30
Sep
2003
· It might get getting chilly these fine fall nights, but my pick of the week is sunny-hot with the return of the Fun Lovin' Criminals and the band's new Welcome to Poppy's album, due next week on the DiFontaine/Sanctuary Records imprint.
The first track, "Too Hot," is signature FLC rollin' alchemy, blending Latin rhythms and hip-hop beats, aggressively driving the bump like a stoned Cadillac roll through New York's Lower East Side. Thick with wicked guitar chops, Ian Dury-style pump, John Shaft street-shuffle percussion, and Tijuana brass, the groove percolates with vocal call-outs and lover boy "ooh-ahh"s. I double-dog dare you not to throw your hands in the air and rock along with cryptic lyrics such as "If the heat don't get 'cha, the drugs sure will.
· Mama always told me not to drink corn pills," from "You Got a Problem." The band is keeping busy this year recording two upcoming soundtracks for the films Oh Marbella, starring Rik Mayall of The Young Ones, and Headrush, with FLC frontman Huey acting in a seedy role.
· Cover-song enthusiasts get ample fuel for their fire this Tuesday, as two new CDs offer interesting choices for interpretation. Lookout Records is releasing the second single from Ted Leo & The Pharmacists' recent Hearts of Oak album, "Tell Balgeary, Balgury Is Dead." More of an EP than a single, the CD features eight bonus solo recordings, including covers of The Jam's "Ghosts," The Pogues' "Dirty Old Town," and Split Enz's whimsical "Six Months in a Leaky Boat." Always aloof and creepy-cool, Firewater collects a dark set of its influences for the new Songs We Should Have Written set. The Jetset Records release paints little love letters to 11 personal favorites of Tod A and company, from the Rolling Stones' "Paint It Black" and the Beatles' "Hey Bulldog" to Tom Waits' "Diamonds & Gold" and Robyn Hitchcock's "I Often Dream of Trains." Paying homage to songwriter Lee Hazelwood, Firewater covers two of his songs, "This Town" and the often-interpreted "Some Velvet Morning."
· Poster artist Derek Hess pops up on another CD cover this week. Look for his work on this Tuesday's MTV2 Headbangers Ball collection on the Roadrunner label, a two-CD collection. The first disc features 20 heavyweights such as Sevendust and Mudvayne, while the second CD features 20 up-and-coming artists including Chimaira, 36 Crazyfists, and Mastodon.
Television Alert:
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno welcomes Tom Petty tonight, Bonnie Raitt on Thursday, and Elton John on Friday; The Late Show with David Letterman hosts Sting tonight, R.E.M. on Thursday, and Rufus Wainwright on Monday; Late Night with Conan O'Brien gets Staind on Thursday overnight; Last Call with Carson Daly features Stereophonics this evening overnight, Leona Naess on Thursday overnight, Fuel on Friday overnight, Ween on Monday overnight, and Pete Yorn on Tuesday overnight; NBC's Today show gets up early with Sting on Thursday morning and R.E.M. on Friday morning; and Saturday Night Live's musical guest this weekend is John Mayer.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, October 7
... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change
20 Miles - Life Doesn't Rhyme (Fat Possum) new from Jon Spencer Blues Explosion guitarist Judah Bauer and Black Heart Processional drummer Joe Plummer
2Pac - Death Row Presents 2Pac Nu-Mixx Klazzics (Death Row/Koch) back from the grave once again to teach kids how to spell wrong
The Band of Blacky Ranchette - Still Lookin' Good to Me (Thrill Jockey) new from Howie Gelb of Giant Sand with Neko Case and Cat Power's Chan Marshall
Chris Browkaw - Wandering as Water (Return To Sender) new live album from the former member of Come and Codeine
Harold Budd - La Bella Vista (Shout!) produced by Daniel Lanois
Isobel Campbell - Amorino (Instinct) new solo album from the former Belle & Sebastian cellist
Howie Day - Stop All the World Now (Epic) recorded with former Verve bassist Simon Jones and a 25-piece orchestra, this new album is also in a limited-edition package with alternative cover art and a bonus DVD
Desert Sessions - Volumes 9 & 10 (Ipecac) new CD or two-LP set, with guests Dean Ween, Twiggy Ramirez, P.J. Harvey, Chris Goss of Masters of Reality, and Alain Johnnes of Eleven
