12
Aug
2003
· This Tuesday brings the long-anticipated Earthquake Glue album from Guided by Voices, and the band is beautifully riffing the "behind-the-scenes sweepstakes" concept à la Willie Wonka & The Chocolate Factory. Not only is the album a sweet stunner, but also hidden inside a handful of the Matador Records release are "golden tickets" that will give the lucky buyer a free advance copy of the group's forthcoming six-disc box set.
The new rarities collection, Hardcore UFOs, is due later this fall and promises five CDs and a special DVD featuring videos, live footage, and the Watch Me Jumpstart documentary from 1988. The hefty audio side of the box features a best-of disc, the band's holy-grail debut Forever Since Breakfast, and handfuls of demos, B sides, and concert recordings.
· Can't get enough of Guided by Voices vocalist Robert Pollard and his psychedelic wordplay? Check out Off Records' recent issue of his re-working of Phantom Tollbooth's swan-song album. Pollard had often quipped that he wished he had been in one of his favorite bands, Phantom Tollbooth, which broke up in 1988. Hearing that the band "would have taken over the world" with his membership, the former members agreed to give him his shot and turned over the master tapes of their last effort, Power Toy. Stripped of the original vocal tracks, Pollard wrote new lyrics and melody lines for the work and re-titled it Beard of Lightning, offering a truly unique visionary statement.
· In other Wonka-related news, Insane Clown Posse is packing up the Faygo for their nationwide "Wicked Wonka" tour in September, with Bone Thugs N Harmony and Tech N9e pulling up the rear.
· Two new import-only singles are worth hunting for next week, with non-LP tracks and other goodies. Radiohead's second single from the Hail to the Thief album is "Go to Sleep," with the two-part CD single featuring a new song, "I Am Citizen Insane," and a live version of "Fog." The Queens of the Stone Age are a bit more aggressive with "First It Giveth," a new seven-inch and two-part CD single spreading out rarities such as re-mixes of "Song for the Deaf" and "You Think I Ain't Worth a Dollar ... " and the band's covers of The Cramps' "The Most Exalted Potentate of Love" and The Subhumans' "Wake Up Screaming."
Television Alert:
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno hosts Wynonna tonight, Jeff Beck and B.B. King on Monday, and Sugar Ray on Tuesday; The Late Show with David Letterman features Good Charlotte tonight, Verbena on Thursday, Annie Lennox on Friday, the Eels on Monday, and Nick Cave on Tuesday; Late Night with Conan O'Brien welcomes The Dandy Warhols on Thursday overnight and Ringo Starr on Tuesday overnight; The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn gets Caucasian with Dido this evening overnight, Jessica Simpson on Thursday overnight, Drive-by Truckers on Monday overnight, and Kelly Rowland on Tuesday overnight; and Saturday Night Live's musical guests this weekend are Alicia Keys and Paul Simon.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, August 19:
... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change
Alien Ant Farm - truant (DreamWorks) produced by Robert and Dean DeLeo of Stone Temple Pilots
Ian Anderson - Rupi's Dance (Fuel 2000) the fourth solo album from the Jethro Tull founder
The Bens - The Bens (Epic) new from Ben Folds, Ben Lee, and Ben Kweller
Blacktop - I've Got a Baaad Feeling About This (In the Red) with Mick Collins of The Gories and Darin Lin Wood of Fireworks
The Blue Series Continuum - Good & Evil Sessions (Thirsty Ear) hypnotic, chilled, and playful, this new ever-changing collective features Matthew Shipp on piano and the production of hip-hop new turks GoodandEvil
Brassy - Gettin' Wise (Wiiija/Beggars Banquet)
Eva Cassidy - American Tune (Blix Street) 10 previously unreleased songs featuring covers of Paul Simon's title track, Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors," and Joe Simon's "Drowning in the Sea of Love"
