madlib
Jon Lord - Beyond the Notes (EMI) new from the former member of Deep Purple
Wynton Marsalis - Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise & Fall of Jack Johnson (Blue Note) his original score for the Ken Burns film, to be aired by PBS-TV in January
Methadones - Not Economically Viable (Thick) featuring vocalist Dan Vapid of Screeching Weasel and The Riverdales
Nas - Street's Disciple (Columbia) two-CD set with guests Redman, Maxwell, and Kelis, featuring a cool sample of Iron Butterfly's "Inna Gadda Da Vida" morphed into the first single "Thief's Theme"
Joanna Newsom - Sprout & the Bean (Drag City) enhanced CD EP
Pearl Jam - rearviewmirror: The Greatest Hits 1991-2003 (Epic) limited-edition vinyl LP
Placebo - Once More with Feeling: Singles 1996-2004 (Astralwerks) best-of collection with a new song
Simon & Garfunkel - Old Friends: Live on Stage from the Greek (Warner Bros) DVD and two-CD set
Elliott Smith - Olympia, Washington (HIQI/Music Video Distributors) DVD of his solo closing-night performance at the Yogo Ago Go festival in 1999
Two Lone Swordsmen - Showbiz Shotguns (Warp)
various artists - Narnack Records Presents: A Fist First Music Sampler (Narnack) low-priced 21-track label showcase CD featuring new or rare tracks from The Fall, Guitar Wolf, Coachwhips, Yellow Swans, and more
Vida Blue with the Spam Allstars - Live at the Fillmore (Image) DVD filmed this past June, featuring Page McConnell of Phish and covers of Pink Floyd's "Sheep" and the Average White Band's "Pick Up the Pieces"
• NOFX is also time-traveling, vinyl style, with news that the band is debuting its own seven-inch singles club in February. Limited to pressings of 3,000 45-RPM singles, each month subscribers get a colored wax nugget shipped directly to their home, with cover artwork designed and submitted by the fans themselves. Details can be found at (http://www.nofxofficialwebsite.com/7inchclub/).
• With winter winds whipping through the cracks of the storm windows, curling under a heavy quilt with a good book is just what the doctor ordered. I recently had the luxurious experience of falling under the spell of Blankets, a heartbreaking, deeply pensive graphic novel by Craig Thompson, and its accompanying CD, and I can't say enough good things about both. Truly a tome at 588 hand-drawn and -inked pages, Thompson's memories of childhood, first love, sexual exploration, and questioning his guiding faith in rural Michigan and Wisconsin are brutally honest, yet breathtakingly tender, enough so that one can smell the cold Midwest air and damp flannel hung on coat hooks above radiators. Already a winner of last year's Harvey Award for Best Graphic Novel (the Oscar of smart, grown-up comic-book endeavors), last month the Film Guerrero Records label honored the work with an inspired CD soundtrack from the eclectic collective known as Tracker. Grainy, atmospheric, and haunting, the soundtrack is a lo-fi gem, beautifully housed in a cardboard slipcase adorned with Thompson's artwork. A perfect stocking stuffer (if you can find a big enough stocking), look for the book on the Top Shelf Productions imprint.
Television Alert:
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno welcomes Alison Krauss tonight, Chris Isaak on Friday, and Bruce Hornsby on Monday; The Late Show with David Letterman hosts Marilyn Manson tonight and John Mayer on Thursday; Late Night with Conan O'Brien features Velvet Revolver this evening overnight, The Zutons on Thursday overnight, Sparta on Friday overnight, and The Killers on Tuesday overnight; The Late Late Show features Mathew Sweet this evening overnight and Aimee Mann on Monday overnight; and Jimmy Kimmel Live boasts Gwen Stefani this evening overnight, The Shins on Friday overnight, Joss Stone on Monday overnight, and Simple Plan on Tuesday overnight.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, November 30:
... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change
Aerosmith - You Gotta Move (Columbia) live DVD featuring a behind-the-scenes look at the making of their Honkin' on Bobo album
All Parallels - Formulate a Tragedy (OTR Records)
Anthrax - The Greater of Two Evils (Sanctuary) 14 songs selected by their fans are newly recorded live in the studio
Band Aid 20 - "Do They Know It's Christmas" (Universal) import-only CD single
Blade: Trinity - original motion picture soundtrack (New Line) with the RZA, Crystal Method, Lil' Flip and Dirt McGirt; also available in a deluxe edition featuring an animated DVD from the creators of the Blokheds
Bonnie "Prince" Billy - No More Workhouse Blues (Drag City) CD EP featuring a CD-ROM video directed by Harmony Korine
Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway (RCA)
Dirty Vegas - ONE (Capitol)
Erasure - The Tank, the Swan, & the Balloon Live! (Mute) DVD of their performance at the Manchester Apollo in 1992
The Exies - Head for the Door (Virgin)
Fishbone - Critical Times: The Henhouse Sessions (Music Video Distributors) DVD documentary of the band's recording process in 2001
The International Submarine Band - Safe at Home (Sundazed) CD re-issue for this 1968 album featuring Gram Parsons
John Frusciante - A Sphere in the Heart of Silence (Record Collection) the fifth new album in six months from the Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist, this time featuring Josh Klinghoffer in a retro electronic environment
Josh Groban - Live from the Greek (143/Reprise) CD/DVD set featuring guest Bela Fleck, and a riff on Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" with vocalist Lucia Micarelli
Jay-Z & Linkin Park - Collision Course (Roc-a-Fella/Warner Bros) studio CD and live DVD
Gerald Levert - Do I Speak for the World? (Atlantic)
Living Legends - "Blast Your Radio" (Up Above) 12-inch single produced by Madlib
Jon Lord - Beyond the Notes (EMI) new from the former member of Deep Purple
Wynton Marsalis - Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise & Fall of Jack Johnson (Blue Note) his original score for the Ken Burns film, to be aired by PBS-TV in January
Methadones - Not Economically Viable (Thick) featuring vocalist Dan Vapid of Screeching Weasel and The Riverdales
Nas - Street's Disciple (Columbia) two-CD set with guests Redman, Maxwell, and Kelis, featuring a cool sample of Iron Butterfly's "Inna Gadda Da Vida" morphed into the first single "Thief's Theme"
Joanna Newsom - Sprout & the Bean (Drag City) enhanced CD EP
Pearl Jam - rearviewmirror: The Greatest Hits 1991-2003 (Epic) limited-edition vinyl LP
Placebo - Once More with Feeling: Singles 1996-2004 (Astralwerks) best-of collection with a new song
Simon & Garfunkel - Old Friends: Live on Stage from the Greek (Warner Bros) DVD and two-CD set
Elliott Smith - Olympia, Washington (HIQI/Music Video Distributors) DVD of his solo closing-night performance at the Yogo Ago Go festival in 1999
Two Lone Swordsmen - Showbiz Shotguns (Warp)
various artists - Narnack Records Presents: A Fist First Music Sampler (Narnack) low-priced 21-track label showcase CD featuring new or rare tracks from The Fall, Guitar Wolf, Coachwhips, Yellow Swans, and more
Vida Blue with the Spam Allstars - Live at the Fillmore (Image) DVD filmed this past June, featuring Page McConnell of Phish and covers of Pink Floyd's "Sheep" and the Average White Band's "Pick Up the Pieces"