Dub Pistols - Six Million Ways to Live (Distinctive/K7) new with guests Horrace Andy of Massive Attack and vocalist Terry Hall of The Specials and Fun Boy Three
Fonda - Catching Up to the Future (Hidden Agenda) new from David Newton of The Mighty Lemon Drops
Galactic - Ruckus (Sanctuary) anticipated new album with producer Dan "The Automator" Nakamura, featuring a cover of General Public's 1984 hit "Tenderness"
Beth Gibbons & Paul Webb - Out of Season (Sanctuary) new collaboration between the Portishead vocalist and the Talk Talk bassist
Glamour Puss - Wire & Wood (Northern Blues) fourth album from this Canadian quintet mixing roadhouse blues and zydeco boogie, featuring a cover of John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom"
Gov't Mule - The Deepest End (ATO) recorded live earlier this year with guests Mike Gordon of Phish, Roger Glover of Deep Purple, Bernie Worrell of P-Funk, and former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted
High Llamas - Beet, Maize, & Corn (Drag City) new organic acoustic adventures
Steve Howe's Remedy - Elements (Inside Out) new from the Yes guitarist with his two sons, Virgil and Dylan, on keyboards and drums
Iced Earth - The Reckoning (Hunter/SPV) new patriotic metal, with former Judas Priest vocalist Tim Owens
Rickie Lee Jones - The Evening of My Best Day (V2) with guests Bill Frisell, Syd Straw, Ben Harper, Rob Wasserman, and Eric Benet
Robert Earl Keen - Farm Fresh Onions (Audium/Koch) with guests Ian McLagan of the Small Faces and Shawn Colvin, and a song by James McMurty
Ludacris - Chicken & Beer (Def Jam)
Lungfish - Love Is Love (Dischord) with Sean Meadows of June of 44 back on bass
New Bomb Turks - Switchblade Tongues, Butterknife Brains (Gearhead) enhanced CD or colored-vinyl LP
New Model Army - Great Expectations: The Singles Collection (Superfecta) touring America next month, this 18-track collection traces the path from indie-label roots to Sony Records
Beth Orton - Retrospective (BMG Heritage) two-CD set featuring a new song and lots of rarities
Britta Phillips & Dean Wareham - Sonic Souvenirs (Jetset) EP of tracks re-worked by Sonic Boom
Portastatic - Autumn Was a Lark (Merge) new studio tracks and acoustic radio sessions, featuring covers of Bruce Springsteen's "Growin' Up," Ronnie Lane's "One for the Road," and Badfinger's "Baby Blue"
Elvis Presley - Elvis 2nd to None (RCA/BMG Heritage) 30-track collection featuring a remix of "Rubberneckin'" by DJ Paul Oakenfold
Prey for Rock & Roll - original motion picture soundtrack (Hybrid) from the new film about an all-girl rock band fronted by Gina Gershon and The Sopranos' Drea De Matteo
Sevendust - Seasons (TVT)
The Spiders - Glitzkrieg (Acetate) bristling glam-fuzz from Austin, Texas
Static-X - Shadow Zone (Warner Bros)
Stereolab - Instant O in the Universe (Elektra) all-new five-track EP
Tigerlillies - Ceci N'est Pas Pop (Atavistic) produced by John Curley of the Afghan Whigs
Timbaland & Magoo - Under Construction Part II (Universal) with guests Missy Elliott and Wyclef Jean
To My Surprise - To My Surprise (Roadrunner) new solo project from Slipknot's Shawn "Clown" Crahan
Paul Van Dyk - Reflections (Mute) featuring the song "Connected," appearing in the Motorola's new television-commercial campaign
Van Helsing's Curse - Oculus Infernum (Koch) a soundtrack for Halloween from Twisted Sister's Dee Snider
various artists - Beautiful: A Tribute to Gordon Lightfoot (Northern Blues/Borealis) with the Cowboy Junkies, Jesse Winchester, Bruce Cockburn, Ron Sexsmith, The Tragically Hip, and more
Vertebrats - A Thousand Day Dream (Reaction) CD re-issue of this 1980 garage-rock indie classic from Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, featuring the song "Left in the Dark," covered since by Courtney Love, Uncle Tupelo, and the Replacements
Cassandra Wilson - Glamoured (Blue Note) featuring covers of Bob Dylan's "Lay Lady Lay," Patsy Cline's "Crazy," and Sting's "Fragile"
· Mama always told me not to drink corn pills," from "You Got a Problem." The band is keeping busy this year recording two upcoming soundtracks for the films Oh Marbella, starring Rik Mayall of The Young Ones, and Headrush, with FLC frontman Huey acting in a seedy role.