The Constantines - Shine a Light (SubPop) fantastic second album from this Toronto band that reels in the sweaty sexuality of the Afghan Whigs and Washington, D.C., art-punk
Country Teasers - Secret Weapon Revealed at Last (In the Red) all new country-garage punk
The Dandy Warhols - Welcome to the Monkey House (Capitol) with guests Simon LeBon and Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran, Evan Dando of The Lemonheads, and Nile Rodgers of Chic
Wayne Hancock - Swingtime (Bloodshot) laid-back Western swing, boogie-bound and shimmering with pedal steel guitar and Hancock's golden cowboy twang
Lili Haydn - Light Blue Sun (Private Music) with guests George Clinton, Pharaoh Sanders, Alice Coltrane, and Bill Laswell
Michael Franti & Spearhead - Everyone Deserves Music (Six Degrees)
Over the Rhine - Ohio (Virgin/Backporch) all new two-CD and two-LP gatefold release featuring photography by Michael Wilson
Papas Fritas - Pop Has Freed Us (Minty Fresh) collection of rarities and covers of Tom Verlaine's "Flash Lightning" and Fleetwood Mac's "Book of Love"
Ramblin' Ambassadors - Avanti (Mint) featuring guitarist Brent Cooper of Huevos Rancheros
The Ramones - Live (King Biscuit) from New York City in 1978
Diane Reeves - A Little Moonlight (Blue Note) with a cover of Billie Holiday's "We'll Be Together Again"
Wayne Rogers - Constant Displacement (Drag City) fifth solo album from the Major Stars and Crystallized Movements guitarist, featuring a Thunderclap Newman cover
Todd Rundgren - Can't Stop Running (Sanctuary) six-CD set
Juelz Santana - From Me to U (Roc-a-Fella) new solo album from the Diplomats member, with guests Cam'ron and Freeky Zeeky
Simon & Garfunkel - The Concert in Central Park (20th Century Fox) expanded and on DVD for the first time
The Star Spangles - Bazooka! (Capitol) NYC punk featuring a cover twist on "I Want You Back" by the Hoodoo Gurus
Matt Suggs - Amigo Row (Merge) new from the former member of Butterglory
Superchunk - Cup of Sand (Merge) two-CD set of singles, rarities, and other oddities such as covers of Government Issue's "Blending In," David Bowie's "Scary Monsters," and Adam Ant's "Beat My Guest"
Robert Walter's 20th Congress - Giving Up the Ghost (Magnatude) formerly of the Greyboy All-Stars, this new jazz-funk masterpiece is powered by Fender Rhodes and Hammond B-3 organ
You Am I - Deliverance (SpinArt) enhanced domestic issue of this Australian hit from last year
Neil Young - Greendale (Reprise)
· Can't get enough of Guided by Voices vocalist Robert Pollard and his psychedelic wordplay? Check out Off Records' recent issue of his re-working of Phantom Tollbooth's swan-song album. Pollard had often quipped that he wished he had been in one of his favorite bands, Phantom Tollbooth, which broke up in 1988. Hearing that the band "would have taken over the world" with his membership, the former members agreed to give him his shot and turned over the master tapes of their last effort, Power Toy. Stripped of the original vocal tracks, Pollard wrote new lyrics and melody lines for the work and re-titled it Beard of Lightning, offering a truly unique visionary statement.
· In other Wonka-related news, Insane Clown Posse is packing up the Faygo for their nationwide "Wicked Wonka" tour in September, with Bone Thugs N Harmony and Tech N9e pulling up the rear.
· Two new import-only singles are worth hunting for next week, with non-LP tracks and other goodies. Radiohead's second single from the Hail to the Thief album is "Go to Sleep," with the two-part CD single featuring a new song, "I Am Citizen Insane," and a live version of "Fog." The Queens of the Stone Age are a bit more aggressive with "First It Giveth," a new seven-inch and two-part CD single spreading out rarities such as re-mixes of "Song for the Deaf" and "You Think I Ain't Worth a Dollar ... " and the band's covers of The Cramps' "The Most Exalted Potentate of Love" and The Subhumans' "Wake Up Screaming."
