Buddy Guy - Skin Deep Special guests abound on two new CDs and a seven-inch single from a blues legend, a former pop superstar, and a one-hit Scottish songwriter. On tour now with George Thorogood & the Destroyers, Buddy Guy has just released Skin Deep on the Silvertone Records imprint. Featuring songs "Smell the Funk" and "Lyin' Like a Dog," the Chicago blues powerhouse is joined by Eric Clapton, Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi, and Robert Randolph.

Collecting a few past duets with a handful of new pairings, Olivia Newton-John is back with A Celebration in Song: Olivia Newton-John & Friends, available only as an import from EMI. Joining the karaoke favorite on the CD are Barry Gibb, Keith Urban, Richard Marx, Cliff Richard, and Jimmy Barnes.

Do you remember Edwyn Collins' "A Girl Like You" from 1994? His new seven-inch single, "Home Again," comes in a limited edition of 1,500 copies sure to send collectors into a frenzy, as each individual sleeve features original artwork by a bevy of pals including Billy Childish, Tracey Thorn of Everything but the Girl, John Squire of Stone Roses, Pete Shelly of the Buzzcocks, Nicky Wire of Manic Street Preachers, and many more. All proceeds from the single go to Connect, a UK charity that supports those, like Collins, who live with aphasia.

Speaking of charity, two benefit CDs worthy of attention are due next week. Thirsty Ear Records has teamed with The Future of Music Coalition to produce Rock the Net: Musicians for Network Neutrality, an impressive 15-track CD that hopes to open ears (and eyes) to the upcoming challenges to keep the Internet a fair, free, and open playing field. Featuring a live recording of Wilco's "Impossible Germany," the CD includes contributions from Aimee Mann, Bright Eyes, DJ Spooky, They Might Be Giants, and The Wrens.

Also honoring a good cause this coming Tuesday is Interlude, created by the intellectual-property law firm of Finnegan, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, benefiting the Recording Academy's MusiCares foundation. Artists involved in providing insurance and support to musicians include Catie Curtis, Sara Hickman, Eleni Mandell, Jonatha Brooke and Michelle Malone. One highlight is "Bring on the Love," a previously unreleased song by Chuck Prophet.

 

Television Alert

 

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno hosts Gnarls Barkley on Monday and Third Day on Tuesday; The Late Show with David Letterman presents Grizzly Bear tonight, Black Kids on Thursday, We Are Scientists on Monday, and Low Vs. Diamond on Tuesday; and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson boasts the return of Tears for Fears' Curt Smith this evening and Belinda Carlisle on Tuesday overnight.

 

New Releases Coming Tuesday, July 29

 

Alice Cooper - Along Came a Spider (Steamhammer/SPV) co-written with Black Grape's Danny Saber, his 25th studio album takes on Spider, a serial killer who dresses his victims in silk

Erin Bode - The Little Garden (Native Language) highly anticipated new album from the stunning jazz-pop vocalist and her sly combo, returning to her love of Paul Simon in her cover of "Born at the Right Time"

Daft Punk - Electroma (Vice) housed in a steel case with a 40-page booklet, this DVD and Blu-Ray release of the French duo's feature-length film about two robots seeking to become human premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2006

Danny Aiello - Live from Atlantic City (DreamMakers/Rock Ridge) standards including "Beyond the Sea," "Pennies from Heaven," and "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down & Write Myself a Letter" from the Academy Award-nominated actor

Dead Can Dance - Box Set (4AD) all nine studio albums, remastered in the SACD format and housed in Japanese paper sleeves in a black-velvet box

Chris Difford - The Last Temptation of Chris (Airline) domestic issue of this new solo album from the Squeeze co-founder, co-written and produced by Boo Hewerdine of The Bible

Johnny Flynn - A Larum (Lost Highway) domestic issue of this refreshing album of originals and tasty playing by the young actor, somewhere between a Welsh jig, an orchard picnic, Donovan, and Jack White

Greta Gaines - Whiskey Thoughts (Justice) breaking the album down to a "drivin' side" and the "cryin' side," this self-described "hippie-country" is mighty pleasing, with guests Ian Moore, Bobbie and Willie Nelson, and Raul Malo in the hesitant duet "Love Is Twisted"

Inara George - An Invitation (Everloving) new from The Bird & the Bee vocalist, in collaboration with Van Dyke Parks

Ernie Halter - Starting Over (Rock Ridge) blue-eyed soul turning in a surprisingly smooth, sexy acoustic cover of Baby Bash's "Cyclone"