· Cover-song enthusiasts get ample fuel for their fire this Tuesday, as two new CDs offer interesting choices for interpretation. Lookout Records is releasing the second single from Ted Leo & The Pharmacists' recent Hearts of Oak album, "Tell Balgeary, Balgury Is Dead." More of an EP than a single, the CD features eight bonus solo recordings, including covers of The Jam's "Ghosts," The Pogues' "Dirty Old Town," and Split Enz's whimsical "Six Months in a Leaky Boat." Always aloof and creepy-cool, Firewater collects a dark set of its influences for the new Songs We Should Have Written set. The Jetset Records release paints little love letters to 11 personal favorites of Tod A and company, from the Rolling Stones' "Paint It Black" and the Beatles' "Hey Bulldog" to Tom Waits' "Diamonds & Gold" and Robyn Hitchcock's "I Often Dream of Trains." Paying homage to songwriter Lee Hazelwood, Firewater covers two of his songs, "This Town" and the often-interpreted "Some Velvet Morning."
· Poster artist Derek Hess pops up on another CD cover this week. Look for his work on this Tuesday's MTV2 Headbangers Ball collection on the Roadrunner label, a two-CD collection. The first disc features 20 heavyweights such as Sevendust and Mudvayne, while the second CD features 20 up-and-coming artists including Chimaira, 36 Crazyfists, and Mastodon.
Television Alert:
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno welcomes Tom Petty tonight, Bonnie Raitt on Thursday, and Elton John on Friday; The Late Show with David Letterman hosts Sting tonight, R.E.M. on Thursday, and Rufus Wainwright on Monday; Late Night with Conan O'Brien gets Staind on Thursday overnight; Last Call with Carson Daly features Stereophonics this evening overnight, Leona Naess on Thursday overnight, Fuel on Friday overnight, Ween on Monday overnight, and Pete Yorn on Tuesday overnight; NBC's Today show gets up early with Sting on Thursday morning and R.E.M. on Friday morning; and Saturday Night Live's musical guest this weekend is John Mayer.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, October 7
... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change
20 Miles - Life Doesn't Rhyme (Fat Possum) new from Jon Spencer Blues Explosion guitarist Judah Bauer and Black Heart Processional drummer Joe Plummer
2Pac - Death Row Presents 2Pac Nu-Mixx Klazzics (Death Row/Koch) back from the grave once again to teach kids how to spell wrong
The Band of Blacky Ranchette - Still Lookin' Good to Me (Thrill Jockey) new from Howie Gelb of Giant Sand with Neko Case and Cat Power's Chan Marshall
Chris Browkaw - Wandering as Water (Return To Sender) new live album from the former member of Come and Codeine
Harold Budd - La Bella Vista (Shout!) produced by Daniel Lanois
Isobel Campbell - Amorino (Instinct) new solo album from the former Belle & Sebastian cellist
Howie Day - Stop All the World Now (Epic) recorded with former Verve bassist Simon Jones and a 25-piece orchestra, this new album is also in a limited-edition package with alternative cover art and a bonus DVD
Desert Sessions - Volumes 9 & 10 (Ipecac) new CD or two-LP set, with guests Dean Ween, Twiggy Ramirez, P.J. Harvey, Chris Goss of Masters of Reality, and Alain Johnnes of Eleven
Dub Pistols - Six Million Ways to Live (Distinctive/K7) new with guests Horrace Andy of Massive Attack and vocalist Terry Hall of The Specials and Fun Boy Three
Fonda - Catching Up to the Future (Hidden Agenda) new from David Newton of The Mighty Lemon Drops
Galactic - Ruckus (Sanctuary) anticipated new album with producer Dan "The Automator" Nakamura, featuring a cover of General Public's 1984 hit "Tenderness"