Television Alert:
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno hosts Wynonna tonight, Jeff Beck and B.B. King on Monday, and Sugar Ray on Tuesday; The Late Show with David Letterman features Good Charlotte tonight, Verbena on Thursday, Annie Lennox on Friday, the Eels on Monday, and Nick Cave on Tuesday; Late Night with Conan O'Brien welcomes The Dandy Warhols on Thursday overnight and Ringo Starr on Tuesday overnight; The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn gets Caucasian with Dido this evening overnight, Jessica Simpson on Thursday overnight, Drive-by Truckers on Monday overnight, and Kelly Rowland on Tuesday overnight; and Saturday Night Live's musical guests this weekend are Alicia Keys and Paul Simon.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, August 19:
... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change
Alien Ant Farm - truant (DreamWorks) produced by Robert and Dean DeLeo of Stone Temple Pilots
Ian Anderson - Rupi's Dance (Fuel 2000) the fourth solo album from the Jethro Tull founder
The Bens - The Bens (Epic) new from Ben Folds, Ben Lee, and Ben Kweller
Blacktop - I've Got a Baaad Feeling About This (In the Red) with Mick Collins of The Gories and Darin Lin Wood of Fireworks
The Blue Series Continuum - Good & Evil Sessions (Thirsty Ear) hypnotic, chilled, and playful, this new ever-changing collective features Matthew Shipp on piano and the production of hip-hop new turks GoodandEvil
Brassy - Gettin' Wise (Wiiija/Beggars Banquet)
Eva Cassidy - American Tune (Blix Street) 10 previously unreleased songs featuring covers of Paul Simon's title track, Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors," and Joe Simon's "Drowning in the Sea of Love"
The Constantines - Shine a Light (SubPop) fantastic second album from this Toronto band that reels in the sweaty sexuality of the Afghan Whigs and Washington, D.C., art-punk
Country Teasers - Secret Weapon Revealed at Last (In the Red) all new country-garage punk
The Dandy Warhols - Welcome to the Monkey House (Capitol) with guests Simon LeBon and Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran, Evan Dando of The Lemonheads, and Nile Rodgers of Chic
Wayne Hancock - Swingtime (Bloodshot) laid-back Western swing, boogie-bound and shimmering with pedal steel guitar and Hancock's golden cowboy twang
Lili Haydn - Light Blue Sun (Private Music) with guests George Clinton, Pharaoh Sanders, Alice Coltrane, and Bill Laswell
Michael Franti & Spearhead - Everyone Deserves Music (Six Degrees)
Over the Rhine - Ohio (Virgin/Backporch) all new two-CD and two-LP gatefold release featuring photography by Michael Wilson
Papas Fritas - Pop Has Freed Us (Minty Fresh) collection of rarities and covers of Tom Verlaine's "Flash Lightning" and Fleetwood Mac's "Book of Love"
Ramblin' Ambassadors - Avanti (Mint) featuring guitarist Brent Cooper of Huevos Rancheros
The Ramones - Live (King Biscuit) from New York City in 1978
Diane Reeves - A Little Moonlight (Blue Note) with a cover of Billie Holiday's "We'll Be Together Again"
Wayne Rogers - Constant Displacement (Drag City) fifth solo album from the Major Stars and Crystallized Movements guitarist, featuring a Thunderclap Newman cover
Todd Rundgren - Can't Stop Running (Sanctuary) six-CD set
Juelz Santana - From Me to U (Roc-a-Fella) new solo album from the Diplomats member, with guests Cam'ron and Freeky Zeeky
Simon & Garfunkel - The Concert in Central Park (20th Century Fox) expanded and on DVD for the first time
The Star Spangles - Bazooka! (Capitol) NYC punk featuring a cover twist on "I Want You Back" by the Hoodoo Gurus
Matt Suggs - Amigo Row (Merge) new from the former member of Butterglory
Superchunk - Cup of Sand (Merge) two-CD set of singles, rarities, and other oddities such as covers of Government Issue's "Blending In," David Bowie's "Scary Monsters," and Adam Ant's "Beat My Guest"
Robert Walter's 20th Congress - Giving Up the Ghost (Magnatude) formerly of the Greyboy All-Stars, this new jazz-funk masterpiece is powered by Fender Rhodes and Hammond B-3 organ
You Am I - Deliverance (SpinArt) enhanced domestic issue of this Australian hit from last year
Neil Young - Greendale (Reprise)