Richie Havens - Nobody Left to Crown (Verve Forecast) his 30th album

K-Salaam & Beatnick - Whose World Is This? (VP/Universal) featuring a bonus DVD and guests Buju Banton, Talib Kweli, Kardinal Offishall, Capleton, and Dead Prez

Led Zeppelin - The Song Remains the Same (Rhino) remastered reissue, expanded to four 180-gram-vinyl LPs

Lenka - Lenka (Epic) stateside release of this solo debut from the former Decoder Ring vocalist, cleverly interpreted in cool paper-animation videos by James Gulliver Hancock; with guests Howie Day, fellow Australian Missy Higgins, and Beck's father, David Campbell, conducting the string section

M83 - "Kim & Jessie" (Mute) CD and 12-inch single featuring remixes by DatA and Montag

Stephen Percy - Under My Skin (Airline) new solo album from the Ratt vocalist, with guests The Donnas

Primal Scream - "Can't Go Back" (Atlantic) the first seven-inch and CD single from the band's upcoming new album, Beautiful Future

Roedelius/Story - Inlandish (Gronland) tender, dreamy landscapes unfolded by Brian Eno collaborator Hans-Joachim Roedelius and composer Tim Story

Rosematter - Rosematter (Torque/Victory) on tour this month with School Boy Humor

Rusty Truck - Luck's Changing Lanes (Ryko) expanded and reimagined reissue of the album Broken Promises, featuring a bonus DVD and guests Willie Nelson, Lenny Kravitz, Sheryl Crow, Gillian Welch, Rob Thomas, T Bone Burnett, and Jakob Dylan

Scars on Broadway - Scars on Broadway (Interscope) new from Daron Malakian and John Dolmayan of System of a Down

Sonic Youth - SYR8: Andre Sider Af Sonic Youth (Sonic Youth Records) with guest noisemakers Merzbow and Mats Gustafsson of Original Silence

Soulfly - Conquer (Roadrunner) also available in a deluxe edition featuring a bonus DVD

Sharleen Spiteri - Melody (Mercury) debut solo album from the vocalist of the UK band Texas, co-produced by Bernard Butler of Suede

Rick Springfield - Venus in Overdrive (New Door) all new with bassist Matt Bissonette, featuring the single "What's Victoria's Secret?"

Takka Takka - Migration (Ernest Jenning) produced by Sean Greenhalgh of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

Sebastian Tellier - Sexuallity (Record Makers) exclusively available at American Apparel until October, featuring the song "Sexual Sportswear"

Third Day - Revelation (Essential) with guests Lacey Mosely of Flyleaf and Chris Daughtry

James Jackson Toth - Waiting in Vain (Rykodisc) full of deliciously sleepy barstool moments, this solo debut from the Wooden Wand founder was produced by Pacific Northwest icon Steve Fisk, with guests from Wilco, Deerhoof, Geraldine Fibbers, and Vetiver

Walls of Jericho - The American Dream (Trustkill) featuring the devastating roar of vocalist Candace Kucsulain, these scorched-earth stormtroopers are currently on the road with the Mayhem Tour featuring Slipknot and Disturbed

Andre Williams - Can You Deal with It (Bloodshot) the 72-year-old is back with more sweaty grindhouse soul, backed by his New Orleans Hellhounds and enigmatic organist Quintron, getting way down deep in the greasy horns of "Your Woman" and "Never Had a Problem"

various artists - 4hero ... Waiting (Sonar Kollektiv) super-funky mix CD compiled by DJ Dego, slamming the beat freaks with a perfect audio adventure of Bootsy Collins, Raymond Scott, The Skatalites, and Little Brother

Support the River Cities' Reader

Get 12 Reader issues mailed monthly for $48/year.

Old School Subscription for Your Support

Get the printed Reader edition mailed to you (or anyone you want) first-class for 12 months for $48.
$24 goes to postage and handling, $24 goes to keeping the doors open!

Click this link to Old School Subscribe now.



Help Keep the Reader Alive and Free Since '93!

 

"We're the River Cities' Reader, and we've kept the Quad Cities' only independently owned newspaper alive and free since 1993.

So please help the Reader keep going with your one-time, monthly, or annual support. With your financial support the Reader can continue providing uncensored, non-scripted, and independent journalism alongside the Quad Cities' area's most comprehensive cultural coverage." - Todd McGreevy, Publisher