Beth Gibbons & Paul Webb - Out of Season (Sanctuary) new collaboration between the Portishead vocalist and the Talk Talk bassist
Glamour Puss - Wire & Wood (Northern Blues) fourth album from this Canadian quintet mixing roadhouse blues and zydeco boogie, featuring a cover of John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom"
Gov't Mule - The Deepest End (ATO) recorded live earlier this year with guests Mike Gordon of Phish, Roger Glover of Deep Purple, Bernie Worrell of P-Funk, and former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted
High Llamas - Beet, Maize, & Corn (Drag City) new organic acoustic adventures
Steve Howe's Remedy - Elements (Inside Out) new from the Yes guitarist with his two sons, Virgil and Dylan, on keyboards and drums
Iced Earth - The Reckoning (Hunter/SPV) new patriotic metal, with former Judas Priest vocalist Tim Owens
Rickie Lee Jones - The Evening of My Best Day (V2) with guests Bill Frisell, Syd Straw, Ben Harper, Rob Wasserman, and Eric Benet
Robert Earl Keen - Farm Fresh Onions (Audium/Koch) with guests Ian McLagan of the Small Faces and Shawn Colvin, and a song by James McMurty
Ludacris - Chicken & Beer (Def Jam)
Lungfish - Love Is Love (Dischord) with Sean Meadows of June of 44 back on bass
New Bomb Turks - Switchblade Tongues, Butterknife Brains (Gearhead) enhanced CD or colored-vinyl LP
New Model Army - Great Expectations: The Singles Collection (Superfecta) touring America next month, this 18-track collection traces the path from indie-label roots to Sony Records
Beth Orton - Retrospective (BMG Heritage) two-CD set featuring a new song and lots of rarities
Britta Phillips & Dean Wareham - Sonic Souvenirs (Jetset) EP of tracks re-worked by Sonic Boom
Portastatic - Autumn Was a Lark (Merge) new studio tracks and acoustic radio sessions, featuring covers of Bruce Springsteen's "Growin' Up," Ronnie Lane's "One for the Road," and Badfinger's "Baby Blue"
Elvis Presley - Elvis 2nd to None (RCA/BMG Heritage) 30-track collection featuring a remix of "Rubberneckin'" by DJ Paul Oakenfold
Prey for Rock & Roll - original motion picture soundtrack (Hybrid) from the new film about an all-girl rock band fronted by Gina Gershon and The Sopranos' Drea De Matteo
Sevendust - Seasons (TVT)
The Spiders - Glitzkrieg (Acetate) bristling glam-fuzz from Austin, Texas
Static-X - Shadow Zone (Warner Bros)
Stereolab - Instant O in the Universe (Elektra) all-new five-track EP
Tigerlillies - Ceci N'est Pas Pop (Atavistic) produced by John Curley of the Afghan Whigs
Timbaland & Magoo - Under Construction Part II (Universal) with guests Missy Elliott and Wyclef Jean
To My Surprise - To My Surprise (Roadrunner) new solo project from Slipknot's Shawn "Clown" Crahan
Paul Van Dyk - Reflections (Mute) featuring the song "Connected," appearing in the Motorola's new television-commercial campaign
Van Helsing's Curse - Oculus Infernum (Koch) a soundtrack for Halloween from Twisted Sister's Dee Snider
various artists - Beautiful: A Tribute to Gordon Lightfoot (Northern Blues/Borealis) with the Cowboy Junkies, Jesse Winchester, Bruce Cockburn, Ron Sexsmith, The Tragically Hip, and more
Vertebrats - A Thousand Day Dream (Reaction) CD re-issue of this 1980 garage-rock indie classic from Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, featuring the song "Left in the Dark," covered since by Courtney Love, Uncle Tupelo, and the Replacements
Cassandra Wilson - Glamoured (Blue Note) featuring covers of Bob Dylan's "Lay Lady Lay," Patsy Cline's "Crazy," and Sting's "Fragile"
